Saturday, December 31, 2011

Forever Faithful - a Waterbrook Multnomah review

Forever Faithful, a trilogy by Karen Kingsbury, is a compilation of the novels Waiting for Morning,
A Moment of Weakness, and Halfway to Forever.

The first novel will introduce you to Hannah Ryan and her daughter Jenny. Hannah loses her husband and oldest daughter in a car crash. A drunk driver plows into the vehicle, and Jenny is the only one of the three remaining alive. When Hannah goes to the hospital, finding only her youngest daughter has survived, she vows to get revenge against the careless drunk who killed her beloved husband and daughter. This book is heart-wrenching and gut-punching. The first three chapters left me so emotional that I wasn't sure that I would be able to continue reading. However, since the trilogy is an astounding 1100+ pages in length, I simply put the book down until the following day after I'd had time to get myself calmed down.

Novel Number Two is the story of Jade Conner and Tanner Eastman, childhood friends who were separated during their adolescent years then reunited as young adults. When Tanner's wealthy mother determined that Jade wasn't good enough for her aspiring politician of a son, Jade and Tanner were tragically separated again for another decade. This is a powerful story that will move you and keep you reading to see if things get better for Jade and Tanner.

Novel Number Three is another gut-wrencher. This was another one that I had to keep the tissue box nearby. The characters from the two previous novels are joined together and are all friends. When Hannah and new husband Matt determine to adopt a young girl, they wind up having her ripped from their arms, leaving them bereft. When Jade comes down with a deadly disease, Tanner visions himself spending the rest of his life without Jade--this time, forever. I found myself at times skimming through this book because toward the end there was a case involving Matt that didn't seem to really add much to the story. It just felt like filler to me.

I'm a very avid reader of Karen's, but this series was way too emotional for me. If I'd not been given it to read for review, I'd have never finished it. Real life is hard enough, and when I read, I like to escape just a wee bit, so this trilogy was very hard to get through. However, if you like a good read with lots of emotion, this trilogy will definitely be for you.


I received Forever Faithful as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

Friday, December 16, 2011

The Wonder of Your Love - a BookSneeze review

Beth Wiseman, author of The Wonder of Your Love, has done it again! This newest novel is the second novel of the Land of Canaan series. (The first in the series is titled Seek Me With All Your Heart, which I also recommend!)

You'll follow the story of Katie Ann from Colorado, an Amish widow whose husband had left her for another woman then tragically died in a car accident. Katie Ann, after twenty years of infertility, has carried her deceased husband's child and has given birth. Her struggle with being a single parent is portrayed beautifully and so is Katie Ann's personality.

When she meets Amish widower Eli Detweiler from Ohio, she and Eli both secretly harbor feelings for each other and struggle with the long distance relationship. Holding back because of the distance and ties holding them to their individual states, Eli and Katie Ann both face the reality that it may not be in God's plan for them to be together.

In this story, you will also read about other characters' struggles (namely Martha who you would've been introduced to in Book 1). Beth does a fabulous job with weaving these characters' personalities. Martha is a hoot!

If you enjoy Amish fiction, check out Beth's newest novel today. You won't regret it!

I am a member of BookSneeze, a fabulous program through Thomas Nelson. BookSneeze sends members free books to read and keep in exchange for written reviews on a blog and on a major retailer's website (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

How Do We Know the Bible Is True - a Creation Conversations review

Written by Ken Ham (President of Answers in Genesis) and Bodie Hodge, How Do We Know the Bible Is True? is a book that I believe all pastors should have in their church libraries, and all Christians should keep on their shelves at home. This book is relevant to today's issues; it answers questions that many new Christians may not know, and it helps defend the faith.

The book tackles many topics, including my favorites (but not limited to):
- Is the Old Testament reliable? This chapter discusses how historical records were kept back in Biblical days.
- Is the New Testament reliable? This chapter explains why that it IS reliable.
- Is Genesis a Derivation from Ancient Myths? Is it all just hearsay or legends passed down?
- What about the Factual Claims in the DaVinci Code? I love this chapter!
- Polygamy in the Light of Scripture
- Laminin and the Cross - fascinating chapter!!
- How Were People Saved Before Jesus Died on the Cross?

This is a book that can easily be shared with a teen class at church or even included in a homeschool curriculum for older students. It would also be perfect for a church Bible study or a book discussion. Or if you're like me and you enjoy reading Apologia and Hermeneutics, you'll enjoy this one as well. :)