Tag Archives: Christian fiction

Review: Swinging on a Star, by Janice Thompson

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Swinging on a Star, by Janice Thompson (Revell, 2010)

One of the rules of fiction is “craft a strong opening,” and Janice Thompson nails it in Swinging on a Star:

“If Aunt Rosa hadn’t landed that gig on the Food Network, I probably wouldn’t have ended up on the national news. And if their pesky camera crew hadn’t shown up at our house on one of the most important days of my life, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have been hauled off to the Galveston County jail. Unlike my brother Armando, I’d never aspired to get arrested or have my face plastered across the television screen on the evening news.”

I couldn’t stop there!

Bella Rossi manages a wedding facility on Galveston Island, Texas, and her current project is a medieval event complete with castle and costumes. As if that weren’t enough, there’s a TV crew coming to film her aunt’s famous cooking, and the handsome movie star staying at the house until the wedding has her cowboy boyfriend, D.J., on high alert.

Bella lives with her large and boisterous Italian family, and just meeting them made this introvert want to go take a rest. The Rossis are a wealthy family, and Bella’s mother and sister are highly conscious of fashion and makeup.

I didn’t connect immediately. They’re all real, though, and genuinely nice people who are worth getting to know. Add in D.J.’s family and larger-than-life friends, and you have a cast worth spending a novel with.

I don’t read a lot of romantic comedy or chick lit, and it took some time to adjust: no danger, no bodies, mysteries or aliens. By page 43 I was laughing out loud and thinking maybe I usually read the wrong kinds of books.

The book cover is attractive, but not entirely accurate. Bella loves to wear boots—even when maybe she shouldn’t. On the cover she’s wearing shoes and holding what looks suspiciously like a bag of popcorn. Growing up an a household that thrives on made-from-scratch Italian cuisine, would she even have tasted popcorn?

Swinging on a Star is the second title in the Weddings by Bella series. (Book one was Fools Rush In… notice a musical theme?) It’s refreshing, funny, and still gives that sense of hope that readers want in Christian fiction. American author Janice Thompson has published over 50 books and is still going strong. You can find her online at her website.

Read an excerpt of Swinging on a Star here.  Or if you’ve already read the novel, find discussion questions here.

Swinging on a Star is available now at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Review copy provided by Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

Review: Tooth for Tooth, a novel by Kimberley J. Payne

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Tooth for Tooth, a novel by Kimberley J. Payne

Heather Williams is doing okay with the single-motherhood thing, she’s happy in her job, and her attractive boss is a bonus. Life is good—until she discovers her estranged husband has been sexually abusing their young daughter.

Sick with horror, she does her best to get help for Caitlin (Caity-Cat) and to keep her safe. Of course Caitlin’s father denies the truth and wants her weekend visits to continue.

Heather navigates a maze of community service, medical and legal systems, and although she doesn’t always like their methods, she does find some compassionate people who can help. At the same time, she’s dealing with both guilt (Catilin had tried to tell her a few years earlier) and anger at the man who could do this to anyone, let alone his own child.

Supportive family and friends, including her charming boss, keep her sane, and she’s surprised to find even more strength through a local Bible study.

This is a novel I hesitated to read because of the subject matter, but although what happened to Caitlin and her mom is troubling, author Kimberley Payne doesn’t go into traumatic details of the abuse.

The story gave me more insight and understanding into a situation nobody should ever experience but far too many do. It also reaffirmed what I’d sensed from a few people who’ve expressed similar—or worse—experiences: as traumatic as it is, there is hope for healing.

Kimberley Payne deals frankly with questions such as “Why, God? Where were You?” and with issues of anger, guilt and forgiveness.

Her strength is in non-fiction, and there are writing elements of Tooth for Tooth that could be stronger, but she has a keen sense of detail and an eye for descriptions. She also makes Heather’s and Caitlin’s struggle come alive. When I was away from the story for a day, I kept wondering how they were.

The subject matter is dark, but Tooth for Tooth offers insight and hope. The author’s deft use of humour keeps the tone balanced, and this short novel is a good—and fairly quick—read.

Canadian author Kimberley Payne is better known for her “Fit for Faith” books and workshops. Tooth for Tooth is her first work of fiction. It’s available to read (for free!) online at the Tooth for Tooth blog. Those who prefer hard copy can order Tooth for Tooth through Lulu.com.

For more about the author, visit her website, Within Reach.

Electronic review copy provided by the author.

Review: Steal Away, by Linda Hall

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Steal Away, by Linda Hall

Steal Away, by Linda Hall (Multnomah, 2003)

Steal Away is the first in a series of mysteries featuring Private Investigator Teri Blake-Addison, a vibrant former cop who has recently returned to the Christian faith. Teri is an interesting character in her own right, struggling to balance her independent career within her new role as the wife of a university English professor.

In this story, she is approached by a well-known evangelist to discover the truth about the sailing accident that killed his wife, Ellen, and two of Ellen’s friends five years earlier. The boat—and Ellen’s body—was never found. Teri’s investigations take her to coastal Maine, and to St. Andrews and Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick.

This complex mystery is filled with real people and their real struggles. Readers can nod and say, “Yeah, I know someone just like that.”

As always, Linda Hall writes with an honest and unvarnished view of life and faith. The book deals with choices, redemption, betrayal and mercy, as well as with some of the stumbling-blocks that can cause people to “go off church.” It’s hard to put it down once you’ve started reading. But when you’re finished, it would be a good book to share with a friend—Christian or non.

Steal Away was originally published in 2003 but is now available in audio book format, narrated by Kirsten Potter, at Audible.com and through  iTunes.

From the author’s website: “Steal Away was a Christy Award finalist, a Daphne finalist and was given top honours by The Word Guild. As well, it was the 2004 Beacon Award winner for Best Inspirational Novel, the Winter Rose Award Winner for Best Inspirational Novel, and it was given the Award of Excellence from the Colorado Romance Writers.”

Linda Hall currently writes romantic suspense for the Love Inspired line, and her next release with them is Storm Warning (January 2010). She’s also the author of a number of stand-alone suspense novels, including Sadie’s Song, Dark Water and Black Ice.Each of her novels delivers the memorable characters and struggles that we’ve come to expect from this award-winning Canadian author.

You can learn more about Linda at her website. She also contributes to multiple blogs and maintains a Facebook fan page. Read the prologue of Steal Away here.

Review: Seeker of Stars, a novella by Susan Fish

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Seeker of Stars 2005
Seeker of Stars 2013

Seeker of Stars, by Susan Fish (Winding Trail Press, 2005 and David C. Cook, 2013)

Melchi has always been fascinated by the stars’ slow dance in the night sky. Even after exhausting days learning the family trade of rug making, he steals to the rooftop at night to gaze on his “beauties”.

When his father at last permits him to go and study with the astronomers, Melchi plays a key part in discovering the meaning of a new star and joins the expedition to Jerusalem in search of the newborn king of the Jews.

Told in the first person by an adult Melchoir who looks back over the events leading to his journey—and what happened at its end—Seeker of Stars carries an exotic taste as if this ancient scholar had learned English and invited us to hear the tale.

I love the richness of the language, both in feel and in word choice. Susan Fish says a lot in a very few pages, and creates memorable, complex characters.

This novella has become a part of my Christmas tradition. The season’s first strains of “We Three Kings” bring the story to life in my mind, but I save the reading—like a treat—to savour in the days after Christmas. Ideally I’ll read it around the time of Epiphany, when Christians observe the Magi’s visit.

For more about Canadian author Susan Fish, visit her website: susanfishwrites.wordpress.com. [Note, Seeker of Stars has been re-released with an updated cover. The original is featured above.]

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Fictionfinder.com

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With all the good books out there, and such a small percentage of them getting most of the marketing dollars, I thought I’d share this new resource with you:

American Christian Fiction Writers (they accept international members too!) has launched a free online resource, appropriately named FictionFinder.com, which allows users to sort by author, title, genre, topic, publication date, and target audience. They’re working with publishers to get all Christian fiction titles listed, not just those by ACFW members, and readers are encouraged to post short reviews.

Here’s an excerpt from their press release:

The site also allows readers to learn about the nature of the content of each book. Each title is rated for action, conflict, humor, mystery, romance, spirituality and suspense, in addition to more sensitive issues like language, sensuality and violence. Users can also post reviews to the site and learn more about soon-to-be-released titles.

FictionFinder.com is the ACFW’s latest effort to make finding the best in Christian fiction as easy as possible for fans around the world.

Quick facts about fictionfinder.com:

* Book information pages include facts about the publisher, main themes, setting and the author’s other titles.

* A special “similar books” section offers other titles the user may be interested in reading.

* Users can create an account with their preferences, making it easier to find new favorites.

I really enjoyed my stop at Fictionfinder.com, and I definitely need to go back and look around more (and leave a few more reviews). I think the “similar books” option will be helpful.

How about you? How do you find new books, fiction or non, to try? Word of mouth? Bookstore flyers? Prowling used book stores?

Review: Bad Ground, a novel by W. Dale Cramer

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Bad Ground, by Dale Cramer

Bad Ground, by W. Dale Cramer (Bethany House Publishers, 2004)

Bad Ground follows 17-year-old Jeremy Prine into the hard-rock mining world of his estranged Uncle Aiden. Jeremy feels trapped underground, but it’s the only place his uncle finds freedom. Jeremy’s mother’s dying request was that he find – and stay with – Aiden, now known as Snake. Each has something the other needs, she said, but what can an overprotected teenager and a battle-scarred miner share?

This is one of those rare novels that has not only a captivating story but unique characters, lush descriptions, insights into God and man, and prose to please a lyricist’s soul. Dale Cramer’s writing is fresh and poetic. He’s a keen observer of people, nature, and the rhythms of time and of the heart.

He renders a world in harsh relief, where there’s no room for stereotypes or illusion. If a miner slips up, he’s maimed or dead. This is a natural place to find the “where’s God when it hurts” question, and Cramer’s characters meet it head on and from a number of angles, in a frank and open manner. Jeremy’s favourite tee shirt sums it up in Latin, but he needs to have it translated: “Deus Aderit” – “God is Present”

The book contains some deep thoughts on faith, but given by such real people out of the crucibles of their experience that the other characters, and I as a reader, listened and nodded and thought. It’s a serious coming of age and reconciliation story, veined with surprising flashes of laughter and a hint of romance.

The level of excellence of Dale Cramer’s writing makes this book worthy of study as contemporary literature, without the hopelessness and despair I remember from the selections inflicted by my high school English teachers.

Bad Ground won the 2005 Christy Award for General Fiction. Prior to that, it received starred reviews from both Publisher’s Weekly and Booklist, as well as from the Christian CBA Marketplace, and was on Publisher’s Weekly’s list of the best books of 2004.  We don’t see very many good Christian novels finding acclaim the mainstream market as well, and it was great to see this one smash a few barriers.

This is a book for men and women, Christian and non, who love a good story well told.

Bad Ground is W. Dale Cramer’s second novel. His first was Sutter’s Cross, and he has since released Levi’s Will and Summer of Light. More information is available from his web site.

Review: The Lightning File, by Eric E. Wright

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The Lightning File, by Eric E. Wright

The Lightning File, by Eric E. Wright (Hidden Brook Press, 2007)

“My discovery of terrorist cells operating in Canada coincided with Stephanie’s request that I move out.”

And so begins journalist Joshua Radley’s harrowing adventure.

Well-liked by almost everyone at the Toronto newspaper where he works, Josh is in the boss’ bad books. He’s been spending too much time chasing a hunch about a new drug ring linked to international terrorists. With a few tenuous leads and a faceless hacker friend, Josh slowly begins to piece together some clues.

As gifted as he is with news stories, Josh isn’t so good at relationships. His wife can’t take his workaholic ways anymore and says they need time apart. All he wanted was to track down this terrorist threat before it’s too late. Now, he’s dealing with writer’s block on the stories he’s actually been assigned, a tumult of emotions over his separation, a shaky faith, and temptation in the form of a beautiful woman who shares his commute.

The Lightning File languished in my “should read” pile too long because I thought it might be traumatic. Terrorists, after all, get pretty intense. But Josh is our narrator for the whole story, and although he’s shaken by his experiences it’s not an upsetting book to read. Instead, it’s a fast-paced puzzle he’s racing to solve.

His investigations take him into nuclear power plants and other places that require a lot of detail. Author Eric E. Wright does a fine job of keeping it all understandable, although at times the volume of facts got a bit too much for me.

Perhaps it’s the weight of facts that makes me feel there’s more “telling” than “showing” in this novel, although Josh tells us a lot about his feelings too. The plot gets very complex as it progresses, but it’s all part of unravelling the mystery. And the details could come out of today’s newscasts – or tomorrow’s.

The Lightning File is a well-crafted, high-stakes novel that will appeal to men and women both. It’s the winner of the 2007 Canadian Christian Writing Award in two categories: best mystery/suspense and best independently-published book.

Canadian Eric E. Wright is the author of five non-fiction books. The Lightning File is his first novel, and his second, Captives of Minara, also featuring Josh Radley, released in November 2009. You can learn more about Eric at The Country Window site and read an interview with him at the Hot Apple Cider site.

Christmas Reading

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I thought I’d start something new… Friday conversations. After all, part of the fun of blogs is getting to chat with people.

Since we’re into the Advent season and I just reviewed Melody Carlson’s The Christmas Dog, I thought I’d ask:

Do you like reading Christmas-themed stories this time of year? Does it help give you that Christmas feeling — or does it add to the sense of “I’m not ready yet!”?

For me, sometimes I enjoy reading a Christmas book over the holidays but it’s not something I seek out except… every year between Christmas and New Year’s I read Seeker of Stars, by Canadian author Susan Fish. It’s a novella about Melchior, one of the Three Wise Men, and I don’t fully feel I’ve celebrated the season until I’ve visited Melchi and his crowd. Must review this one so I can tell you more about it….

If you’re looking for short Christmas fiction, check out this month’s Christian Fiction Online magazine. Dee Stewart’s Multicultural Fiction column features eight short stories — and one of them’s mine!

So let us know… do you enjoy Christmas stories or not? Have any favourites?

Review: The Christmas Dog, by Melody Carlson

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The Christmas Dog, by Melody Carlson (Revell, 2009)

Betty Kowalski still lives in the house where she raised the children alone after her husband died. Now her son and daughter live far away, and their children are leaving the nest. The neighbourhood has gone downhill lately. Most of the folks she knew have moved away or died, and Betty doesn’t know many of the new residents.

She doesn’t want to know the newest, an abrasive young man named Jack Jones, whose property unfortunately backs onto hers.

Truth be told, Betty may actually hate Jack. She thinks it’s justified, but as a Christian she needs to love her neighbour. She can’t do it on her own, so she prays—once—for help.

All that seems to get her is more annoyance. Jack’s unkempt dog shows up at her door—and keeps coming back.

Between the troublesome dog and Betty’s 20-something granddaughter Avery, who turns up for a surprise visit after running away from home, Betty and Jack discover there’s a lot more to each other than can be seen in a cursory, critical glance.

The Christmas Dog will leave you wondering what deeper value may hide in the people in your life. And it’s a good reminder to check our own hearts for critical attitudes. Most of all, it’s a heart-warming story for the holidays. Don’t be surprised if it inspires Christmas baking.

Melody Carlson is the amazingly prolific writer of over 200 books for women, teens, young readers and children. To learn more about Melody Carlson and her books, check out her website.

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The Christmas Dog is available now at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Review copy provided by Graf-Martin Communications.

Review: Last Breath, a novel by Brandilyn Collins and Amberly Collins

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Last Breath, by Brandilyn Collins and Amberly Collins

Last Breath, by Brandilyn Collins and Amberly Collins (Zondervan, 2009)

Last Breath picks up where Always Watching, book one in the Rayne Tour series, leaves off, and it’s been a long wait to find out what happens.

Shaley O’Connor is the sixteen-year-old daughter of rock star Rayne O’Connor. Book one took her through paparazzi harassment and even worse: the deaths of some key members of Rayne’s concert tour team. Shaley herself was in danger, and the villain’s dying words warned her the problems were far from over.

Then we had to wait for the next book to release!

Living the rock star life has stresses of its own, but Shaley’s biggest issue (apart from the danger she met in book one) is that she never knew her father, and her mother won’t even tell her his name. Mother and daughter have a good relationship, but Shaley needs to know.

When Rayne is hospitalized, Shaley won’t leave her side. Rayne overhears Shaley talking about the words the killer whispered with his last breath, and knows danger still haunts them.

Partly to distract Shaley while the police search for threats, Rayne decides to tell her daughter the truth about her father. This love story from the past alternates with scenes from the present as we watch suspicious characters plotting to reach Rayne and Shaley.

Last Breath is a young adult novel that adults will enjoy too. Grandmothers, mothers and daughters are all reading this series. I preferred Last Breath to Always Watching simply because there were no teen-girls-at-the-mall scenes (in my 40’s I don’t relate well, but I really liked both books).

This novel is both suspense and love story—and a bewildered teen trying to protect her mother, stay safe, and figure out life. I had the rare chance to read the entire novel in one sitting, and I’m glad—it would have been really hard to put down.

It ends with more closure than the first book, but I still want to read the last instalment: Final Touch comes out in May 2010. I have a feeling Cat, the malicious photographer, will find a way back into Shaley’s life.

You can read the first chapter of Last Breath here, but don’t read it unless you’ve already read Always Watching. The series is worth reading in order, with no spoilers. Also, check out an interesting podcast interview with the mother-daughter writing team at the Fiction Addict blog.

Thank you to Lena Nelson Dooley for offering Last Breath on her blog, A Christian Writer’s World. I won my copy there!

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