Becoming Myself

 

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Becoming Myself is a hope-filled book for anyone who wonders if her life will ever change—if she will ever change.  In Stasi Eldridge’s most intimate book yet, she shares her struggles with self-worth, addiction, and her past as she shows readers how God is faithfully bringing us to a life of freedom and wholeness.

 

God desires to restore us, and he is able to restore us—the real us.  As he heals our inner life he calls us to “rise to the occasion” of our lives.  The most important journey any woman can take is the one into becoming her true self through the love of God.  It’s a beautiful paradox:  the more God’s you become, the more yourself you become-the woman he had in mind when he thought of you before the creation of the world.

 

Review

 

When I first saw this book, I was intrigued.  Becoming myself- what exactly did the author mean?

 

As I dove into the book, it quite often became very hard to read.  Written more like a personal memoir, Stasi walks you through some difficult times throughout her life.  She hit on some very positive points such as we should not prison ourselves to fear (i.e. fear of what others think/say, fear of circumstance, etc.), but rather, release those fears and insecurities to God.  Other points were that beauty does not relate to some specific measurement, hair colour, or height (everyone is unique and beautiful in their own way!), and to always strive to be a good friend.

 

However, for the most part, I felt the book was wrought with some very troublesome issues.  What felt like rants against mothers (and two whole chapters of it), didn’t exactly coincide with one of the author’s agendas of helping eradicate misogyny, or hatred against women.  To blame your mother for any and all weight issues, insecurity, self-esteem, addiction, thoughts, feelings---- reminded me of a “scapegoat”.  Casting blame on others has been around for a loooong time – remember Adam in the Garden of Eden when God spoke to him about eating the forbidden fruit?  Adam said “This woman you gave me…”  And Eve goes on to say, “The serpent deceived me!”  While I understand that circumstances can and do mould us to a certain point, in the end, it is our choice to decide whether or not they will continue to define us. While I think that the author’s end point is about overcoming difficulties, it is shrouded in just heaping blame for our problems on someone else.  Instead of doing that, we need to take responsibility for our own mistakes and run to our Father in heaven, Who is always there with open arms – “Cast all your cares upon Him for He careth for you”.

 

There were other points of concern, such as talk of “soul ties” between two people, which was just plain bizarre, and feministic ideals and refusal to embrace to the God-ordained and wonderful roles of men and women as outlined in the Scriptures.

 

In closing, I want to put out there that I really dislike writing negative reviews.  As an aspiring writer myself, I understand how one person’s written work is viewed like their “baby”.  It’s something you’ve poured yourself into, and nurtured into the finished product it is now, so reviewing books is a task I do not take lightly.  But as this is a book about Christian living, I fear I had to raise some very key issues that do not align with Scriptural truths.  I did not hit on every single thing I was at odds with in the book, but instead choose to end this review with a strong word of caution.  If you decide to read this book (and really, any book about Christian living!), I would highly recommend to have the mind of the Bereans that the Apostle Paul spoke of in Acts 17:11, who after hearing Paul speak would search “the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

Book has been provided courtesy of David C. Cook and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller.

A Bride for Keeps

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Everett Cline will never humiliate himself by seeking a mail-order bride.  Not again.  He’s already been jilted by three mail-order brides and figures a wife just isn’t in his future.  However, a well-meaning neighbor hasn’t given up on seeing him settled, so she goes behind his back to bring yet another woman to town for him.

 

Julie Lockwood has never been anything more than a pretty pawn for her father or a business acquisition for her former fiancé.  A mail-order marriage in faraway Kansas is a last resort, but she’ll do anything to leave her life in Massachusetts and the heartbreak she’s experienced there.

 

Although Everett doesn’t see how a beautiful, cultured woman like Julia could be happy sharing his simple life, he could really use a helpmate on his homestead.  Determined to prove she’s more than just a pretty face, Julia agrees to a marriage in name only.  Faced with the harsh realities of life on the prairie and hesitate to explore the tentative feelings growing between them, can Everett and Julia ever let each other in long enough to fall in love?

 

Review

 

I started reading A Bride for Keeps feeling unsure of how it would turn out.  I worried that the premise of the novel (marriages of convenience) had been done so many times (Janette Oak’s Love Comes Softly and Deeanne Gist’s A Bride Most Begrudging come to mind), that it would be difficult to bring something new to the table.  But Melissa sure surprised me!  She crafted a wonderful romance with characters that have depth - they had real-life issues and insecurities to work through.  Over the course of their journey, they begin to realize that with God, all things are possible.  A rich and lovely story, it ended all too soon and left me wanting more. 

 

 A debut novel for Melissa, A Bride for Keeps, shows a great deal of promise for this new author.  It was a great historical romance and I will be looking forward to her next book!

 

 

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.   Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

First Date

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When it comes to catching the eye of that cute boy at school,

sometimes you just need a little help from your friends.

 

Devon, Emma, Cassidy, Bryn, and Abby have one thing in common as they start their sophomore year:  none of them have ever been on a “real” date.  With homecoming looming, the girls make a pact and start a secret club thy call the DG (Dating Games) that has just one objective – dates for the dance.

 

They’re sworn to secrecy, but the club is their way to set each other up on their first dates so they can report back to the DG.  They’ll have to navigate expectations and rules from their parents, figure out how to act on a date, and endear themselves to the guys they like.

 

What could possibly go wrong?

 

Review

 

Ah, a hard-working teenager starting high school.  It is one of the  most crazy and chaotic times in a person’s life as they become who they are and juggle meeting parents’, teachers’, friends’, and even employers’ expectations at the same time.   And, more often than not, it can also be a time when you are introduced to an entirely new (and possibly scary) terrain:  dating.

 

I don’t often read teen fiction, but Melody Carlson was one of my favourite authors growing up, and I thought First Date would be an interesting book to read.  Turns out, my hunch was correct:  First Date is a great novel for teen girls.  While the girls' agendas are getting dates for the dance, the book didn't just cover dating.  Values such as loyalty, friendship, faith, and parental respect are highlighted throughout the book.  Sprinkled with a bit of humour, and some real-life drama, First Date was a fun trip back to high school - but minus all the homework!  

 

 

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

 

A Talent for Trouble

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For years, Miss Felicia Murdock’s every thought and action have been in pursuit of becoming a minister’s wife.  When the minister she’d set her sights on has other ideas, she decides something in her life needs to change—and soon—before she wastes any more time pretending to be someone she’s not.  If that means spreading her wings and embracing a more lively way of life, who’s to say nay?

 

Grayson Sumner, Lord Sefton, has had his fill of spreading his wings and only hopes to settle into the life of a respectable New York gentleman.  Prompted by friends to lift the spirits of the disappointed-in-love Miss Murdock, he is surprised to encounter an adventurous young lady with an unfortunate knack for stumbling into troublesome situations.

 

Just as Grayson decides he’s had quite enough of her antics, his past comes back to haunt him and his presence in Felicia’s life endangers her.  As they work together to extricate themselves from this latest complication, will Grayson and Felicia decide they want to spend the rest of their lives keeping each other out of trouble?

 

Review

 

I’m afraid I’m starting to sound like a broken record when it comes to reviewing Jen’s novels…seriously, she has not turned out a bad story yet! 

 

A Talent for Trouble showcases Jen’s consistent writing style: intriguing plot highlighted by colourful characters and sparked with liberal doses of wit and humour. 

 

I’ve talked often of the wit and humour in Jen’s novels, but I just want to touch on the characters, which are really be the backbone to any novel.  I (personally) believe that if you have a flat character, your story, even if it is full of twists and turns, goes absolutely nowhere without the dynamic characters to carry it.  How can you be invested in the story if you are not attached to or interested in the characters?  But Jen’s characters are not one dimensional like the print on the page; rather, they reach out, grab you, and throw you right into the story.  Reading about them is as if you are watching them right there in your very room.   

 

Incredibly amusing, and highly distracting (once you start reading, you won’t want to stop!), A Talent for Trouble is another winner by Jen Turano.  I can’t wait for the next installment!   

 

 

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

 

Dangerous Passage

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When two Jane Does are killed on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, detective and behavioral specialist Avery North discovers they share something in common—a magnolia tattoo on their shoulders.  Suspecting a serial killer, Avery joins forces with medical examiner Jackson Bryant to solve the crimes and prevent another murder.  As they venture deep into a sinister criminal world, Avery and Jackson are taken to the very edge of their abilities—and their hearts.

  

Dangerous Passage exposes a fully realized and frightening world where every layer peeled back reveals more challenges ahead.  You’ll be hooked from the start.

 

Review

 

Crime/suspense/mystery is one of my favourite genres.  There is nothing better than a novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat, or up waaay past your ideal bedtime as you hurriedly flip the pages as the suspense is too taut to allow to you put the book down.  They are the type of stories that leave you thinking about it for days after you’ve finished reading it and make it on the coveted “favourites” bookshelf.

I wanted to love this novel so much and was so eager to dive into it, but Dangerous Passage fell a bit short of my expectations. There was just something missing…I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the nail-biting, heart-racing adrenaline just wasn’t there.  The story had all the right elements with a solid plot and what could be very interesting characters, but the pieces didn’t quite come together.

While I was a bit disappointed, I wouldn’t completely write off the book by any means.  The story was intriguing, and hits on a very difficult topic; a topic that I believe there should be more awareness about.  In the interest of not spoiling the plot, I won’t name the topic, but do give huge kudos to Ms. Harris for delving into this dark side of society...and being an advocate for the voiceless.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Trapped

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A runaway teen. 

A desperate sister. 

And an intrepid PI determined to discover the truth.

 

When Laura Griffith’s sixteen-year-old sister disappears on a frigid February day, leaving only a brief note behind, Laura resolves to do whatever it takes to track down the runaway teen.  That includes recruiting ATF agent turned private investigator James Devlin to help.  Dev knows time is of the essence with runaways—just forty-eight hours can mean the difference between recovery and ruin.

 

But the deeper he and Laura dig, the more Dev begins to suspect that something sinister is at work in the girl’s disappearance.  And in the icy winter weather, the trail is going cold…

In her latest thrilling read, queen of romantic suspense Irene Hannon outdoes herself with a fast-paced tale of fear, deception, and just the right dose of romance.

 

Review

 

Following on the heels of Vanished, the first novel in her “Private Justice” series, Irene Hannon has delivered yet another suspense driven, heart-swooning read in Trapped.  It didn’t take me long to finish this novel, as the pages literally begged to be read.  Irene doesn’t tell a story, she shows it: detailing each character’s emotions perfectly, and pulling the reader into a thrilling tale of a runaway, Darcy, who finds herself in a harrowing set of circumstances, and the two people who are intent on bringing her to safety. 

 

A must-read, Trapped will have you on the edge of your seat until you’ve read the final chapter.  I already cannot wait to get my hands on the third book in this series, Deceived, which is due out in Summer 2014.  Don't miss this book!

 

Thank you, Irene for another brilliant story!!

 

 

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

 

Welcome to Last Chance

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She’s learned you can’t count on anyone—

but she didn’t count on landing in Last Chance.

 

The red warning light on her car dashboard may have driven Lainie Davis to seek help in the tiny town of Last Chance, New Mexico, but as she meets the people who make this one-horse town their home, it’s her heart that is flashing bright red warning lights.  These people are entirely too nice, too accommodating, and too interested in her personal life—especially since she’s on the run and hoping to slip away unnoticed.

 

Yet in spite of herself, Lainie is increasingly drawn into the small-town dramas and to a handsome local guy with a secret of his own.  Could Lainie actually make a life in this little town?  Or will the past catch up to her even here in the middle of nowhere?

 

Review

 

It is hard to believe that this is Cathleen Armstrong’s debut novel.  It is that good.  She had me hooked from the first page and kept my attention until the last page was turned.  It had a thread of danger, hint of romance, and the hope of change that captured my attention.  I felt invested in the characters and found myself cheering for them, as if they were my closest friends. 

 

The characters in Welcome to Last Chance are so rich, textured, and very … normal (very similar to another novel that I read, With Every Letter).  You won’t find picture-perfect, idealistic personalities, but rather, fractured, hurt, and real people.  But these same people also know when to embrace joy and laughter when it comes their way, and live life fully for God, for your neighbour.  And also to live for yourself, whether it be turning dreams into reality, or saying “no” to the past that comes knocking on your door. 

 

A beautiful story of relationships, trust, love, acceptance, and forgiveness, Welcome to Last Chance is a novel not to be missed. 

 

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.