Licensed for Trouble

PJ Sugar is trouble with a capital “T”. Her whole life has seemed to be a series of mishaps and disasters. When she finds out she has inherited the Kellogg family fortune she can’t imagine why. The sole beneficiary of Kellogg’s wealthiest widow PJ is baffled why a woman she hardly knew would leave everything to her. The inheritance turns out to be the Kellogg family mansion that is in complete shambles. Charming with an idyllic setting the mansion is nonetheless in serious need of remodeling. Handyman help comes in the form of Max Smith, a man without a past. Private Investigator in training, PJ takes on Max’s case with no idea where it might lead.

Licensed for Trouble is the third installment in Susan Warren’s PJ Sugar series. This book picks up a few weeks after “the kiss” in book two between PJ and her boss, Jeremy Kane. While PJ can’t deny the chemistry she has with Jeremy she also can’t put former love, Boone, out of her mind. Jeremy remains distant and PJ remains confused. As PJ tries to figure out her love life she also stays busy, and in trouble, trying to find Max’s past, chasing a bail jumper, and discovering secrets about her own past.

PJ’s character development in this book is wonderful and completely relatable. Feeling doomed to always live up to her moniker “nothing but trouble” PJ slowly but surely begins to experience God’s grace and redemption. With the help of the dashing and romantic Jeremy PJ finds the fresh start she’s been longing for. She turns to God and allows him to name her, define her, and love her.

Susan May Warren is a favorite author of mine. Although there are plenty of page turning moments in this book I also found sections that seemed to drag. However, PJ is a delight to get to know and while I would recommend reading the first two books before this book, this one can be read as a standalone. Warren keeps the reader guessing as PJ’s heart pulls her in different directions. You’ll find yourself gasping as PJ is rescued time and time again by one or more of the handsome men in her life. The mystery will keep you guessing and the ending will….well I’m not going to tell you everything. Enjoyable and a great end to this series!

Rated PG- for violence

Thanks to Tyndale Fiction for providing a copy of this book for review!

Yak Trax

The first time I tried these puppies I was in Idaho recovering from knee surgery. I was working my way off crutches in the middle of an icy wonderland. A friend let me borrow her yak trax and I was a new somewhat mobile woman. These things fit right over your shoe and are super easy to put on. They give you grip on ice and packed snow. I have my own pair and I use them all the time in the winter. In fact, even when it's icy I'm able to get my daily walk in. Use caution if you enter a store or a place with a flat surface. The very power that gives you grip on ice can give you slip on tile. I always remove mine. They fold up and are easy to travel with and they're definitely worth having especially if you have chronic klutziness.

You can buy them at a sport's store or online. The best are the brand name ones "Yak Trax".  Love them!

Biblical Cyclopedic Index

I was nerdishly excited to receive this book in the mail. While I certainly wouldn't define myself as a biblical scholar I am always looking for an easy book to better help me (and the kids I work with) navigate the Bible. I was pleasantly surprised to receive this book and find it to be such an easy size to handle. Most indexes are the size of a compact car. The Nelson's Biblical Cyclopedic Index fits easily in one hand, in your backpack, or even in your purse.

Beyond how it looks I found the index to be extremely functional. There are over 8000 listings in alphabetical order! Each one also includes scripture references. It's extremely user friendly and breaks things down into subheadings as well. You can literally find just about any word your heart desires in this little book and most words even include a small definition. A great tool for any pastor, student, layperson, or Christian. Definitely recommend!

Cute, functional, expansive, and helpful! Now if only I would have had this during my seminary days.....




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

City of Tranquil Light

City of Tranquil Light
Author: Bo Caldwell
Genre: Fiction, Historical
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publishing Date: September 28, 2010

Will Kiehn is a simple Midwestern man. Growing up in a farmer’s home it seems inevitable that he will continue to work the land like the generations before him. However, in the early 1900’s God places a call on his heart for the country of China. Answering that call, he leaves all that is familiar he catches a boat and moves to the North China Plain in 1906. In China he meets fellow missionary Katherine, a dedicated nurse with struggling language skills. They fall in love, marry, and dedicate their lives to serving together in China.

The early 1900’s is a time of great turmoil in China. The two-thousand-year-old dynasty is crumbling and the nation plunges into violent civil war. Will and Katherine make their home in Kuang P’ing Ch’eng- City of Tranquil Light. They are well accepted by the people of the city and Katherine’s nursing skills are an open door for many new converts. However, the country is far from safe. Disease threatens the life of their newborn, Will is kidnapped by bandits, and rebel soldiers take the city by storm. In the midst of it all we journey with Will and Katherine and their unending love for each other as they pour out their very lives into the country they have adopted as home.

The depth of this book will captivate you. The story is told alternatively through Will and Katherine’s viewpoints. Will tells the story as an aging widow and we see Katherine’s story through her journal entries. Their love for each other and their dedication for their calling is truly beautiful. Bo Caldwell creatively weaves in portions of her own grandparent’s story as missionaries to China into the novel which adds a wonderful spark of meaning into a book already overflowing with meaning. The historical aspects of China that are revealed through the book are fascinating and not over done. You’ll walk away wanting to know more.

You’ll find yourself completely drawn into Will and Katherine’s story. Like any truly good book you won’t want this one to end. I found myself overwhelmed at the sacrifices the missionaries of old had to make. Many missionaries packed their belongings into coffins because they knew their bodies would only ever return to the place of their birth. Will and Katherine became a part of China and China’s impact on their lives was permanent. I dare say that this book could impact you much the same. In it you’ll find the soft whisper of the Father as he creates his story in the characters but also as he whispers his story to the reader. A story of love, of sacrifice, of a God who transcends cultures to reveal himself to his beloved creation.

Rated: PG- for war violence and drama

***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***

Stars Collide

Stars Collide
Author: Janice Thompson
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Hollywood
Publisher: Revell
Publishing Date: December 2010

Kat Jennings and Scott Murphy are television stars. While filming their third season of the popular TV show Stars Collide the script, both on stage and in real life, takes some interesting twists. As their characters fall in love on TV Kat and Scott are already in love with each other in real life, head over heels in fact. Kat’s grandmother, Lenora Worth, is an aging former Hollywood star. Eccentric, unique, beautiful, and just a tad loopy, she manages to blur the lines between her granddaughter’s real life and her TV life. Before you can blink Grandma confuses an on-air proposal and Kat and Scott are “engaged” in real life…although they aren’t, but their characters are on TV. Confused? Imagine how Grandma Lenora feels!

The plot thickens as Lenora invites the paparazzi in for a sneak peak at all the “wedding” planning. Meanwhile, Kat and Scott are still enjoying their budding romance and not quite sure what to do with all of the confusion. There is also something strangely mysterious about Rex, the show’s producer. He and Lenora seem to have a past and their admiration for each other is hard to miss. Lenora wavers between eras and manages to be glamorous and endearing in whatever decade she’s currently residing. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself laughing out loud as she invites Kat to go swimming with her in the “cement pond” or loudly announces the couple’s “engagement” to Scott’s parents visiting from out of town.

If you love movies at all, particularly old movies, then you will love this book. I was hooked from the moment the characters started talking about Doris Day. The many references to movies and old movie stars is truly delightful. It portrays Hollywood in a refreshing way. As you ride down Sunset Boulevard in “The Pink Lady” you’ll see a softer side of Hollywood through Grandma Lenora’s eyes. Lenora is well developed and hilarious. Her memory loss is frustrating at times and I felt occasionally a bit overworked. You’ll fall in love with Kat as you journey with her as she falls in love, finds healing from her Father God, and grows as a person.

I so badly wanted this book to be perfect because it is SO close! Much like forgetting salt when making cookies it is missing the “it” factor. Poor Scott is likable, but largely underdeveloped. He’s an important prop but he simply remains a prop for most of the book. He steps in when needed but there is just something missing with him. However, do not let this stop you from reading this book! I had my doubts about a “Hollywood” book but I loved it for so many reasons. Don’t be surprised if you find the urge to pop Pillow Talk or An Affair to Remember in your DVD player and escape back to a different Hollywood and join Grandma Lenora in her memories. You’ll be so glad you did!

Rated: G

Audrey Leach at Baker Publishing

Still House Pond

Still House Pond

Author: Jan Watson

Genre: Historical, Fiction

Publisher: Tyndale

Date: July 2010

Lilly Gray Corbett is an adventurous 11 year old growing up in Kentucky in 1896. She can’t imagine anything better than living right on Troublesome Creek. She  loves her mama (Copper) and her step-daddy (John) and all of her little brothers and sisters. Lilly’s mama is an accomplished mid-wife and is often traveling around to deliver babies. Lilly  enjoys pleasing her mama but doesn’t always like babysitting all those sisters and brothers. She’d rather be outside near the creek discovering something, or someone, new.

Lilly’s daddy died when she was little in Lexington. One day Aunt Alice writes and invites Lilly to come spend part of the summer with her in the city. Copper has a hard time letting go of her little girl and allowing her to travel by herself on the train. However, she relents and Lilly is ecstatic about her adventure. In a mix-up of catastrophic proportions Lilly misses her train and is kidnapped by an angry neighbor. The family thinks Lilly is on the train bound for Aunt Alice and when that train crashes they fear the very worst. You’ll find yourself caught up as the story jumps between different characters and each character experiences their own defining moments. You throw in the Pelfry family maid who has a run in with a nefarious character and you’ll keep on reading this one.

There is something so effortless about the way Jan Watson writes and they way her books read. She’s been a favorite of mine for some time. She allows you to not only enter into the story but you enter into the lives of the characters. Still House Pond  doesn’t just bring you one event in the life of Lilly and her family, it allows you to join in on their day to day lives. It’s like settling into a warm quilt and enjoying a chat with friends. You’ll easily find yourself caught up in this read. Your heart will race as Lilly is kidnapped, hurt as Copper fears her daughter is dead, and be angry at the carelessness of the characters. You’ll enter in and enjoy every minute of it, I promise!

Rated PG- for birth scenes

Thank you to Tyndale Publishing for providing a copy of this book!

Son of Hamas

Son of Hamas
Author: Mosab Hassan Yousef (with Ron Brackin)

The shocking true story of a Hamas insider who rejected his violent destiny- and is now risking everything to expose closely guarded secrets and show the world a way to peace.
 
From his earliest days, Mosab Hasson Yousef had a view of the inner workings of Hamas. The son of one its founders, from childhood he was immersed in the mysterious world of Middle Eastern terror and politics. Arrested time and again by the Shin Bet, the Israeli internal intelligence service, he eventually made the decision to become a double agent. For ten years Yousef lived deeply embedded within Hamas, suspected by no one, yet passing vast amounts of information to Israel. In this way he prevented assassinations, stopped suicide attacks and provided information leading to the arrests or killings of many terrorists. He was Shin Bet’s most valuable source of information about Hamas.


In the late 90's a "chance" encounter with a British visitor opened Yosuef's eyes to the Christian faith. Curious and intelligent, Yousef took this opportunity and was immediately struck by the difference between Jesus Christ and Mohammed, between the Christian faith and the Islam he had inherited from his fathers. In the months that followed he made a slow conversion to Christianity and was quietly baptized.

Yousef now lives in the US under political asylum. The book chronicles Yousef's heartbreaking separation from his family and his homeland as God draws him near.

This book is truly fascinating. I'm a sucker for true stories and this does not disappoint. I did find myself bogged down in many of the historical and political background but it was pertinent to the story (can we say "short attention span"?). It brings what you see on the news to real life. You'll find yourself challenged, overwhelmed, and inspired. A gripping read!  

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my review!