Christmas Roses

Christmas Roses
Amanda Cabot
Revell Publishing
2012
Fiction, Historical, Romance

Celia Anderson doesn't need anything for Christmas except a few more boarders, which are hard to come by in this small mining town. She certainly doesn't have a husband on her Christmas wish list. But when a wandering carpenter finds lodging at her boarding house, she admits that she might remarry if she found the right man--the kind of man who would bring her roses for Christmas. It would take a miracle to get roses during a harsh Wyoming winter. But Christmas, after all, is the time for miracles . . .

This is a light easy read that is perfect for the holiday season. It's a quick read that I promise you'll enjoy. There are no great cliff hanging moments or massive amounts of angst, it is a simple story. The characters are believable and surprisingly developed for such a short book. I recommend making some peppermint hot chocolate, wrapping up in a cozy blanket, and sitting down for a nice winter's read. You'll be glad you did!

You can find more information at the author’s site. Published by Revell. My thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

Perfectly Unique

 

Perfectly Unique

Annie F. Downs

Zondervan

2011

Christian Living, YA, Non-fiction, 

Your body is an instrument. No, it's not a flute, or a guitar (I hope). It is a sacred and original design by a master craftsman with a specific plan and purpose. That's a pretty big deal. From head to foot, the way you view your body is directly connected to how you serve God.  Seriously. From the thoughts you think to the steps you take, every part of you is linked to the divine. Perhaps you are struggling with your body image or are trying to make sense of why God made you as you are. Maybe you are looking for new ways to understand Scripture or to love God more fully. Either way, this book will take you on a thoughtful, funny, and spirit-filled exploration of the way you were designed and will help you better honor the Creator by learning to value his perfectly unique creation (yourself!).

Okay, let's be honest, the cover of this book alone made me want to read it. How adorable is it!? Not to mention the subtitle is catchy and so appropriate for ladies. I'll admit it, I do judge books by the cover. Now that I have that out of the way let me move on. 

A must read! Absolutely wonderful! I loved it! Downs writes with refreshing honesty and hits at the core of what every single young woman (or older) deals with, image. I knew from the intro I was going to like this book. I appreciate an author who can speak truth in love and with humor. Downs does this. From her very first personal story I was immediately hooked. You will feel like you are sitting down with a friend and chatting about life. Downs addresses the insecurity and self-doubt that every girl faces, then gives practical advice about how to shift your way of thinking and acting in order to reflect the the fact that you are a daughter of the King.

Each chapter focuses on a different part of the body, explaining the significance of this part. With stories sprinkled throughout Downs addresses each part of the body asking how does it reflect the beauty God put in you?  How can you guard that specific part and use it to glorify God?  Some are obvious, such as the eyes, the ears, and the heart.  But what about the shoulders? The knees? The hands? You'll have to read the book to find the answer to those. 

The "Chew on This" pieces at the end of each chapter are my favorite. They provide scriptures to look up, questions to think through, and thoughts to journal.  I definitely will be using this book for my next small group Bible study I do with teen girls.

This is a book that is very much needed in young adult girls lives. The truth span the ages but our young women specifically need to know they are not alone, they have a responsibility to guard themselves, and that they are uniquely and wonderfully made. They are loved. The message is clear and this book is highly highly recommended! Thank you Annie F. Downs!

My thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Necessary Deception

 

A Necessary Deception

Laurie Alice Eakes

Revell Publishing 

Christian, Fiction, Romance, Historical

2011

Lydia Gale never dreamed that when she helped a French prisoner obtain parole she would be walking into such a tangled web. When she leaves the prison she never expects to see Christophe Arnaud show up in her drawing room nearly a month later in time for the London Season. With his arrival Lydia's world is turned upside down. In the midst of trying to corral her two younger sisters she is dealing with being blackmailed by an unknown predator that could possibly be Arnaud? 

Christophe is immediately captivated with Lydia and is alarmed at the danger she finds herself in. While he doesn't expect her to trust him he realizes he must do everything in his power to make sure she does trust him, for her own safety. He also can't deny the fact that he is falling in love with her. l

Mystery and intrigue abound in this novel. I found myself quickly drawn into the story-line. Lydia is well developed and a believable character. Christophe has an interesting background story that makes the reader want to know even more. I found Lydia's two younger sisters to be simply annoying which I suppose is probably true to real life. Spoiled and conceited I didn't particularly enjoy reading about them. 

In the midst of some major pluses I also found some minuses. There were parts of the story that were crying out for more development. Why is Lydia's mother such a recluse? There is a brother mentioned yet he never plays any role in the story at all. Why did Christophe settle in England? I also found myself desperately trying to catch up on a story that I had already read. There were details missing that I had to make up myself, not my favorite thing to do. The garden scenes with the blackmailer are confusing and at the end of the book I was still confused about some parts. 

Both Lydia and Christophe come to the end of themselves and turn to the Lord which is well written. The thread of faith throughout is beautiful. 

The stage is set well for the next books in the series and I plan on reading them. While the development could have been stronger I can not deny a strong plot line, likeable characters, solid history, and the fact that I kept reading late into the night.

My thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Promise to Love

 

A Promise to Love

Serena B. Miller 

Revell Publishing

2012

Christina, Fiction, Romance, Historical 

Ingrid Larsen, a young Swedish immigrant, arrives in Michigan in 1871 to search for her brother who has disappeared into the woods to work the dangerous lumber camps. Destitute and barely hanging on to hope, she encounters a newly-widowed farmer who is struggling to raise five children on his own. Marriage would solve both of their problems, and so Ingrid proposes to a man she barely knows. She will fight to protect her new family--but the hardest battle of all will be winning the heart of her new husband.  

Joshua Hunter is trying to hold his children together after the sudden death of their mother.  While dealing with his own grief he's also dealing with his in-laws spreading nasty rumors about the death of his wife. 

Ingrid is a strong and sweet character. The relationship between Joshua and Ingrid is adorable. They are very different and yet together they are good. While not the likeliest of pairings I really enjoyed watching them come together. Ingrid's love of the young children is believable and sweet. 

Miller delivers with romance and history in a tale that will keep you reading until you reach the end. Props to her for being fresh in a very well worn genre. 

My thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Father Hunger

 

Father Hunger

Douglas Wilson

Thomas Nelson Publishers

2012

 

Fatherlessness is a "rot that is eating away at the modern soul," writes Douglas Wilson, and the problem goes far beyond physical absence. "Most of our families are starving for fathers, even if Dad is around, and there's a huge cost to our children and our society because of it." "Father Hunger "takes a thoughtful, timely, richly engaging excursion into our cultural chasm of absentee fatherhood. Blending leading-edge research with incisive analysis and real-life examples, Wilson traces a range of societal ills from poverty and crime to joyless feminism and paternalistic government expansion to a vacuum of mature masculinity

Explains the key differences between asserting paternal authority and reestablishing true spiritual fathering

Uncovers the corporate-fulfillment fallacy and other mistaken assumptions that undermine fatherhood

Extols the benefits of restoring fruitful fathering, from stronger marriages to greater economic liberty
Filled with practical ideas and self-evaluation tools, "Father Hunger" both encourages and challenges men to "embrace the high calling of fatherhood," becoming the dads that their families and our culture so desperately need them to be.

Wilson's research on Father Hunger is extensive and well done. However, I had such high hopes for this book and was left wanting. While appreciated all of the facts and sociological factors I found myself wanting...needing more story. It was clinical to the point of being boring at times. The topics is interesting and something I am personally passionate about but the book didn't live up to the hopes I had for it. Definitely worth a read though and something I plan to refer back to. 

My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

Firestorm

 

Firestorm

Lisa Tawn Bergren

Waterbrook Press 

1996

Romance, Fiction, Christian 

As a smoke jumper, Reyne Oldre--friend to Rachel Tanner and Beth Morgan (Refuge)--once led a team of courageous firefighters into a blaze that ended in unspeakable tragedy. Now crippled by fear, she conducts fire research from a safe distance, determined not to risk that kind of pain again. But when the flames of love begin to flicker between her and smoke jumper Logan McCabe, Reyne must face the fearsome storms from her past and battle the raging Firestorm that burns in her soul.

I remember reading this book in high school and enjoying it very much. While I never thought it measured up to the first 5 books in the series I always loved Bergren's writing. I was looking forward to rereading this book. In the spirit of being honest the book was not anywhere near as good as I remembered. In fact I found it completely cheesy. Unlike Bergren's other books these characters are not well developed and you'll find yourself trying to catch up with no markings along the way. 

The fire aspect is fascinating but at times I found the technical aspects to be a bit overdone. The best part of the book is being able to revisit characters from previous books. My taste in high school was obviously quite a bit lower than it is now. Call me a snob or call me particular, this one won't be staying on my shelf. 

My thanks to Multnomah Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

A Flight of Fancy

A Flight of Fancy
Laurie Alice Eakes
Revell Publishing
2012
Historical Romane

Her head is in the clouds. His feet are planted firmly on the ground. Can love cover the distance?

Cassandra Bainbridge may be a bit of a bluestocking, but when Geoffrey Giles is near, love seems a fine alternative to passion for Greek and the physics of flight. With his dashing good looks and undying devotion to her, the earl of Whittaker sets Cassandra's heart racing with his very presence. It seems his only flaw is his distaste for ballooning, the obsession that consumes so much of her thoughts.

When a terrible accident compels her to end her betrothal, Cassandra heads for the country to recover from both her injuries and her broken heart. With time on her hands and good friends to help her, she pursues her love for ballooning and envisions a future for herself as a daring aeronaut. But when Lord Whittaker slips back into her life, will she have to choose between him and her dream?

I found this book to be delightful! Props to Eakes for penning such a fun and endearing read. Cassandra and Geoffrey are both well developed characters. Cassandra gets a little ridiculous in forever being caught up in her scars but she's believable. The aspects of ballooning are well researched and informative as well as interesting. The intrigue and mystery will keep you reading well into the night. The blend of romance, intrigue, history, and faith in God is excellent. A very easy and enjoyable read!

My thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.