Category Archives: Book Talk

Web Of Lies by Brandilyn Collins

1 Reply


Web of Lies
by Brandilyn Collins
Publisher: Zondervan
Pub. Date: February 2006
ISBN-13: 9780310251064
368pp
Series: Hidden Faces Series

From Barnes And Noble.com
In the fourth and final book of the Hidden Faces series, Annie Kingston and a new ally–Chelsea Adams from Eyes of Elisha–are drawn into a terrifying battle against time, greed, and a deadly opponent.

Like Brandilyn’s other novels, this book was gripping and scary. A word of advice: don’t read this book if you’re scared of spiders!

Brandilyn joins two heroines from her previous novels: Annie Kingston and Chelsea Adams so that they can solve a crime which involves a shooting at a convenience store. When a skeleton is dug up near Annie’s property, an old skeleton, the mystery deepens, making the reader wonder how all of this will tie together at the end. When Annie’s daughter’s life is placed in danger, the stakes are raised in this mind-blowing story.

If you like a good, scary, chilling read, then you should check this book out. It’s a good one!

I started this book awhile ago, but had to put it aside because I had to focus on reading the books assigned to me for RWA’s RITA award. Then, I had a deadline to meet for one of MY novels. So, when I managed to pick it back up again and start reading somewhere about three quarters of the way into the book, it was fairly easy for me to place the people and events. I was relieved, too. Because I seldom read novels over again!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Promises, Promises by Amber Miller

1 Reply

Promises, Promises – H S #784
By: Amber Miller
Publisher: Heartsong Presents (Barbour)
ISBN: 9781597899390
Binding: Mass Market
Pages: 176 pages
From Heartsong Presents.com:
Raelene Strattford knows God has promised never to leave or forsake her. But after the catastrophic deaths of her parents, she doesn’t believe it. What kind of God would take a girl’s family and leave her alone in a wild land where women have no voice? Gustaf Hanssen has admired Raelene from afar for a while, but his poor attempt at courting her in the past has made him unwelcome in her life. When Gustaf promises Raelene’s dying father that he will take care of her, he finds himself bound to her happiness, her success, and her well-being in ways he never imagined. To keep his word must Gustaf really oversee all of Raelene’s affairs, find her a husband, and maintain her farm, while she does nothing but scorn him? Can God reach through Raelene’s pain and self-centeredness and give her the love that awaits, if only she will accept His will?

I thought this was a nice, heartwarming read. I think Amber did a great job with taking us back in time. The scenery was lovely, and I thought the characters were well-developed. You can feel Ralene’s pain after she loses her parents, but I wanted to shake her a few times when she kept rejecting Gustaf’s affections! Gustaf is a good-looking hunk of a man who has a big heart for the Lord! He has the patience of Job as he works as prickly Raelene’s overseer. He falls in love with her, while watching other eligible bachelors try to win her hand in marriage. Although Gustaf loves Raelene, he’s more concerned with her spiritual well-being, than with winning her affections. He finally leaves the whole relationship situation in the Lord’s hands, and the ending has a nice twist that’ll make you smile!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Nobody By Creston Mapes

1 Reply

Nobody by Creston Mapes

Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Multnomah Books (September 11, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590526244
ISBN-13: 978-1590526248

From Amazon.com:
Book Description
They said, “He’s a nobody.”
They were dead wrong.

When reporter Hudson Ambrose hears an early morning call on his police scanner about an injured person at a bus stop on Las Vegas Boulevard, he rushes to the scene to get the scoop.
His world is blown off its axis when he discovers a murdered homeless man with a bankbook in his pocket showing a balance of almost one million dollars. Should he wait for the police, knowing the case will get lost in reams of red tape, or swipe the bankbook and take the investigation–and perhaps a chunk of the money–into his own hands?

With sirens bearing down on the scene, Hudson makes an impulse decision that whisks him on a frantic search for answers, not only about the mysterious dead man, but about the lost soul lurking within himself.

Uncovering bizarre links between a plane crash, a Las Vegas pit boss, a dirty cop, and a widowed Atlanta business mogul, Hudson is forced to find out: who was Chester Holte, what was he doing on the streets, and why are his homeless friends convinced he was an angel in disguise?

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a bit different than a lot of the Christian fiction I’ve been reading recently because of the story line. Mapes has an awesome hook into this tale. As the story unfolds, Hudson finds that his mistake has been costly, however, his actions also help to bring him closer to God, and to finding out more about Chester, the rich Christian homeless man who’s been murdered.

There’s also a love story intertwined within these pages. Ambrose finds himself falling in love with Holly Queens as she attempts to separate from her abusive boyfriend. I think this story is edgy, gritty, and real as the large cast of characters deal with their issues.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

A Touch Of Grace

4 Replies


A Touch Of Grace by Linda Goodnight
Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Steeple Hill (March 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 037387426X
ISBN-13: 978-0373874262

From the back cover:

The moment her sister’s body was discovered near Ian Carpenter’s New Orleans mission, crusading jornalist Gretchen Barker was torn between devastating grief and a desire for revenge. She mourned her sister’s drug problems and the family trouble that had started them, but the minister’s professions of help made her suspicious.

Except the more she got to know Ian, the more she recognized his courage in the face of adversity and his commitment to faith…and Gretchen’s sharp edges began to soften. Until a mysterious phone call left her questioning whether or not he truly had something to hide.

This book rocked!! Seriously! I can honestly say that it’s one of the best Love Inspired novels I’ve ever read! It’s an emotionally-gripping tale from beginning to end! You won’t want to put this one down.

Ian is a sexy, cute, saxophone-playing preacher that you’ll just fall in love with! He is called to help others, however, as you turn the pages, you’ll find that he is a very unique servant of God.

Gretchen, a reporter, is suspicious of the charming, charismatic preacher. Initially, she wonders if he’s responsible for her young sibling’s death. As she falls in love with Ian, secrets about his past are uncovered…a past that he’s partially forgotten. This unique twist in the story will bring tears to your eyes as you read a tale of forgiveness and reconciliation.

This story really touched me, and I’m personally recommending that you read this book! I can almost guarantee you’ll love it, especially if you love good, heart-warming, emotional, and inspirational romance!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Healing Place by Leigh Bale

2 Replies


The Healing Place by Leigh Bale
Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Steeple Hill (December 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0373874626
ISBN-13: 978-0373874620

From Amazon.com:
Book Description
A Father Desperate To Save His Daughter
Dr. Emma Shields had to help him. Mark Williams had come to the gifted physician to heal his sick little girl. But Emma had suffered her own loss….

Driven by the death of her son, Emma was determined to make Mark’s daughter well. The devoted single father had come to her in his time of need and she couldn’t let him down. Nor could she forget what they’d once shared…. Now they faced new challenges. Together could they create a new place of faith, hope and love?

This book dealt with a very emotional subject: cancer in children. Dr. Emma Shields is still grieving over the death of her young son, Brian, and she lives a cold, somewhat emotionless life. Her employees call her the “ogre” since she is a stern and unfair boss. She bans her practice to pediatric cancer patients because she doesn’t want to relive the horror of losing a young child again.
Mark Williams was Emma’s old boyfriend in high school. Mark dumped Emma for the popular and beautiful cheerleader, Denise, and he married Denise and they had Angie. Mark used to be a conceited high school jock who just wanted to get ahead financially and socially, which is why he married Denise: because of her business connections. However, after Mark has Angie, he changes, and after he gets saved, he changes even more and discovers how empty and meaningless his ambitions were before he accepted Christ.
Emma has forsaken Christ since Brian’s death. Her ex-husband blames her for Brian’s death, and Emma accepts the blame, wondering if she could have used other treatment methods to save her son from the deadly cancer. Her son’s death finally ends her failing marriage and Emma is left alone to deal with her grief.
Mark now breezes back into Emma’s life because he needs her help. His daughter is dying of an inoperable brain tumor, and Emma is recommended as the best doctor to save Mark’s child. Emma is torn. She is drawn to the child, but has decided not to care for children since the death of her son. She finally decides to provide treatment to the child, and as she grows closer to Mark and Angie, she manages to find the faith she’s forsaken.

I thought this book was a good emotional read. However, you might need a box of tissues as you enjoy this story!

Cecelia Dowdy

Book Clubs

1 Reply

No, I’m not talking about a group of women getting together and discussing a book. I’m talking about getting a shipment of books from a publisher in the mail every so often since you’ve agreed to purchase the novels.

A weird thing happened to me over the past week. I received a free book from Love Inspired, with paperwork to entice me to rejoin the book club. I used to be a member around the time my novel was to be released.

Then, a couple of days later, I received an snail mail advertisement from Barbour, wanting me to join the Heartsong Presents book club.

Then, the next day, I received another snail mail advertisement from Barbour, wanting me to join the new Mystery book club that just started recently. I blogged about this book club a few days ago.

Well, to top it all off, the day before I received the advertisement from Barbour for their Heartsong Presents book club, I joined both the Heartsong and Mystery book clubs online.

The timing of it all was just weird! I joined both HP and Mystery book clubs on Sunday night, receive snail mailed advertisement to join HP on Monday, and then I received snail mail advertisement to join the mystery book club on Tuesday!

There’s just so many good books out there, and I wish I had time to read them all. Right now, I’m reading a Brandilyn Collins book, and I’m also reading The Whitney Chronicles.

Later!

Cecelia Dowdy

Long Trail To Love by Pamela Griffin

Leave a reply


Long Trail To Love by Pamela Griffin
Publisher: Barbour Publishing (Heartsong Presents)

ISBN: 9781597896177

Binding: Mass Market

Pages: 176 pages

From the Heartsong Presents website:
Carly loses her faithless boyfriend, her job, and the respect of people in town, all in one crazy moment. Nothing, it seems, will ever be right again. In an effort to get away, she joins some friends in a month-long hike up the Long Trail from Vermont into Canada. Looking for peace in a world suddenly gone awry, Nate joins the hike at the last minute. Fresh from a breakup of his own, he has no intention of starting a new relationship, so why can’t he keep his mind off the prickly woman in front of him? As their relationship blossoms, obstacles arise, and it seems life will just repeat itself. Can Nate deal responsibly with the decisions he knows he must make? Will Carly stop running long enough to let love catch her?

This is a nice, light, fun read that shows how we really need to keep faith in the Lord when things go awry. Carly is not a Christian, which is the main conflict which keeps these two lovebirds apart. Nate is drawn to her, but knows they can’t be together since it’s a sin to be unequally yoked. Also, the obstacles and problems that a few of the secondary characters face also make the story interesting. The author did a good job of describing the scenery on this trail, and I longed to go there myself to get back in touch with nature! I’d recommend this book if you’re looking for a refreshing, God-inspiring read!

Cecelia Dowdy

Tired

2 Replies



I had a fairly hard day at work today, then when I got home, I had to cook dinner. I did take a few moments to finish reading Long Trail To Love by Pamela Griffin. I’ll be blogging about that book soon.

Check out the following review of my novel, First Mates, that was recently posted on Amazon.com:

The Epitome of a Biblical Love Connection, December 20, 2007
By Nedra Smith

Cecelia Dowdy’s FIRST MATES is a lovingly written I Corinthians 13 type of love story that never stoops to baser levels to show the realistic affection and connection that Rainy and Winston have.

I enjoyed watching them connect on the cruise, disconnect more than once, and reconnect, over things that really DO make a difference if a relationship is to be both faith-based and lasting.

The characters were real. Winston told the truth about part of his past but Rainy has to learn another part of it, a part that she thinks is important, later and through Dowdy’s wonderful character, Aunt Gladys.

This was more than a love story. Everyone grew in believable ways, not just in ways that would make for a happy ending. Even the minor characters grew in some small way either because of Winston and Rainy’s direct example or because of learning from their own mistakes.

Also, the book wasn’t preachy, but quite fun. Remember, it starts on a cruise so there’s lots of eating. FIRST MATES made me hungry both for food and for what would happen to the couple next.

Throughout the story, we’re aware that God is in control. That’s all that matters.

Also, last night I stayed up and watched a movie entitled Meet Joe Black. It’s a secular movie, however, I just loved the chemistry between the two characters! I saw it on the Sci-fi channel. I stayed up until midnight watching a movie! Do you know how seldom I stay up that late? Let alone stay up that late to watch a movie??? Hardly ever happens!

Later!

Cecelia Dowdy

My Soul Cries Out by Sherri Lewis

Leave a reply

My Soul Cries Out
By Sherri Lewis
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Urban Books (July 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1893196976
ISBN-13: 978-1893196971

Monica Harris Day’s perfect world begins a downward spiral the day she comes home to find her husband in bed with another man. After confronting Kevin, her husband of two years, Monica discovers he’s had a lifelong struggle with homosexuality that began at the age of ten, when he was molested by a deacon in the church.

For years, Kevin has sought deliverance, crying out to God to make him straight. He explains his deceit by saying he truly thought he had been delivered when he married Monica, but was afraid to share his past with her for fear she wouldn’t marry him. Kevin begs Monica’s forgiveness and wants to save their marriage. He is convinced that God has indeed delivered him from the spirit of homosexuality and that the one time mistake was just his past coming back to haunt him. Their pastor offers them marital counsel but Monica suspects that his real concern is in maintaining his mega-ministry. The membership has grown to 10,000 since Kevin became the minister of music.

When the pastor swears them to secrecy and urges Monica to stay in the marriage, she thinks Bishop Walter isn’t willing to risk the potential scandal and church division that would result if the truth is leaked to the congregation. My Soul Cries Out is a compassionate look at the issue of Christians struggling with homosexuality and the redemptive power of God to bring deliverance.

=============
What made this story so riveting is the fact that Sherri Lewis broke all the rules for Christian fiction! She chose a highly controversial subject matter, a matter that affects a lot of women: homosexuality. I’ve heard about this on shows like Oprah, where the woman finds out her husband/boyfriend is actually gay/bisexual and they’re living “on the down low.”

I feel Lewis portrayed this story realistically, and that Monica really had to go through a lot of changes before she is finally able to confront her husband in a forgiving manner for what has transpired between them.

Kevin also has some healing to do on his own. He has to face his past, and break away from the ghosts that have driven him to this lifestyle.

I highly recommend this book if you want a good, riveting, and edgy story. This is the first Urban Christian fiction book that I’ve read, and I’m wondering if Urban gives their authors more freedom with the content they can place in their stories? I’ll be sure to read more of the Urban Christian Fiction novels in the future.

Cecelia Dowdy