Christmas at Harmony Hill Book Review

A Shaker Story

SUMMARY:  A Stirring Story of Healing, Hope, and Home at Christmas

    It is 1864 and the nation is torn apart by civil war when Heather Worth discovers she is with child.  With her husband at the front and nowhere else to turn, she seeks refuge in the Shaker village of Harmony Hill.  Amid the tumult of the times, Heather yearns for the peace she sees in this strange community.  But can this longing really be fulfilled amid these people with their peculiar beliefs about family?

     As Christmas approaches, the joy of new life and the love that is born of forgiveness may hold the answer.
     Join bestselling author Ann H. Gabhard for a peek into the world of the Shakers - and the world of the human heart.

REVIEW:   This is an interesting book.  Never having read much about the Shakers other than the little bit I learned in History class many years ago, I was curious to see what this book was about.  Even though they were basically isolationists, the Shakers did not turn away anyone in need.  I like how the author sets up the story by having Heather's Aunt Sophrena living in this commune.  Though they do not want you to contact family outside their community, Sophrena had corresponded with Susan, Heather's mom on occasion, paving the way for Heather's stay with the Shakers before her baby's birth.  While the community dynamics are strange to me, they are hard workers and take good care of Heather and her child.  I love the tenderness, affection and caring portrayed in this tome.  The community cares for Heather and the baby; Sophrena cares for Heather and the child, much to her angst.  Gideon loves his wife and wants to be with her.  Because of the love Beth has for her sister, she defies her dad to help a cold and hungry Heather. This is a good book and a fairly quick read.

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of several Shaker novels - The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker, The Blessed, and The Gifted - as well as other historical novels, including Angel Sister, Small Town Girl, and Words Spoken True.  She lives with her husband a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky.  Find out more at www.annhgabhart.com. 

The Jesus Story Book Review

Everything That Happens in the 

New Testament in 

Plain English

SUMMARY:  Rediscover this compelling story.  The story of Jesus is the most remarkable ever told.  It's an exciting adventure, a tender love story, and a drama full of danger, betrayal and the ultimate sacrifice.  But sometimes the genealogies, the confusing repetition, and the varying order of events in the Gospels can distract readers from this powerful narrative.  Or maybe you've heard the story so many times that it has lost its impact.

     Here, Dr. William Marty presents the complete narrative of Jesus in an easy-to-read, chronological account.  It's a fascinating retelling of everything from his birth to his ascension - as well as what happened in the church after he left.  The Jesus Story is perfect if you want to get to know Jesus better or recapture the amazement of hearing his story for the first time.

REVIEW:  This was an interesting book.  I've read through the New Testament chronologically before and found it tiring going back and forth between all four gospels and letters.  This book lays everything out in an orderly fashion.  Some may have a small issue with where some of the miracles and stories fall on the timeline but I didn't.  Some stories made me go back and re-read the gospels to see what the original writers had to say but that wasn't very often.  This book also covers the book of Acts, the Letters and Revelation, showing how they also fall in on the timeline after Jesus' resurrection.  The only problem I had (and it was small) was sometimes the book was a little dry.  It is not written as a fiction story but just putting everything in order.  This would be a great reference book for a seasoned Christian or a bible study leader.  It would also be a great start for a new Christian wanting to learn more about Jesus and early Christianity.

This book was provided by Bethany House for review without compensation.

Dr. William H. Marty is a professor at Moody Bible Institute.  He has written two other books:  The Whole Bible Story and The World of Jesus.  Dr. Marty lives in Chicago with his wife, Linda. 

To Know You Book Review

SUMMARY:  Julia Whittaker's rocky past yielded two daughters, both given up for adoption as infants.  Now she must find them to try to save her son.
     Julia and Matt Whittaker's son has beaten the odds for thirteen years only to have the odds - and his liver- crash precipitously.  The only hope for his survival is a "living liver" transplant, but the transplant list is long and Dillon's time is short.  His two older half-sisters, born eighteen months apart to two different fathers, offer his only hope for survival.
     But can Julia ask a young woman - someone she surrendered to strangers long ago and has never spoken with - to make such a sacrifice to save a brother she's never known?  Can she muster the courage to journey back into a shame-filled season of her life, face her choices and their consequences, and find any hope of healing?
     And what if she discovers in her own daughters' lives that a history of foolish choices threatens to repeat itself?
     Julia knows she's probably embarking on a fool's errand - searching for the daughters she abandoned only now that she needs something from them.  But love compels Julia to take this journey.  Can grace and forgiveness compel her daughters to join her?
     In To Know You, Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel explore how the past creates the present ... and how even the most shattered lives can be redeemed.

REVIEW:  This book is very interesting.  The idea of having to go to the daughters you gave up at birth and ask them to help the child you kept is a hard decision to make but one Julia and her husband decide to do.  I like how the authors did not gloss over the difficult parts but shows the readers that we all have choices and, sometimes, we have to face difficult consequences.  Some parts were harder to read than most because of the emotions involved and the choices that were made when you knew they were the wrong ones.
     When I first started reading this book, I had some difficulty following at times because of all the different characters involved with their own story lines and background information.  But, as I continued reading, following everything became a little easier.  The ending was not what I expected but I loved it.  One of the problems that occurred during a visit to one of the girls' fathers seemed to be "wrapped up" too neatly as an afterthought.  That said, this was a great book and I am definitely interested in reading the next book.

This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group for review without compensation.

Shannon Ethridge is a best-selling author, international speaker, and certified life coach with a master's degree in counseling/human relations from Liberty University.  She has spoken to college students and adults since 1989 and is the author of twenty books, including the million-copy best-selling Every Woman's Battle series.  She is a frequent guest on TV and radio programs, and she mentors aspiring writers and speakers through her online B.L.A.S.T Program (Building Leaders, Authors, Speakers & Teachers).

Kathy Mackel is the acclaimed author of Can of Worms and other novels for middle readers from Putnam, HarperCollins, and Dial.  Her latest book, Boost, tackles the thorny issue of steroids and girls' sports.  Writing as Kathryn Mackel, she is the author of the YA fantasy series The Birthright Books and of supernatural thrillers including the Christy finalist The Hidden.  She was the credited screenwriter for Disney's Can of Worms and for Hangman's Curse, and has worked for Disney, Fox, and Showtime.

Frame 232 Book Review

A Jason Hammond Novel

SUMMARY:  The time had come, she decided, to rid herself of this burden, to take the steps necessary to put the matter to rest once and for all.  And the first step, she knew - against every instinct and desire - was to watch that film.

     During the reading of her mother's will, Sheila Baker discovers that she has inherited everything her parents ever possessed, including their secrets.  A mysterious safe-deposit box key leads her to the answers to one of history's greatest conspiracies:  Who killed John F. Kennedy?  Not only does she have the missing film, revealing her mother as the infamous Babushka Lady, but she has proof that there was more than one shooter.

     On the run from people who would stop at nothing to keep secrets buried, Sheila turns to billionaire sleuth Jason Hammond for help.  Having lost his own family in a tragic plane crash, Jason knows a thing or two about running from the past.  With a target on their backs and time running out, can Jason finally uncover the truth behind the crime that shook a generation - or will he and Sheila become its final victims?

REVIEW:  This was a great book!!  The story kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting to turn the page to see what else happened.  Even though I am vaguely familiar with the Kennedy Assassination, I was able to follow the details without any trouble.  There were plenty of twist and turns and wondering of Shelia and Jason would make it all the way through to the end.  The ending is full of surprises.  Something I found refreshing was how Jason and Sheila kept their relationship chase and did not form a romantic relationship in the few weeks they were together.  Most authors would have had them making a long-term commitment by the end of the book but Wil Mara went a different route.  I can see them developing a relationship in future books but nothing permanent was decided here.  This is an awesome book that should be checked out.

This book was provided by Tyndale House Publishers for review without compensation.

Wil Mara has been writing books for the last twenty-five years.  He began with non-fiction for school libraries, moved into children's fiction by ghostwriting five of the popular Boxcar Children Mysteries, then into adult fiction with his 2005 disaster thriller, Wave, which won the New Jersey Notable Book Award.  His next disaster novel, The Gemini Virus, was released in October 2012 to rave reviews from critics and public alike.  Wil also spent twenty years as an editor, working for Harcourt Brace, Prentice Hall, and other publishers.  For more information, visit Wil at www.wilmara.com.

Unspoken Book Review

SUMMARY:  Charlotte Graham is at the center of the most famous kidnapping in Chicago history.
      The FBI and local cops found her two abductors, killed them, and rescued her, but it took four long years.  The fact that she was found just three miles from her home, had been there the entire time, haunts them.  She's since changed her identity, found a profession she loves, and rebuilt her life.
     She's never said a word - to the cops, to her doctors, to her family - about those four years.
     A family legacy has brought her back to Chicago, where a reporter is writing a book about the kidnapping.  Her options are limited: either hope the reporter doesn't uncover the full truth, or break her silence about what happened.  And her silence is what has protected her family for years.
     Bryce Bishop doesn't know Charlotte's past; he only knows she has coins to sell from her grandfather's estate - and that the FBI director in Chicago made the introduction.  The more he gets to know Charlotte, the more interested he becomes, an interest encouraged by those closest to her.  But she's decided she is single for life, she struggles with her faith, and she's willing to forgo a huge inheritance to keep her privacy.  She's not giving him much of an opening to work with.
     Charlotte wants to trust him.  She needs to tell him what happened.  Because a crime the cops thought was solved has only opened another chapter. . . .

REVIEW:  Never having read one of Dee Henderson's books before, I was excited when this one came across my email as I have heard a lot of great things about her books.  The idea of the story was a good one and the development of the characters was thorough and good but the storyline seemed to drag on and on.  I understand that for Bryce and the reader to fully understand everything about Charlotte, some things aren't answered quickly.  Solving her kidnapping and the secondary story involved here seemed anti-climatic.  I liked how the stories intertwined but I felt like something was missing.  Also, the idea of Charlotte selling off her grandfather's multi-billion estate and all of its peculiar collections is unusual but NEVER. SEEMS. TO. END.
      While I wasn't a fan of this book, I am still interested in reading something else written by this author.

This book was provided by Bethany House for review without compensation.

Dee Henderson is the author of eighteen novels, including Jennifer: An O'Malley Love Story, Full Disclosure, the acclaimed O'Malley series, and the Uncommon Heroes series.  Her books have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, such as the RITA Award, the Christy Award, and the ECPA Gold Medallion.  Visit her at DeeHenderson.com.

Sisterchicks Do the Hula Book Review

SUMMARY:  Watch out, Waikiki!
     Wherever there's chocolate, there's sure to be a Sisterchick celebrating, and this trip to Hawaii is no exception.  Best friends Hope and Laurie are on an audacious mission to commemorate their fortieth birthdays in style.  Surfing and sailing, sushi and snorkeling - these two macadamia nuts from the mainland sample it all, unhindered by a surprise little stowaway.
     Luaus are only the beginning.  The island experience binds Hope and Laurie's souls together, gently restoring their unfinished dreams.  Garlanded with leis or swimming with sea turtles, they join the dance of delight in their Maker, entering the next season of their lives filled with the unforced rhythm of grace.

REVIEW:  Look out, Hawaii!  Sisterchicks are coming!
     Laurie and Hope have been friends since college.   After losing touch for many years, they reconnect and pick up where they left off.  Since their previous plan to visit Hawaii did not happen, Laurie and Hope decide to go and celebrate their 40th birthdays in the Aloha state.  They meet native Hawaiians who give them insight into the native culture and the meanings (even spiritual meanings) behind some of the traditions, like leis, hula and more.  These sections are my favorite parts.  I also like everyone's reaction to Hope's pregnancy, even though her kids are getting ready to finish high school.  They are all genuinely excited about this coming bundle of joy.
     This novel is a great read if you are looking for something fun and enjoyable.

This book was provided by Waterbrook Multnomah for review without compensation.

Robin Jones Gunn has written more than eighty-five books, including the well-loved Glenbrooke, Christy Miller, and Sierra Jensen series.  More than 4.5 million copies of her books have sold worldwide.  Robin and her husband live in Hawaii and have two grown children.

The Church Builder Book Review

SUMMARY:  One group focused on destroying all religion.  One group struggling to preserve the church.  One woman searching for the truth.
     For two months, small-town lawyer Bethany Barclay has been mourning the hit-and-run death of her enigmatic best friend, Annabelle Seaver.  Then the son of her wealthiest client is found murdered in her kitchen.  When Bethany herself becomes the leading suspect, she must flee both the authorities and a mysteriously killer.
     But there is more at stake than she knows.
     Bethany is caught in the web of a shadowy organization determined to destroy Christianity.  The final outcome rests on her ability to piece together the last three months of her best friend's life.

REVIEW:  This is a book that will keep you turning pages and sitting on the edge of your seat all the way to the end.  At times, trying to keep straight all the different characters and their roles was difficult for me.  I do not read many suspense novels so when shadowy characters are introduced and not fully explained to keep the intensity going, I had some problem keeping everyone straight.  But I was able to follow the story pretty easily and keep up.  The story was intriguing and unique.  As I read, I could see the novel being played out in movie form.  While the drama was not brought to a close at the end of the book, I can't wait for the next book to be released to finish Bethany's search for answers.
     If you are a fan of suspense novels, this is a book you will want to check out.

This book was provided by Booksneeze, Harper-Collins and Zondervan for review without compensation.

A.L. Shields is a pseudonym for Stephen L. Carter, the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law at Yale, where he has taught for almost thirty years.  He is the author of seven acclaimed works on nonfiction, and five best-selling novels, including The Emperor of Ocean Park, which spent eleven weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.