Tag Archives: book reviews

Review: Save the Date, by Jenny B. Jones

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Save the Date, by Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson, 2011)

Lucy Wiltshire runs a Saving Grace, a non-profit home for 18- and 19-year-old young women who’ve aged out of the foster care system and might otherwise be on the streets. The daughter of a cleaning lady, she feels more in common with these girls than with the affluent Charleston society members on whom she depends for donations.

Her desperate attempt to reverse a major funding cut ends in disaster—and with only one option to keep a roof over her girls’ heads: pose as wealthy Alex Sinclair’s love interest. Alex is a former football star who’s running for Congress, and dating a hometown girl like Lucy is just what he needs to improve his image.

The fake-engagement plot is nothing new, but author Jenny B. Jones keeps it fresh and adds other layers of story. Alex and Lucy sign a five-month agreement and plan to quietly “break up” after the election. She thinks he’s shallow and arrogant. He doesn’t want a long-term commitment this early in his career.

But Lucy begins to discover the good in Alex, and the approaching breakup adds to her stress. And stress there is. The girls’ home is saved, thanks to Alex’s money, but the girls still need care and Lucy’s on a crash course to learn enough about politics and high society to stand by “her” man in his campaign. Her mentor’s trying to re-make her, the paparazzi haunt her, and worst of all is the truth she learns about her father.

In the middle of high-society Charleston and US congressional politics (neither of which are big draws for this middle-class Canadian) Lucy is a delightful character. Spunky, quirky, and with a tendency to break something when she’s embarrassed, she’s unpretentious and fun. And she’s into Star Wars, Star Trek and Lord of the Rings. A bonus, for me.

She’s also a Christian, and her friends don’t think lying about a relationship with Alex is God’s way of providing for Saving Grace. But they stand by her, and she makes some surprising new friends along the way.

Save the Date is a heart-warming read complete with witty verbal sparring between Lucy and Alex. These two feel like real people and I genuinely cared about what would happen to them. There are some colourful support characters that add to the fun.

It’s also a novel that takes a serious look at insecurity and poor self-image. Jenny B. Jones is too good a writer to turn the novel into anything heavy-handed, but what Lucy and Alex learn, we can learn right along with them.

These deep insights are part of what I appreciate in her adult novels. Her previous one, Just Between You and Me, deals with fear, and I count it among the handful of life-changing fictional stories I’ve read. Based on that, as soon as I heard this new novel was in the works, I “saved the date,” and this book is every bit as good as the first.

Jenny B. Jones is best known for her young adults’ “Charmed Life” series, which are good fun for adults as well. She has a new young adult novel, There You’ll Find Me, coming out in October 2011. You can find Jenny at her website and her blog. (You may also want to see my review of Just Between You and Me.)

[Review copy from my personal library.]

Review: Choices of One, by Timothy Zahn

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Choices of One, by Timothy Zahn (Del Rey, 2011)

Masterful storytelling, complete with multiple plot lines and one of Timothy Zahn’s signature plot twists… and a spectacular climax that had me cheering out loud.

Choices of One has a cast that includes Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Mara Jade and Thrawn, and it takes place between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.

It can’t be easy to write about established characters whose future has already been mapped in other novels (the Star Wars series now extends forty-plus years past A New Hope). The writer has to be true to who the characters are at that point in the timeline, and not do anything that will rewrite their future. To add to the challenge, Timothy Zahn brings characters who can’t meet yet into very close proximity – and pulls it off in style.

Only Thrawn can make me cheer for the Empire (well, for his section anyway) and that’s because Timothy Zahn knows how to create good characters working in their own corners of a bad structure. Thrawn knows the Empire is corrupted, but from his perspective, it’s still the best option out there for galactic stability. Instead of sweating what he can’t control, Thrawn handles his own sphere of influence with justice and fairness.

Hugo-Award-winning Timothy Zahn is my favourite author. The Random House site says he’s “one of science fiction’s most popular voices, known for pitting realistic human characters against a well-researched background of future science and technology.” This may be the best of the Star Wars books he’s written to date, and I’ve enjoyed them all.

Along with his Star Wars and Terminator novels, he’s written somewhere around 30 other satisfying science-fiction novels. For me, it’s been worth hunting down the out of print ones from his early days. I’ve previously posted reviews of Conquerors’ Pride, Conquerors’ Heritage and Conquerors’ Legacy. Recent titles include the Cobra Wars and Quadrail series.

Choices of One is a sequel to his novel Allegiance, and although you don’t have to read them in order there will otherwise be spoilers. Here’s an interesting recent interview with Timothy Zahn. If you need more convincing, here’s an excerpt from Choices of One.

[Review copy from my personal library, and worth every penny of the hardcover price.]

Review: Pattern of Wounds, by J. Mark Bertrand

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Pattern of Wounds, by J. Mark Bertrand (Bethany House, 2011)

Detective Roland March is called to a Houston murder scene that’s eerily similar to his first big case, which was sensationalized in a true crime book. That killer’s in prison, but could someone have used the photos from the book as a pattern? Even worse, is the wrong man behind bars?

March follows up on every angle, but he also trusts his instincts. In his own words:

“The thing about instinct is, you follow without knowing where it’ll take you. You can’t explain why, and along the way nothing adds up, making you look like a fool. But working homicide, looking like a fool goes with the territory. That’s the job: getting it wrong until you finally get it right.” (p. 58-59)

As the story progresses, there’s a lot of getting it wrong before March finally gets it right. He blames others for allowing their biases to blind them to what he sees, but events make him question his own blind spots.

This book grabbed me on page one and kept me reading. Author J. Mark Bertrand has a tight, satisfying delivery and uses some strong visual imagery. Here’s an example where a character’s been asked a question: “He puts the photo down and leans back, checking the ceiling like his memories are kept up there.” (p. 312)

The story is told in the first person, which works well for a detective novel, and in the present tense, which doesn’t work so well for me except in chick lit. It’s probably intended to convey immediacy, but I find it a bit disconcerting.

Pattern of Wounds is put out by a Christian publisher, but it should please any lover of detective fiction. March himself has seen too much, lost too much, to find comfort in the faith in which he was raised. His wife, Charlotte, attends church without him, and he feels like she’s growing apart from him.

This is the second Roland March mystery (the first was Back on Murder) and while you don’t have to read them in order it’s a good idea. March is a richly complex character who changes over the course of the stories. I found it easy to care about him and Charlotte and their friends. I certainly hope there’ll be a book 3.

You can read the opening chapter of Pattern of Wounds on the Bethany House site and read an interview with J. Mark Bertrand as well. For something a little different, you can read a fictional interview with the Brad Templeton, the character who wrote the true crime book based on March’s famous case, The Kingwood Killing.

For a limited time, book 1, Back on Murder, is available for free as an eBook through Christian Book Distributors and in Kindle, Nook and Kobo formats.

You can learn more about J. Mark Bertrand and his books at his website and at his blog, Crime Genre.

[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.]

Review: Falls Like Lightning, by Shawn Grady

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Falls Like Lightning, by Shawn Grady (Bethany House, 2010)

Falls Like Lightning opens with smokejumper Silas Kent and his team parachuting into the path of a forest fire to save an injured man. We follow Silas for a few chapters and leave him in an even more dangerous position. The focus shifts to introduce Elle Westmore, who pilots one of the smokejumper planes. As if Elle didn’t have enough struggles as a single mom, her young daughter, Madison, is subject to unexplained seizures.

The novel’s opening chapters do a great job of bringing these characters to life and into our hearts. Silas and Elle haven’t seen each other since he ran out on their relationship seven years ago. Now a massive forest fire in California throws them back together.

The danger and romantic tension would be enough to make this a good read, but it gets better: One jump team is after a cache of gold in the fire’s path—and the flames will destroy evidence of any “accidental” deaths if anyone tries to cross them.

Author Shawn Grady gives readers an insider’s look at this specialized form of fire-fighting. Details of equipment and terminology arise naturally as events unfold, sparing us the dreaded “information dump” or the confusion of too much information. I could really imagine myself in the scene.

Like action novels? This one’s for you. Like emotional tension? It’s for you, too. Not only do Silas and Elle have unresolved baggage from their past relationship, they each have their individual issues they’re working through.

I enjoyed Falls Like Lightning, and the characters kept coming back to me when life interrupted my reading. You can read the opening chapter (scroll down that page) and a brief interview with the author.

Shawn Grady has served for more than a decade as a firefighter and paramedic in Reno, NV, where he lives with his wife and three children. Named the “Most Promising Writer” at the 2008 Mt. Hermon Writers Conference, he is the author of Through the Fire, Tomorrow We Die, and Falls Like Lightning. Visit his website at shawngradybooks.com.

[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.]

Review: The Kingdom, by Benjamin T. Collier

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The Kingdom, by Benjamin T. Collier (Word Alive Press, 2011)

The Kingdom is a short novella, under 100 pages, but it pulls readers into an intriguing fantasy world of kingdoms, knights, princesses and mythical flying beasts.

The story draws on classic fantasy and fairy tale elements such as the princess enduring endless presentations from eligible-but-boring suitors, the corrupt steward ruling in the good king’s absence, the strong hero and his fantastic animal companion (in this case, a dragon-like creature called a wyvern).

One of the twists: the “strong hero” might be considered a villain. And Princess Nevaeh is no damsel in distress. She’s a strong young woman looking for a partner, not a rescuer.

Nevaeh and the villain/hero, Roy, are each looking for someone who’ll love them for who they are—and neither is looking for a person like the other. Behind the romance is another kind of love and trust as Nevaeh waits confidently for her father, the good king, to return as promised, when the rest of the kingdom considers him lost at sea.

Canadian author Benjamin T. Collier writes with vivid description and humour. In contrast with epic fantasy and its multiple plot threads, he keeps a tight focus on Nevaeh’s story. The world he’s envisioned could support a more complex weaving of plots, and if he decides to revisit it in the future there would be plenty to explore.

You can find Benjamin at his blog, and you might want to check out my interview with him.

Review: Dog Only Knows, by Barrie MacFarlane

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Dog Only Knows

Dog Only Knows, by Barrie MacFarlane (Createspace, 2011)

The subtitle of this slim book is “How to Find Love, Hope and Happiness in an Uncertain World.” The story is written in an endearing voice, from an elderly Labrador Retriever’s perspective as he looks back on life with—and lessons learned from—humans.

Marley the dog (named after reggae singer Bob Marley and with no relation to the Marley and Me movie) was born in Ohio, moved to Los Angeles, then immigrated to Atlantic Canada. I like what he says in one of the early chapters:

There is a reason and a purpose for all life… your life has a purpose, although it may take a search to find it… You don’t have to search frantically. It’s intended to be an adventure. (p. 6)

As he tells highlights from his life story, he shares what he’s learned about common subjects: fear, loyalty, trust, forgiveness, grief, change, attitude, love etc.

Dog Only Knows is a life-affirming book for the general market. Short chapters open with pithy quotes, and they often have a gentle, encouraging message. As one might expect, there are plenty of funny pet shenanigans.

At times Marley speaks directly to young reader, but it’s also a pleasant read for adults. It would make a good family read-aloud story. In places the language can be complex, and an adult reader could make any explanations if needed.

This is the first book I’ve read produced through Amazon’s Createspace, and the only issues I see are about copy-editing. It’s printed on sturdy, cream-coloured paper that’s easy on the eyes. (I’m not a fan of the bright white often used in print on demand.)

There’s a real Marley, and the book is based on his escapades. We can credit his human friend Barrie MacFarlane with providing the thoughts and commentary.

Barrie MacFarlane is a Canadian author who has a strong appreciation for the way animals lift the human spirit. Dog Only Knows is his first book, and you can find it on Amazon: Canada and USA.

 [Review copy provided by the author.]

Review: The Story in the Stars, by Yvonne Anderson

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The Story in the Stars, by Yvonne Anderson (Risen Books, 2011)

In a universe where beings from various planets live in peace under the unifying authority of the League of Worlds, one planet stands apart. Gannah: the very name brings fear and memories of the Gannahans’ failed attempt at interstellar domination.

The Story in the Stars throws together two unlikely characters: Dassa, last survivor of the planet Gannah, and Pik, the doctor who saved her life. Pik’s native planet, Karkar, was conquered by the Gannahans before scientists developed the plague that forced them to retreat.

Dassa and Pik make an interesting study in contrasts, and as the novel progresses each discovers her/himself to be more like the other than they’d like to admit. Dassa is a warrior; Pik is an intellectual. She’s comfortable with her emotions; he’s bound by logic and appearances. She can survive in the wilderness; at the start of the novel, he’s never been outside a domed city except when in space.

Dassa’s people follow the Christian faith, in a universe where proselytizing is a punishable offense. Dassa’s personal relationship with God (she calls Him Yasha) allows her to hear His voice in her spirit.

Doctor Pik, on the other hand, has no use for delusions of faith. He’s as obnoxious and superior as they come. Yet she begins to sense that God wants to unite them.

Dassa tells Pik that every planet’s early constellations, and the legends that go with them, give a version of the same story: “a virgin birth and a saviour dying on a cross and a wicked serpent and a great war.” (p.140) The Gannahans know this God, and despite being the last of her people, she’s determined to share Him with the universe.

I really enjoyed this novel. The sharp cultural contrasts and the faith elements reminded me of Kathy Tyers’ Firebird. I’ll definitely be watching for the sequel. Click here to learn more about the Gateway to Gannah series.

For more about Yvonne Anderson, visit her blog, Y’s Words, and check out her interviews at A Writer’s Journey and Novel Journey.

[Electronic Advanced Review Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair review.]

Review: Keeping Guard, by Christy Barritt

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Keeping Guard, by Christy Barritt (Love Inspired Suspense, 2011)

Kylie Summers is petite and a cancer survivor. She knows she’s strong, but her family treats her as someone fragile to be protected. And now she needs protecting—someone is stalking her, and his actions are escalating.

Her brother’s best friend, former Coast Guard rescue diver Nate Richardson, lets her hide out in his restaurant until the police catch the man who’s been terrorizing her. Kylie hosts her own cooking show, but Nate doesn’t want to hear her ideas on improving his menu.

Kylie and Nate each have baggage from past relationships. And their personalities conflict. He’s a rescuer, she’s independent. As much as they know they don’t match, they each feel the attraction.

Keeping Guard is set in historic Yorktown, Virginia, and gives readers a whirlwind tour of the town and a sampling of local dishes. (I love books with food in them.) The suspense begins on page one and doesn’t let up.

I’ve been a fan of Christy Barritt since I read her Squeaky Clean Mystery series. (See my interview with Christy Barritt from 2008) She packs a lot of story into this short novel, and I’m looking forward to her next one.

You can learn more about Christy Barritt at her website and on Facebook.

Review: Shadow of Reality, by Donna Fletcher Crow

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Shadow of Reality, by Donna Fletcher Crow (StoneHouse Ink, 2010)

When college professor and mystery-lover Elizabeth Allerton convinces her good friend and colleague Richard Spenser to attend a week-long mystery role-play in a castle-replica-turned-hotel in the Colorado Rockies, she never dreams she’ll find a real murder—and love.

The guests work in teams to solve a mysterious death, acted out over dinner their first night. They come prepared with period costumes for 1930’s England, and the costumes Elizabeth rented for herself and Richard turn them into a dashing couple.

Trouble is, while he wants them to be a couple she’s happy with friendship. And she meets the man of her dreams in one of the mystery’s actors.

An even bigger trouble is her discovery of a genuine dead body. A storm has cut off access to the nearest village, and those in charge try to keep the real mystery quiet until the police can arrive. Elizabeth and Richard work to solve both mysteries, and the two keep blurring in her mind.

Shadow of Reality is an easy read with plenty of attention to costumes and food, and sprinkled with references to classic British characters like Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey and Agatha Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence. The romance element is at least as strong as the mystery. There’s also a spiritual thread, as Elizabeth reconnects with the faith she learned as a child.

Originally published in 1992 as Castle of Dreams, the novel was released as an ebook in 2010 and a new print version is available for pre-order. Shadow of Reality is the first in the Elizabeth and Richard mystery series. The ebook is available in multiple formats at Smashwords or for Kindle or Nook. The paperback copy is coming out in 2011 and you can pre-order it at Amazon.ca or Amazon.com.

Donna Fletcher Crow is also the author of the Monastery Murders series and a number of other novels. You can find Donna (and a full listing of her books) at her website. She also blogs at the Deeds of Darkness; Deeds of Light blog.

Review: Fearless, by Max Lucado

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Fearless, by Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson, 2009)

Fear, it seems, has taken a hundred-year lease on the building next door and set up shop. Oversize and rude, fear is unwilling to share the heart with happiness…. Fear is the big bully in the high school hallway…. Fear herds us into prison and slams the doors.

Wouldn’t it be great to walk out? (Fearless, page 5)

I always expect a Max Lucado book to be inspiring, encouraging and worth reading, and this one’s no exception. Max traces fear to its root danger: “Fear corrodes our confidence in God’s goodness.” (page 9) We believe the lie that we’re alone, or that God doesn’t care or can’t help.

Fearless addresses the most common issues head on: the fear of not mattering; of disappointing God; of lack; fear for our children; of challenges and worst-case scenarios; of violence, the future and death; even the fear that God is not real—or that He might not stay in the “box” where we’d like to contain Him.

There’s value in articulating our fear, in looking at it plainly. We can see legitimate need for concern, and we can see when we’re slipping into paranoia. Putting our concerns into words makes them more manageable, and it helps us to pray

Max Lucado gives us nuggets of Scripture to counter the fear, and I think the wisest way to use this book is to prayerfully memorize those bits of truth that are most relevant to our personal struggles. He also gives us practical suggestions, like his “Eight worry-stoppers” in chapter 4.

The discussion guide at the end of the book is another valuable tool for individual or group use. And as Max says, the truth in these pages isn’t something to be absorbed in a one-time exposure. “The parched soil of fear needs steady rain.” (p. 33) We’ll need to re-read it, to reassure ourselves of the message and to let it sink into our spirits.

Fearless is definitely a good weapon for our daily living needs. It’s an easy, well-written read that does justice to the seriousness of the issues. You can read the first chapter of Fearless or listen to the first Fearless sermon here.

New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado has written a number of award-winning books and is a Minister of Preaching at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. Visit his ministry website, UpWords, to learn more about Max and to be encouraged. The site offers daily devotionals and other resources.

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Two other strong resources for defeating fear in our lives are Moving from Fear to Freedom by Grace Fox and So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore.

[Review copy from my personal library.]