Product Description

Mary Lynn and Jackson Scoville are living the good life in Charleston. But as they work their way up the social ladder, Mary Lynn feels compelled to pray that Jackson will come to the Lord. When Jackson's radical conversion---including inviting street people into their home---threatens their dreams, will Mary Lynn go along with him? 320 pages, softcover from Nelson.

MY REVIEW

Sunrise on the Battery by Beth Webb Hart is an amazing look at the question of what would life look like if we really, really loved each other, and were eager to tell everyone we love how much we loved them and wanted them to know how great a life Christian Life is? Would it change the way we look at life, and what we do?

Sunrise on the Battery is written from numerous perspectives, which might make it confusing for the reader except for the fact that the names of the person from whose perspective each chapter is told is mentioned at the being of the chapter as a sort of chapter title. Mary Lynn, her husband Jackson and their oldest daughter Catherine (a teenager) tell their stories, with the lives of the two youngest daughters entwined. All use the third person point of view which is effective in bringing the story out.

A thought provoking novel, there were a few scenes I thought were rather radical, but soon realized that I was not the only one who thought so, and this made a bold statement. Family life both as a family striving after social achievements and as dedicated Christians was very realistically portrayed.

I really liked this book, and will be looking for more of Beth Hart books. Not a suspense, with twisty surprises, just a nice deep-thinking novel.

i received this ebook free from ThomasNelson Publishers through their booksneeze program for the purpose of reviewing. i am not required to give a positive opinion, just an honest one.

chance to win $500.00 of books for your favorite charity!

i was just over at The bookish Mama http://iam-bookish.blogspot.com and does she have a great opportunity with Chronicle Books ...all you have to do is leave a comment on my blog (as i understand it) for a chance to win. These are some of the books i would choose, and the charity i would choose.
So leave a comment here and then head over to Bookish Mama to find out more.


















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Ride of a Lifetime- Kitty McGregor

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1449711685 | ISBN-13: 978-1449711689 | Publication Date: February 10, 2011

When Lucas McCade retired from the PRCA rodeo circuit, he was an internationally famous rodeo star. In a life of conquering hard bulls and harder men, he had rarely known defeat and never given into fear. Little could he have known that as he left the arena of wild-eyed bulls and slashing hooves, he was stepping into a life filled with real danger. Once he rode for gold-buckle dreams, now ride with Lucas McCade as he scouts the back trails over the rolling hills of Oklahoma and encounters the paths of the powers of darkness. In a culture where a man's word is still his bond and a handshake seals a deal, McCade leads his family in a walk with Christ that causes outrage in the spiritual realm. Once again, ancient battle lines are drawn between the powers of the Prince of Darkness and the Heavenly forces of Jesus Christ. It promises to be the ride of a lifetime!

My Review

I think it will be awhile before i find another book with the caliber of Ride of a Lifetime. From the prologue to The End the novel is rich in description and the reader is so immersed in the story that he can smell the smoke of the cigarette, hear the hiss of the match as it fell in the coffee, see the oranges of the sunset in the Texas sky, feel the stiff muscles, taste the nicotine and feel the despair of a cowboy whose life has swung out of control, and the anger of the teen at being uprooted from all he knows.

With much attention to detail, Kitty McGregor skillfully wields her pen to draw the reader into the life of Lucas McCade and the working ranch he is foreman at. This story is one of relationships between father and son, peers, cowboy and citified, forgiveness, right and wrong, but also the Light and Dark of life.

I found it almost impossible to leave, the tension was so ratchet-up, but also very difficult to read because it is so terribly realistic, and plausible, even to the ending. This is one novel that i will want in my collection, and give to the discerning, mature  reader. 

i received this ebook free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through their Booksneeze program for the purpose of writing a review. i was not required to give a positive review in exchange for the ebook.

Shadows on the Sand - Gayle Roper

Book Description

Series: Seaside Mysteries | Publication Date: July 19, 2011

She serves him breakfast at her café every morning … but he never seems to notice her.

Carrie Carter’s small café in Seaside, New Jersey, is populated with a motley crew of locals … although Carrie only has eyes for Greg Barnes. He’s recovering from a vicious crime that three years ago took the lives of his wife and children—and from the year he tried to drink his reality away. While her heart does a happy Snoopy dance at the sight of him, he never seems to notice her, to Carrie’s chagrin.

When Carrie’s dishwasher is killed and her young waitress disappears, Greg finds himself drawn into helping Carrie solve the mysteries … and into her life. But when Carrie’s own painful past becomes all to present, her carefully constructed world begins to sink.

Will the fragile relationship she’s built with Greg implode from the weight of the baggage they both carry?

MY REVIEW

Gayle Roper has a history of writing novels that in my opinion involve the reader from the first sentence of the book to The End.  And Shadows on the Sand is no exception.

Once again Gayle uses the first person point of view for the main character, Carrie in a remarkable way that made me feel i was in the picture, watching and flinching with her as her waitress used her hands to tell the story. The other characters stories are told in third person, except for the villain whose story is also told in first person point of view, but always in italics. This makes it easy for the reader to differentiate between characters. Gayle does a great job of dealing with all manner of issues in a profound way.

It seems Gayle is not afraid to tackle stories that might not be politically correct. In this novel, she deals directly with the issue of cults and how they differ from biblical truths. adultery, dysfunctional families, runaways and forgiveness, all in the perfectly 'real' setting of life.

All this, and the story of salvation clearly explained without sounding preachy and in-your-face.

She has a lot of characters, and at one point i was a little confused about who the one was, and what relationship he had to some others in the story. Very well told, and definitely enough suspense to keep you turning pages rapidly!

i am well able to recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good romantic suspense. Although it is part of the Seaside Mysteries, it is totally able to stand on its own.

Disclaimer - i recieved this ebook free from Waterbrook/Multnomah Publishers through their Blogging For Books program for review purposes only. i was not required to write a positive review, just an honest one. All opinions stated are my own.

Mercy Come Morning - Lisa Tawn Bergren

In this poignant story, reprinted from 2002, Lisa deals with some hard issues. First and foremost is the issue between mothers and daughters. Although i have what i think is a close relationship with my mother, i see myself many times reacting to the same things the main character in this novel does.  Another issue, closely related to the first, is forgiveness, and we all need it. Third is relationships between friends, and those are things we all deal with. Also is the issue of Alzheimer’s.

I have always loved Lisa’s novels, and this was no exception. Told in the first person, present tense throughout, with the past brought in through notes that Charlotte (Krista’s mother) wrote in her Christmas Carols book, instead of a journal.  The novel  starts with Dane (administrator of the facility where Charlotte lives) phoning Krista to summon her to her mother’s bedside before her mother’s death.  Not a suspense story, this tugs at the reader’s heart as issues come close to home. We are drawn into the story by Lisa’s apt use of words and we can feel the rough flooring of the adobe building, see the barren desert ground of New Mexico, smell the luscious Spanish foods, and the heart tugs of regrets and the joy of forgiveness.

A story with lessons i will not soon forget.

I received this ebook free from Waterbrook/Multnomah  through their Blogging For Books program. I was not required to give a positive review, just an honest opinion.

An Amish Wedding - novellas

An Amish Wedding, a collection of three novellas by three Inspirational Amish writers – Kelly Long, Katherine Fuller and Beth Wiseman, follows the stories of three young friends as they contemplate their wedding day.

A Perfect Secret by Kelly Long is Rose Bender’s story. She knows who she loves, but does she know who he is? The share some common interests, and they are both Amish, but the secret she and the reader stumble upon one dark night causes both the question what do these two share? And who is the thief in the community? Secrets in a relationship are seldom healthy, and these need to be resolved quickly.  Kelly carries the reader along with Rose as she finds answers to the questions she has, and both she and the reader learn that pretending to be who you are not, is harder than it looks.

In A Perfect Match by Kathleen Fuller, Naomi is not only a baker but a friend who wants only happiness for her friends even if it brings her heartache.  Having helped Rose overcome her insecurities, she turns her attention to her friend and assistant Margaret, who is painfully shy when she becomes the attention of young men.  Regardless of what her heart tells her, or the young man, for that matter, she feels Margaret needs to pay attention to the stranger from out of the county.  Hearts win out, and when Margaret finds someone who loves her, right beside her, maybe Naomi can pay attention to her own happiness.

When Beth Wiseman wrote “A Perfect Plan” she wrote about something i think all young brides hope for...that nothing will go wrong for the couple. Priscilla thinks that if the perfect plans she makes go on without a hitch, she must be living in God’s Will, but when things don’t turn out in the order she wants them to, or even turn out how she wants them to, she begins to doubt.  A perfect life does not necessarily doing God’s Will, nor does one of hardship mean the opposite.

I loved all three novellas, though felt that each one could have stood on its own as a novel with more depth being given to the characters. However, each story is clear in its message, and together, they bring an inspiration to living...God is ultimately in control, and we need to rest in this truth, whether we are contemplating marriage, our life’s work or any other situation. Through all three novellas trust is a major issue.

I received this ebook from Thomas Nelson Publishers through the Booksneeze program for review.  I was not required to give a positive review just my honest opinion in exchange for a free book/ebook.

Lonestar Angel - Colleen Coble

Eden's hope is rekindled when Clay delivers astounding news: their daughter has been found.
Five years ago Eden and Clay Larson's baby was stolen and never found. Eden blamed herself, Clay lost himself in work. Their young and rocky marriage ended. Or so Eden thought.
Now Eden's moved to a new town. She's found faith and is trying to rebuild her life. She's even dating again-a sweet guy who plans to marry her someday. But then Clay arrives out of the blue and delivers shocking news: they're still married. What's more, Clay has been searching for Brianna all this time. And he believes he's found her: their daughter is in Bluebird, Texas, at a youth ranch.
Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble

To say i devoured this novel would be stating it mildly. From an upscale restaurant in Charlie Creek, to the desert of Texas, Colleen had me sitting on the edge of the seat the whole way! This book is Intense, to say the least.

Her vivid descriptions have the reader seeing the allusive roadrunner, the beautiful sunsets and sunrises that only the desert can provide, the cacti and their flowers, tasting  the dust , hearing the happy squeals of  little girls, smelling the chilli cooking.  I felt the fear towards the rattler that gave no warning, the uncertainty of tarantulas, and the anguish of seeing abused horses. The challenges of counsellors dealing with children in foster homes are huge, and this is brought out in a very enlightening and positive way.

Many times i had to put the book down and leave it, just to bring myself back into the reality of life in my own living room as opposed to the Bluebird Ranch, only to be drawn back to the story to find out what happened next. And just when i thought i knew where the story was heading, someone or something happened to make it all change direction again.

Once again, Colleen has lived up to my expectations of her writing.

The Keeper - Youtube -

i've never posted a youtube item on my blog before, but i'm excited about Suzanne Woods Fisher's new series coming out in January and would like to share. Hope this works

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqZVG_rNHM8&feature=share via @youtube