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.

Will hidden secrets destroy the love they’ve built?

In the early 1800’s, the wondrous land of Australia is full of possibilities as settlers stake their claims. Hannah and John settle their own piece of land in New South Wales and have hopes of starting a family, but their dreams for the future are clouded with trouble.

As they try unsuccessfully to have a baby, Hannah suffers from guilt over her past. What she hasn’t told her husband about this chapter of her life haunts her and threatens to destroy their relationship.

MY REVIEW

This is another book i bought at a Christian Bookstore, and i read this for the read-a-thon as well. Bonnie Leon is an author i really like, and this novel was no different in that respect. i like to read about Australia, and Bonnie does a grand job of discribing life and land in the early 1800s. She uses words to vividly protray the landscape, and the reader is transported to an era when Australia was being populated by the British. It is a story of longing, of danger, but also of bright hope. The characters are well-rounded, and you feel like you are walking their path with them. i would give this a 4.5 out of a possible 5 stars, only because i will not likely read it a second time, but would recommend it highly to others.

Just Between You and Me - Jenny B. Jones

 

Just Between You and Me - Jenny B. Jones. This is what i read for the read-a-thon

A novel of losing fear and finding God. Maggie lives life on the edge, seemingly unafraid of anything. But the image she so carefully constructed is coming undone. Her job as a videographer takes her around the world. She tells people’s stories, especially those of impoverished children. That’s when she feels most alive, like she’s making the world better. But when a secret from her past resurfaces, Maggie gets a call that sends her home. Her dad desperately needs her help. Her estranged sister has run off, leaving 8-year-old Riley in his care. She returns reluctantly, hoping to help her niece. There she reconnects with Cooper–a once awkward and shy, now handsome, veterinarian. Her feelings skyrocket when she’s with him, but she’s afraid if she shows him her true self, he’ll reject her. MY REVIEW This was the first of Jenny B. Jones novels i have read, and to be honest with you, i started it awhile ago, and now decided i needed to finish. I am very glad i did, and will be looking for more of Jenny's titles. The only reason i set it aside for a time was because it is written in the first person view, and if i have one written in third person, i will pick up the second novel instead of the first one. (this is just a personal preferance, and though i always enjoy them, it is just harder for me to get into them.) The story is very well written, dealing with many issues. The characters are well rounded, the scenery vividly described.  And though the subtitle says this is a novel of losing fear and finding God, it is also about relationships - parent/child, peers, aunt/niece. An up coming class reunion and it's subsequent pre-meetings deals with the expectations of young people starting out on life of their own and how far (or not) they have come in the years from graduation until now. Again, i would not give it 5 out of 5, because it is totally unlikely that i will read this one again, but i will look for Jenny's next book and read it, as well as recommending this book to others. This is another book i bought at a Christian Book store.