Category Archives: Book Talk

With Eyes Of Love by Linda S. Glaz

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With Eyes of Love by Linda S. Glaz

What would you do if you returned from the war, disfigured? How would you handle it?

When Barbara and her family are stranded their car at Christmas, endangered, because of a flood, they’re rescued by the Judges, a sympathetic family who takes them in for shelter. When Jackson Judge, a son in their family of rescuers, winks at Barbara, she’s slightly offended yet attracted to handsome Jackson. However, Barbara is engaged to Elliott so it’s not possible for her to act upon her feelings for Jackson.

Barbara returns to the Judges home about two years later, keeping in contact via letters with Betty Judge, Jackson’s sister. She’s become best friends with Betty and she’s returning to be maid of honor in Betty’s weddings. She wonders what’s become of Jackson since Betty seldom mentions her brother in her letters.

However, when Barbara sees Jackson, she realizes he’s suffered a lot of pain and anguish, both physical and mental. Fighting in World War II, amidst Pearl Harbor, he’s been injured. Jackson doesn’t feel he’d be a viable mate to anybody in his current physical and mental state of mind.

I enjoyed this story. Usually in romance novels, both hero and heroine look PERFECT and flawless. Reading a book where one of the characters is not physically attractive on the outside was a refreshing change from the regular romance novel. Overall, this was a good, intriguing read.

So, what would you do if you returned from the war physically disfigured? How would you cope?

Love At Any Cost by Julie Lessman

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Love At Any Cost

“Available April 15, 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Cassidy McClare travels to San Francisco to spend the summer with her rich cousins. She needs to heal from her broken heart – her ex has broken up with her – and she realizes it’s because she’s no longer wealthy.When she arrives in San Francisco, she literally slams into gorgeous Jaime McKenna! They start off on the wrong foot – Cassidy can’t trust Jaime, after all, he’s a good-looking man and she knows how dangerous a good-looking man can be. Cassidy doesn’t need a man in her life, after all, she’s a cowgirl – all she needs is a lasso and the open range to be happy.

However, Jaime finds himself smitten with Cassidy – he’s determined to marry her. After all, she’s rich, and he needs a rich wife to help fund the surgery for his crippled sister. Jaime has a lot of emotional baggage – he blames himself for his sister’s unfortunate accident, and he doesn’t need God in his life. Why should he trust in God since God’s never been there for him during the rough  times, especially when he was a poor youth living in the slums.

This book was TOTALLY awesome! From the first page I was hooked, and kept reading. The attraction between Jaime and Cassidy literally jumped off the page, and you could see how drawn they were to one another. Also, the conflict between this couple was so deep. Jaime is not a Christian, and, Cassidy is in love with him, yet, it’s against her faith to be romantically involved with a non-Christian.

I think Jaime’s character was so deep – he had lots of layers of emotional angst – anger, depression. He can’t forgive himself for something that happened a long time ago, he wants to take all of his problems and solve them himself, not relying on God. I think, by reading this book, it just shows that we can’t solve all of our problems on our own, we have to rely on HIM, God, to help us through all our troubles. Also, we need to remember that He has already forgiven us for all of our sins, so, feeling guilty for years and years will not help, only relying on God and accepting His gift will help us through our pain and turmoil.

Like the rest of Julie’s books, I loved the passion and the physical descriptions of the characters! Also, I felt like I was really there, the sights, smells, and descriptions of the characters were so realistic!

If you want a good, passionate, emotional Christian read then you should buy this book!


Many thanks to Baker Revell for providing me with a free review copy!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

 

 

The Chance by Karen Kingsbury

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The Chance by Karen Kingsbury

Have you ever been in love with someone, only to be separated from your loved one? What did you do about it?

When teenaged Ellie’s mother has an affair with a famous country-western singer, her father goes ballistic. Once discovering his wife is pregnant, he throws her out of the house, telling his daughter Ellie that they’re moving from Georgia to California. Ellie runs to her best friend Nolan, crying about her plight. Initially, Nolan is not sure what to do – after all, he’s determined to marry Ellie someday. Nolan and Ellie write a letter to one another, then place the unread letters in a tackle box and burying them near their favorite tree at the local park. Nolan states that in eleven years, they are going to meet under that tree on that day to read the letters – this will give them a chance at being together since Ellie will be moving so far away.

The book continues eleven years later and you see Ellie’s life change drastically. Her relationship with her overbearing father crumbles, and she never hears from her mother.

This book was somewhat emotional, as you see Ellie and Nolan pine for one another. You also see the Lord working with some of the secondary characters like Ellie’s father, mother, and Payton (the country western singer). Although the story was good, I thought there were a LOT of conveniently coincidental things that happened which kept Nolan and Ellie apart for all of those years.

Many thanks to Howard Books for providing me with a free review copy.

So, have you ever been in love with someone, only to be separated from your loved one? What did you do about it?

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

 

Selling My Soul by Sherri Lewis

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Selling My Soul by Sherri Lewis

Have you ever been on a missions trip? If so, how long did you stay, and which country did you visit?

Trina Michaels returns home from a two-year missions trip to Africa. She finds a string of calamities in her path: her mother is extremely sick, her irresponsible younger sister has not been paying the bills, and Trina finds herself forced to return to the work force, much earlier than she’d anticipated.

Her job puts her in a sticky situation – a situation which could ruin her relationship with her best friend. She’s also left a boyfriend back in Africa – is their love strong enough to withstand all sorts of obstacles?

This novel also showed how the African people to whom Trina ministered were so close to God. The healings and miracles that happened in the African village reminded me of the miracles mentioned in the New Testament. I touched upon the subject of the Biblical miracles when I blogged about the Early Christians.

This book was so good! A treat to read! Unlike most Christian fiction, the author touched upon some tough, serious, realistic issues which are riddled within the church today. If you want a page-turning book that deals with serious issues, then you should purchase this title.

So, have you ever been on a missions trip? If so, then please share the details of your trip with a comment.

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

Grounds To Believe by Shelley Bates

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Grounds To Believe by Shelley Bates

Have you ever been involved in a cult, or, known someone who’s been involved in one? What happened when you (or whomever) was involved with that group?

Ross Malcolm has a young daughter and he’s desperate to find his child. Years ago, he was involved with a woman (the mother of his child) who ran away with his daughter to join a cult. Ross has not seen his child in years, and wonders about her fate. A Christian, Ross is determined to investigate cults, hoping to stop their unreasonable practices.

Ross is alerted to investigate a cult when a pattern of mysterious children’s deaths becomes suspicious. When he rolls into town on his motorbike, he meets Julia, a member of The Elect, the cult he’s been called to investigate. He finds himself attracted to the beautiful plain-dressed woman. His ruse requires him to act as if he’s interested in becoming one of the Elect – the Elect feel that they are the only saved ones on this earth – all other religions are worldly and influenced by Satan.

I really loved this book because I saw several elements that were familiar in the cult environment. For example, The Elect don’t believe in having a personal relationship with Jesus – their salvation depends upon their Shepherd and his rules – God only speaks to them through their Shepherd and he decides their fate, not God. Also, they watch one another, if one rule is broken or bended, you could be Silenced, scorned for life, doomed to a life of Hell. Makes me wonder how one can stay enmeshed within a cult for so long – but, I suppose after being in it for so long and it’s all you know, you become close to the other members, and they’re like your family. It’d be kinda hard to give all that up if you don’t have others in the world in which to turn. The members of the Elect kinda reminded me of the Amish and the Shakers with their judgmental attitudes.

This was a good read over all! So have you ever been involved in a cult, or known someone who has? What happened? Tell me about the experience by leaving a comment!

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Need a good, emotional romance? Try John’s Quest, on sale now for 99 cents!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Nothing But The Right Thing – From The Archives

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Nothing But The Right Thing by Stacy Hawkins Adams

This book was fantastic! I had the pleasure of meeting Stacy Hawkins Adams, the author of Nothing But The Right Thing, at the 2006 Faith-Based Literary Arts Weekend. She can sure write a story that will stay with me for a long time. Erika has been abused by her husband, Elliott, for the last four years. This is a story about her struggles in dealing with abuse.

Meanwhile, Serena, Ericka’s best friend, along with her husband Micah, are dealing with fertility issues.

The characters work through numerous, realistic struggles.

This story shows how we need to lean on God and trust in Him while dealing with our issues.

This is the first book I’ve ever read by Ms. Adams, but I do plan on reading more in the future.

From the back cover:

Serena McDaniels is successful, sassy, and saved. Life is good. She has a loving husband and a new home. But there’s one dream that remains just out of reach. When she left a high-profile advertising agency to pursue her dreams of having a family, Serena never imagined that the stress of her husband’s pastorate and their desire to follow God’s will might delay their dreams of becoming parents. And when a dear friend makes a life-altering decision to leave an abusive relationship, Serena knows she has to help. Will she have to postpone her dreams forever? Or will she hear God’s still, small voice and realize his plan for her? Nothing But the Right Thing is a heartwarming novel that explores the journey of faith, friendship, and the power of prayer.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Vanished By Irene Hannon

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Vanished by Irene Hannon

Moira is driving on a dark, country road on a rainy night. She’s lost and when she spots a distressed woman, she accidentally hits the woman with her car. Distressed, she wants to help this woman and a man appears, offering her help and solace. Moira then passes out, and when she awakens, she discovers that she can’t find the woman whom she’s hit and she can’t find the man who offered his assistance. Plus, there are other disturbing things that happened during the course of her accident that don’t add up.

Determined to get to the bottom of that dark, rainy night, she hires Cal, a former policeman who runs a private detective agency. Cal and Moira are instantly attracted to one another as they work together, trying to piece together the clues they find from the crime scene.

This is a suspenseful, intriguing romance with Christian characters. The characters are also overcoming their past emotional experiences so that they can be free to find love again. Over all, this was a good read. Thanks to Baker Revell with providing me a free review copy.

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

 

 

Love Starts With Elle by Rachel Hauck

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Love Starts With Elle by Rachel Hauck

Have you ever been presented with a highly-appealing opportunity, and you accepted it, even though you had serious doubts?

Elle has a happy life living in her small southern town. Realizing she has “no talent” as an artist, she runs her successful art gallery. She’s also dating Jeremiah, a pastor at her church. Jeremiah’s charismatic personality is appealing to Elle, and when he asks her to marry him, she says yes.

However, problems crop up once Jeremiah moves to his new mega-church in Dallas. Jeremiah’s career takes all of his time, leaving little time for him to spend with Elle. His charismatic attitude turns domineering when he “forces” Elle to sell her gallery, and after he breaks an important promise to her, their relationship tumbles downward.

Amidst this downward spiral, Elle finds solace from Heath, a recent widower with a four-year-old daughter. Heath needs some time to heal from his recent loss, plus, he needs to spend some time with his daughter. Taking a hiatus from his high-powered job, he rents Elle’s cottage for six months while she bunks in the nearby art studio.

The story takes an interesting turn as Elle and Heath grow closer and Jeremiah shows up, back from Dallas, wanting to reunite with Elle. Should she give Jeremiah a second chance, or, should she continue her budding relationship with Heath.

This story shows how we should listen to the Lord’s guidance in our lives. At times, we may be presented with an opportunity, and we believe that this opportunity is all that we’ve hoped for. Yet, there’s a niggling doubt in the back of our minds, and such an opportunity may not be what the Lord wants in our lives, but, it’s hard to let such an opportunity go since it’s what we THINK we want.

Elle had doubts when Jeremiah asked her to marry him. They had not been dating for long, yet, she accepted his proposal. Seconds after she accepted, he throws information at her, information that she should’ve known before he proposed. Sometimes, we should listen to our inner voice, the Lord’s nudging, about our decisions, but, that’s so hard to do once we “know” what we’re seeking.

This was a good read with a strong inspirational message.

So, have you ever accepted a highly-appealing opportunity and regretted your decision later? Did you feel the Lord was trying to tell you “NO” by your experiencing doubts and insecurities about your decision? Leave a comment!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

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Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

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Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Can you imagine dreaming about your childhood Prince Charming for years, and then marrying him as an adult?

When Meredith Hayes stepped onto the forbidden Archer land as a child, she was only trying to obtain her scattered lunch pail that had been hoisted by a town bully. Dared by other schoolmates, she bravely steps onto the land only to have her leg caught in a steel trap. When handsome Travis Archer comes to her rescue, she discovers that the reclusive Archer brother is not mean and evil as the townsfolk claim. He gets her out of the trap, setting her on her way home.

Now, several years later, Meredith is an adult and she suffers from a gimp leg as a result of the steel-trap accident. Over the years, she’s dreamed about Travis Archer as being her Prince Charming. She’s now devastated that her current guardians, her aunt and uncle, want her to marry terrible Roy Mitchell. Roy only wants to marry Meredith for her land – having control over her land could greatly increase Roy’s wealth. After overhearing Roy give orders to set fire to the Archer property, hoping to force them to sell their land, Meredith feels she can’t sit around and watch the Archers suffer. She sneaks onto the property to warn them of the attack, wanting to return the kindness that Travis showed her several years ago. However, the Archer brothers, especially Travis, are dumbstruck when a woman comes limping onto their property with her warning.

The Archers are recluses, hardly receiving any visitors as they ban others from their property. Meredith’s sudden presence throws a HUGE monkey-wrench into their lives. When she’s kicked by a mule and injured, she’s forced to spend the night on the Archer property. Staying overnight with a houseful of men ruin’s Meredith’s reputation and she’s forced to marry one of the Archer brothers – Travis, of course! 🙂

This book was a real treat for me to read and I loved how the story unfolded. Travis and his brothers have little contact with the outside world due to a promise Travis made to his dying father. Since they live as hermits, their lives are thrown into turmoil when Meredith arrives. Meredith’s kindness, thoughtfulness, and gentle nature reach out to Travis’s wounded spirit, making him see that shutting others out is not always the right thing to do. I also thought the marriage of convenience between Travis and Meredith was touching. I guess I felt that way because I know that Meredith has been dreaming about Travis for years, and Travis is smitten when Meredith shows up on his property again, years later.

The characters in this novel are so well-developed and the plot was excellent. The story moved forward and you were anxious to see what happened to Travis and Meredith once they tied the knot.

Many thanks to Bethany House for sending me a free review copy. I highly appreciated this wonderful novel!

Have you ever had a childhood crush that lasted for years? Leave a comment!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

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Watching The Tree Limbs by Mary E. DeMuth

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Watching The Tree Limbs by Mary DeMuth

***Please note, this novel dealt with a very graphic subject matter. As usual, I’m posting an honest review, but, be prepared for the details that I’ll be discussing about this story. SPOILER ALERT – I couldn’t talk about this story without giving vivid details regarding what happened. 

Nine-year-old Mara has always wondered who she was and where she came from. Raised by two aunts (Nanny Lynn and Elma), her life has been a strange pattern of unanswered questions. When her Aunt Nanny Lynn dies, she’s suddenly thrust into the southern town of Burl with her Aunt Elma.

In Burl, Mara’s life turns extremely traumatic when she’s raped by a red-headed teenaged bully named General. She’s raped for nine days – General threatens to kill her (and her aunt) if she tells a soul about the rape. When her disinterested Aunt Elma suddenly dies, Mara automatically thinks General has killed her aunt and she struggles with the guilt, remaining silent about what she’s endured. Mara makes a friend in Burl, Camilla. Camilla brings a slice of sunshine into Mara’s dreary life, making rhymes, trying to make Mara smile.

After Elma’s death, Mara is sent to live with the mysterious Mr. Winningham. Who is he? He’s the town’s richest man, but, is he her father, or her grandfather? Is he a relative? Due to Mara’s mischief, Mr. Winningham forbids Elma from seeing her friend Camilla any longer. Alone, Mara finds friendship and kindness with Zady, Mr. Winningham’s maid. Zady takes Mara under her wing, taking her to church, teaching her about faith. Mara gets to know Zady’s family as she continues to struggle with her unknown background. She asks questions – questions that initially glean few answers.

While living with Mr. Winningham, Mara has to go to an all-black school since she’s now living in a different district and through limited communication with Camilla and a secret radio announcer named Denim, she struggles to find the missing pieces of her tattered life.

This is probably one of the best books I’ve read all year. Granted, seeing Mara getting raped nine times was extremely disturbing – rape to a child is a hurt that affects the core of your soul, making you feel for the character, desperately wanting the crime to stop. The town of Burl in the seventies also brings life to this book. Most of the adults in this book seemed crazy to me – a bit touched in the head. Most appeared to have such deep issues, issues that made you wonder what else was going on in this town besides what was happening in this novel.

It was also interesting to see Mara, the only white person, as part of an all-black community when she moves in with Mr. Winningham. When she goes to church with Zada, she’s the only white person, and when she goes to school, she’s the only white person in the entire school. In spite of her color difference, she fits into the black community easily, making friends that help her get through her dark days.

This book was definitely a page-turner. I couldn’t put it down. Overall, a great read, but,  the subject matter was disturbing, causing this story to stay in your mind for a long time.

~Cecelia Dowdy~