Silent Night by Colleen Coble

As Christmas day nears, Bree and her faithful search-and-rescue dog Samson follow the trail of a troubling mystery into the snowy forests of Rock Harbor.

Bree Matthews is preparing for Christmas guests, but her heart is reeling from the recent and tender loss of her unborn child. Her sister-in-law, Lauri, suddenly turns up on the doorstep of the lighthouse home Bree shares with her husband, Kade, in Rock Harbor. Secretive and withdrawn, Lauri seems curiously intent on discovering what happened to a parachuter who disappeared in the North Woods along Lake Superior's icy shore.

As Bree and Samson, her search-and-rescue dog, plunge into the search, Bree wonders if Lauri may know more than she’s admitted about the parachuter. And then the clues lead them to the trail of a young woman whose family fears the worst about her disappearance.

Will the search on this snowy, silent night lead Bree and Samson to more than clues about the missing girl? And will Bree’s prayer for a baby ever be answered?

Silent Night by Colleen Coble is a sweet and interesting little novella that piqued my curiosity about Rock Harbor and its inhabitants. The book was very short, but it was still filled with mystery, danger, and intrigue. I was held in suspense wondering if the girl would be found, if Lauri would be more responsible, and if family disagreements be forgiven. Silent Night is a novella that seems to be postscript to Colleen Coble's full length novels in her Rock Harbor series. Having not read any of those novels, I was put at a slight disadvantage of having missed out on many of the changes, heartaches, and secrets that the characters had experienced in their lives. However, this novella did make me interested in reading the rest of the Rock Harbor series.

Overall, I would enjoyed this novella and that sneak previews of other Colleen Coble novels that it contained, including Tidewater Inn and other Rock Harbor novels. However, I would recommend reading Silent Night after reading the rest of the Rock Harbor novels so that the characters feel more realistic and you can identify with them better.

I received this eBook for free from Booksneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.

Deadline by Randy Alcorn

Click here to download the first chapter.
Heart-Pounding Murder Mystery

Involved in a tragic accident under suspicious circumstances, award-winning journalist Jake Woods teams with detective Ollie Chandler to uncover the truth. This alluring repackage of the Randy Alcorn bestseller finds Jake drawing upon all his resources in an ever-intensifying, dangerous murder investigation. Unaware of the imminent threat to his own life, Jake struggles for answers to the mystery at hand and is plunged into a deeper search for the meaning of his own existence.

Deadline by Randy Alcorn is a dramatic and vivid novel of substance, filled with hope and perspective for every reader who longs to feel purpose in life. This was Randy Alcorn's first novel, and I found it truly enlightening and inspiring. The plot was well written, and clearly portrayed Randy Alcorn's values, thoughts, and worldview. There was plenty of mystery, intrigue, and murder in the story. At times the story dragged along, especially when the story switches to heaven and the dialogue is slower and concentrates more on theology. However, the rest of the story is quite interesting and the last fourth of the novel flies by with action, intrigue, and near death experiences.

The main character, Jake Woods is quite the complex character. He is a liberal, outspoken journalist who is not afraid to speak ill of and misquote conservative positions and ideals. However, as Jake works to uncover the cause of a terrible accident with police detective Ollie Chandler, he begins to understand the problem with his viewpoint and its result on healthcare, organ transplants, abortions, sexual activity in teens, family interactions, and journalism. Jake realizes some of the truth at a very terrible cost to his own family and friends. The other minor characters, such as Finney and his family, were important in revealing the truth about morality and Christ to Jake as he struggled with the present state of American culture and journalism.

The themes of Deadline were clear and very accurate with regards to our current culture's ideals. The results of the lack of morality and the idea of "accept all worldviews except the Christian view" in our healthcare system and journalism were startling and quite scary. I could certainly see our culture sliding into the despicable practices that were mentioned in this novel. I loved the view of heaven that Alcorn portrayed, and his idea of hell was quite scary. The scenes in heaven were beautiful, and I enjoyed learning more about the relationship between one of the characters and his guardian angel.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this novel, and I cannot wait to read the next two books, Dominion and Deception. This is certainly not a book for young children and teens, but I would highly recommend it to adults. Deadline is well written, interesting, and leads to some great good for thought.

I received this novel for free in exchange from Blogging For Books and Waterbrook Multnomah Press.

The Lady of Bolton Hill by Elizabeth Camden

Female journalists are rare in 1879, but American-born Clara Endicott has finally made a name for herself with her provocative articles championing London's poor. When the backlash from her work forces a return home to Baltimore, Clara finds herself face-to-face with a childhood sweetheart who is no longer the impoverished factory worker she once knew. In her absence, Daniel Tremain has become a powerful industry giant and Clara finds him as enigmatic as ever. However, Daniel's success is fueled by resentment from past wounds and Clara's deeply-held beliefs about God's grace force Daniel to confront his own motives. When Clara's very life is endangered by one of Daniel's adversaries, they must face a reckoning neither of them ever could have foreseen.

The Lady of Bolton Hill by Elizabeth Camden is an interesting and spell binding novel that I could not put down. The plot is filled with mystery, suspense, romance, and danger. The story is told from the perspective of Clara for the most part, but it also includes chapters that are told from Daniel's perspective and Bane's point of view. I found the plot every interesting and exciting, and I enjoyed the character development, unexpected plot twists, and the different story lines in the plot that ended up intertwining.

The characters in The Lady of Bolton Hill were realistic and developed well. I loved seeing Clara Endicott's determination to change the world through her writing and to bring others to Christ instead of living lives of bitterness and evil. She trusted God even when she was in danger for her life and had the opportunity to take the easy way out. I loved her spirit, her love for God, and her persistence in her love for Daniel, and her determination to help others. Daniel Tremain was an intriguing character. He suffered much heart ache and pain in his life and instead of driving him to God, he allowed it to push him away from God into bitterness, anger, and a thirst for vengeance. His choices cost him even more in this novel, and it was only through God's grace that he experienced growth and renewal and not death. Alexander Banebridge is an interesting character. Driven by his unfortunate circumstances, he leads a life of danger and crime that threatens the lives of many. However, Clara's influence in his life is phenomenal, and I loved seeing him work through his thoughts and have a greater understanding of God's forgiveness. If you want to see more of Bane, then check out the next novel, Against the Tide, which is also an excellent read.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Lady of Bolton Hill. The plot was exciting, the themes of forgiveness, love, and a new life in Christ were excellent, and the characters were realistic and easy to connect with. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone seeking an inspiring and interesting read.

A Lady in the Making by Susan Page Davis

When Millie Evans boards the stagecoach, she’s determined to leave her past—and her brother’s gang—behind to start a new life. Instead she finds herself face to face with David Stone, the man she and her brother once tried to swindle out of his fortune. Millie attempts to explain her regret—but David remains unconvinced even as he sees proof of Millie’s changed heart. Can Millie prove she’s changed in time for David to save his own life? Or will mistakes from the past prove too much to overcome?

A Lady in The Making is the third book in Susan Page Davis' Prairie Dreams Series. I was unaware that it was the third novel, but after reading it I will definitely be going back to read The Lady's Maid and Lady Anne's Quest. I found A Lady in the Making to be a perfectly excellent stand-alone story, but I would recommend reading the other two novels first in order to have a more rounded understanding of the back stories and other characters in this novel. The plot line of A Lady in the Making was well written and moved at a reasonable pace. The story was filled with instances of danger, intrigue, suspense, and of course romance. The story was told from the alternating perspectives of Millie, David, the unfortunate cousin Peregrin and his scheming sister. These different characters allowed for more of the story to be explained and reduced confusion. It also heightened suspense when the story would switch from Oregon to London and back again.

The characters in A Lady in the Making were well developed and realistic. I really enjoyed seeing Millie's growth in character as she began to understand how to live as a Christian. Her persistence in receiving forgiveness from David and her care for him during tragedy was admirable. David was a character that I liked immensely. He was cautious in his trust of Millie initially because of her past sins against him, but he still showed kindness and care towards her. He also demonstrated the need to forgive and trust again that is often so hard for us to do after an act of deceit. Peregrin was a character that I simultaneously felt sorry for and was disgusted with because of his poor choices. He was an integral part of the story, and I hope that maybe there will be some mention of how he turned out in another novel.

In A Lady in the Making, I enjoyed seeing Millie and David grow closer and learn to trust one another. I liked the slow speed of the relationship throughout most the novel, but I was not too fond of how their friendship sped up towards the end. It did not really fit with the rest of the novel. However, overall I found A Lady in the Making to be one of the better romance novels that I have read recently, and I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking a good ol' western romance mixed with some British spice.

I received this eBook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Iscariot by Tosca Lee

In Jesus, Judas believes he has found the One—a miracle-worker. The promised Messiah and future king of the Jews, destined to overthrow Roman rule. Galvanized, Judas joins the Nazarene’s followers, ready to enact the change he has waited for all his life.

But Judas’ vision of a nation free from Roman rule is crushed by the inexplicable actions of the Nazarene himself, who will not bow to social or religious convention—who seems in the end to even turn against his own people. At last, Judas must confront the fact that the master he loves is not the liberator he hoped for, but a man bent on a drastically different agenda.

Iscariot is the story of Judas—from his tumultuous childhood and tenuous entry into a career and family life as a devout Jew, to a man known to the world as the betrayer of Jesus. But even more, it is a singular and surprising view into the life of Jesus himself that forces us all to reexamine everything we thought we knew about the most famous—and infamous—religious icons in history.

Iscariot by Tosca Lee is a poignant and stirring novel of Judas, Jesus, and the tumultuous events that surround them. The novel follows Judas through his heartbreaking childhood that Judas feels is all his fault. Judas struggles to ever feel clean of guilt, shame, and sin. He is swept up in seeing John the Baptist and then begins to find the truth in Jesus' teachings. But as he learns more about Jesus, his way of thinking is threatened, and he does not understand what Jesus' true goal is.

Iscariot truly made me think about and ponder what it would have been like to be Judas and how hard it would have been to be a disciple of Jesus. The novel paints a startling picture of what the men would have experienced as they left everything they had to follow a man that seemed bent on seeing them killing by the religious leaders and estranging them all 'good company'. I was forced to really focus on what it would have been like to watch Jesus seemingly fall apart as he became more and more withdrawn and alienated himself from the religious leaders and the crowds as the time for his death drew closer. Iscariot beautifully laid out the Judas' reasoning for his betrayal of Jesus and how even he potentially did not realize what he had done until after the fact. For the first time I found myself sympathizing with Judas and pitying him for missing out on the true meaning of Jesus' birth and death. As Judas' end drew near, I wanted to reach through the pages of the book and stop him before he missed out on the chance for true life and salvation.

Overall, Iscariot by Tosca Lee was a truly convicting and stunningly well written story that brought to light new thoughts and feelings for me about the life and actions of Judas. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a dramatic, thought provoking read that will leave you weeping at the close.

I received this eBook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Every Perfect Gift by Dorothy Love

Sophie Caldwell has returned to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee after years away. Despite the heartaches of her childhood, Sophie is determined to make a home, and a name, for herself in the growing town. A gifted writer, she plans to resurrect the local newspaper that so enchanted her as a girl.

Ethan Heyward’s idyllic childhood was shattered by a tragedy he has spent years trying to forget. An accomplished businessman and architect, he has built a majestic resort in the mountains above Hickory Ridge, drawing wealthy tourists from all over the country.

When Sophie interviews Ethan for the paper, he is impressed with her intelligence and astounded by her beauty. She's equally intrigued with him but fears he will reject her if he learns about her shadowed past. Just as she summons the courage to tell him, Ethan’s own past unexpectedly and violently catches up with him, threatening not only his life but their budding romance.

Every Perfect Gift by Dorothy Love was an exciting and enjoyable novel that kept me enthralled throughout the entire story. This novel is the third book in the A Hickory Ridge Romance Series, but it is not necessary to read the other two novels (Beyond All Measure and Beauty For Ashes) first in order to be able to connect and enjoy Every Perfect Gift. The story stands well on its own, but it was neat to see connections and resolutions to unfinished side stories from the other two novels. The plot line was well written and contained a good mixture of romance, mystery, suspense, and sadness. The story was told from the perspective of Sophie with a couple of chapters being told from Ethan's point of view. The themes of Every Perfect Gift included honesty to others, trusting God in the unknown, and forgiving those who wrong you.

The characters of Every Perfect Gift were realistic and fairly well developed. The interactions between Sophie and Ethan were interesting and entertaining. Sophie is a headstrong, clever, and independent young woman who is convinced that she can run a newspaper on her own. She quickly learns that she does need help and that she does not actually want to be alone in life. She also discovers the importance of forgiveness and honesty in her interactions with new people and old enemies. Ethan is a conflicted young man who is dealing with a horrible past history and a boss who is mean and uncaring to others. He is forced to face his past, forgive the wrongs against him, and begin to learn to love, live, and make his own life. The other minor characters were interesting, helped support the plot, and connected this novel to the other two Hickory Ridge Romance novels.

Overall Every Perfect Gift was a well written and interesting novel that I truly enjoyed. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a book to curl up with on a rainy, wintry day.
I received this novel for free from Booksneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.

At Every Turn by Anne Mateer

 

She's off to the races!

Caught up in a whirlwind of religious enthusiasm, Alyce Benson impetuously pledges three thousand dollars to mission work in Africa. Now she just has to find a way to get the money.
Alyce harbors a secret passion for speed and automobiles, and she's spent many an afternoon driving around the rustic track in the field behind her home. When she discovers that her father's company has sponsored a racing car that will compete in several upcoming events--races in which the driver will be paid and could win as much as five thousand dollars in prize money--she conspires with her father's mechanic, Webster, to train and compete.

But when her friends cast aspersions on Webster's past, she realizes she may have trusted the wrong person with her secret. Will Alyce come up with the money in time, or will she have to choose between her hasty promise and the man who holds a piece of her heart?

At Every Turn is a great story about honesty, love, and trusting God. The plot line was excellent, and it was filled with mystery, romance, and the importance of giving to God for the right reasons. The setting for At Every Turn was an interesting time period in America's history, where racing was becoming popular and women were only beginning to have more rights. The writing style was well done and clearly portrayed the characters' emotions and feelings. The story was written from the perspective of Alyce Benson, and it was easy to see her thoughts, emotions, and the reasons for her decisions.

The characters of At Every Turn were excellently developed and entertaining. I really liked Alyce Benson with her impetuousness, crazy schemes, and true desire to help others. She started out with a few misplaced ideas about what the importance of honesty, what true devotion to God is, and the reason for giving to God's Kingdom work; however, as the book progresses Alyce grows in her love and understanding of God and realizes she needs to be honest and trustworthy with others. Webster was an interesting and remarkable character that I truly enjoyed. He had some surprising characteristics and history that were intriguing and that added to his positive attributes. I do not want to go into too much detail about his character because it gives away important parts of the story, but I really liked Webster and the depth he added to the story. The other minor characters such as Alyce's parents and grandmother also added to the story and acted as both supporting and opposing persons to the plot line.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel because of its realistic and intriguing characters, exciting plot line, and well written storyline.

I received this novel for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.