Friday, July 29, 2011

Glastonbury Tor by LeAnne Hardy

When his mother dies, sixteen-year-old Colin is consumed with hate for his harsh, demanding father. Looking for a true relationship with Christ and purification for his hateful heart, he journeys to the historic monastery at Glastonbury, within whose walls lies the Holy Grail. In this captivating novel centered around Glastonbury Tor (Hill), a young man seeks salvation as the Catholic Church finds itself in turmoil during the reign of Henry VIII.

My review:
This was one of those books that after I got it, I wasn't sure I would like it - but I did. Though this was different from what I normally read, in setting, time period, and plot, I really enjoyed the book.

The story is pretty much a coming into manhood story. The main character, Colin, flees to a monastery after attempting to kill his father. He lives with the monks as he tries to find salvation through his work there.

The author did a great job of telling the story and of describing life in a monastery. The book is historical fiction with activities of King Henry VIII playing a big part in the events of the book.

Once I started reading the book, I read it until I finished and found it a very enjoyable read.

And by the way, "Tor" is a hill or mountain.

About the author:

LeAnne Hardy has traveled the world responding to God's call to be a missionary, a call that has taken her to Africa, South America, and Eastern Europe. The diverse settings and plots in her books have been inspired by her real-life encounters there. Many of the stories and scenes from her books come from her family's experiences on the mission field or are based on true stories of others.


Visit her website at leannehardy.net

Glastonbury Tor is available from Kregel Publishing.

Thanks to Kregel for the review copy.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Freedom's Stand by Jeanette Windle

Jamil renounced a life of jihad when he encountered the life-changing message of Jesus Christ, but villagers and authorities in the hills of Afghanistan respond with skepticism . . . and even violence.



Relief worker Amy Mallory is shocked by the changes in her organization—changes with dire implications for the women and children under her care. And concern for her former assistant, Jamil, weighs heavily on her heart.


Former Special Forces veteran Steve Wilson faces off against the riots and corruption of Kabul’s upcoming election. He's looking for something that will give his life purpose but is confident that he won’t find it in Afghanistan.


All three are searching for love and freedom in a country where political and religious injustice runs rampant. But when religious freedom becomes a matter of life and death, they discover that the cost of following Jesus may require the ultimate sacrifice.
 
My review:I loved the book that this is a sequel to, Veiled Freedom, and hoped that there would be a sequel, and was happy to see there was going to be.
 
It took me a while to get through this book. Granted, the book didn't go quite the way I was hoping it would, so I stalled out after a certain point. Veiled Freedom was a faster read for me, and I did enjoy it more. This book was harder for me to get through, but still had a great plot and ending, and it was great to read more of Jamil and Amy's story and again visit Afghanistan through the pages of a fiction book.

 
  The book was still an enjoyable read, just not as much as the first.
 
About the author:
 
As the child of missionary parents, award-winning author and journalist Jeanette Windle grew up in the rural villages, jungles, and mountains of Colombia, now guerrilla hot zones. Her detailed research and writing is so realistic that it has prompted government agencies to question her to determine if she has received classified information. Curently based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Jeanette has lived in six countries and traveled in more than twenty. She has more than a dozen books in print, including the political/suspense best seller CrossFire and the Parker Twins juvenile mystery series.


Freedom's Stand is available from Tyndale House Publishing.

Thanks to Tyndale for the review copy.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Shadows On the Sand by Gayle Roper


This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Shadows on the Sand
Multnomah Books (July 19, 2011)
by
Gayle Roper

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gayle is the award winning author of more than forty books. She has been a Christy finalist three times for her novels Spring Rain, Summer Shadows, and Winter Winds. Her novel Autumn Dreams won the prestigious Romance Writers of America's RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance. Summer Shadows was voted the Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Book of the Year (tied with fellow author Brandilyn Collins).



Gayle has won the Holt Medallion three times for The Decision, Caught in a Bind, and Autumn Dreams. The Decision won the Reviewers Choice Award, and Gayle has also won the Award of Excellence for Spring Rain and the Golden Quill for Summer Shadows and Winter Winds. Romantic Times Book Report gave Gayle the Lifetime Achievement Award.



Her Amhearst mystery series, Caught in the Middle, Caught in the Act, and Caught in a Bind, originally published by Zondervan, was reprinted in 2007 by Love Inspired Suspense with a fourth original title added, Caught Redhanded. Another original single title, See No Evil, was also released. Caught in the Middle has been optioned for film.

For her work in training Christian writers Gayle has won special recognition from Mount Hermon CWC, St. Davids CWC, Florida CWC, and Greater Philadelphia CWC. She directed St. Davids for five years and Sandy Cove CWC for six. She has taught with Christian Leaders, Authors and Speakers Services (CLASS), serving for several years as their writer in residence. She enjoys speaking at women's events across the nation and loves sharing the powerful truths of Scripture with humor and practicality.

Gayle lives in southeastern Pennsylvania where she enjoys her family of two great sons, two lovely daughters-in-law, and the world's five most wonderful grandchildren. When she's not writing, or teaching at conferences, Gayle enjoys reading, gardening, and eating out.
ABOUT THE BOOK



Carrie Carter’s small cafĂ© in Seaside, New Jersey, is populated with a motley crew of locals although Carrie only has eyes for Greg Barnes. He’s recovering from a vicious crime that three years ago took the lives of his wife and children—and from the year he tried to drink his reality away. While her heart does a happy Snoopy dance at the sight of him, he never seems to notice her, to Carrie’s chagrin.

When Carrie’s dishwasher is killed and her young waitress disappears, Greg finds himself drawn into helping Carrie solve the mysteries … and into her life. But Carrie has a painful past, too, and when the reason she once ran away shows up in town, the fragile relationship she’s built with Greg threatens to implode from the weight of the baggage they both carry. Two wounded hearts struggle to find a way to make one romance work. Failure seems guaranteed when Carrie locates her waitress but is taken hostage...

If you would like to read the first chapter of Shadows on the Sand, go HERE.

This one slipped up on me, and I haven't read it yet, but will try to post a review when I do

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig

In Venezuela, Danielle Roark and her Army Corps of Engineers team is captured. After six months of captivity, Dani escapes, only to end up charged with espionage and forced to return to the jungle to prove that a nuclear facility exists. On the mission, she is abandoned by God and country. Will she live long enough to make those responsible pay?



Haunted by memories of a mission gone bad, former Green Beret Canyon Metcalfe wrestles with his developing feelings for the feisty senator’s daughter. Setting aside his misgivings, he and Nightshade take the mission to help Dani unravel her lethal secrets. Separated from the team leaves Dani and Canyon vulnerable—and captured. After he is rescued, Canyon discovers Dani has been left behind. Livid, he sacrifices everything to save Dani—including his role with Nightshade.

My review:
Ronie Kendig is fairly new to the Christian fiction scene. Her first book, Dead Reckoning came out in March of last year, and in the year and four months since then, has written three more books, all in the Discarded Heroes series: Nightshade, Digitalis, and now Wolfsbane.

In my humble opinion, this lady just gets better with each book she writes. Wolfsbane is no exception. It centers on yet another member of the Nightshade team, Canyon, who though is a Christian, is flawed, imperfect and seems to do more than his share of messing up.

The plot was fantastic. I was literally sucked into the story and stayed in my recliner from page one to the end of the book. This book has suspense, international intrigue,  special ops, romance, faith elements, betrayal, and failure. There is a moral failure, but I feel Ronie handled it well with no graphic details. Kudos to her on that point.

I really enjoy a series like this, where the same characters are in each novel, yet you learn more about different ones of the team in each book. Though written by a woman, this is the type of book men will enjoy, yet it is also a book/series that women will enjoy.

There is a lesson in the pages of this fiction book. As I stated, the main character is a Christian, but far from perfect. Through fiction and a great suspenseful story, Ronie shows that even Christians can fall and mess up in big ways, but God will forgive and help us through even messes that we make.

There is a "but." I love this author and hate to say anything negative, but anyone who reads my reviews knows that I take issue with cursing and the like in a Christian book. This one used hell - "something hurt like..." I know it is a military book, but I don't like to hear or read people using hell as an expletive or in cases like this. But, that is the only bad thing I can say about the book. Other than that - totally awesome, and I can't wait to read the fourth and final book in the series.

About the author:
n Army brat, Ronie Kendig grew up in the classic military family, with her father often TDY and her mother holding down the proverbial fort. Their family moved often, which left Ronie attending six schools by the time she’d entered fourth grade. Her only respite and “friends” during this time were the characters she created.


It was no surprise when she married a military veteran—her real-life hero—in June 1990. Married now more than twenty years, Ronie and her husband, Brian, homeschool their four children, the first of whom graduated in 2011. Despite the craziness of life, Ronie finds balance and peace with her faith, family and their two dogs in Dallas, TX.

Ronie has a deep love and passion for people, especially hurting people, which is why she pursued and obtained a B.S. in Psychology from Liberty University. Ronie is an active member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and has volunteered extensively, serving in a variety of capacities from coordinator of a national contest to appointment assistant at the national annual conference.

Since launching onto the publishing scene in 2010, Ronie and her books have been gained national attention, including:

■Finalist in Christian Retailing’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards (Nightshade)

■RWA’s Faith, Hope, & Love’s 2011 International Readers’ Choice Awards in Romantic Suspense (Nightshade)

■2011 FamilyFiction Readers’ Choice Awards – 8th place with Nightshade, 3rd place as New Favorite Author

■INSPY Award Shortlist final in Mystery/Thriller (Dead Reckoning)

■The Christian Manifesto’s 2010 Lime Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Nightshade)

Wolfsbane, and the first two books in the Discarded Heroes Series is available from Barbour Publishing.
Thanks to Barbour Publishing for the review copy.


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Falls Like Lightning by Shawn Grady


This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Falls Like Lightning
Bethany House (July 1, 2011)
by
Shawn Grady




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Shawn Grady signed with Bethany House Publishers in 2008. He was named “Most Promising New Writer” at the 39th Annual Mount Hermon Writers Conference. He is the author of the novels Through the Fire, Tomorrow We Die & Falls Like Lightning.



Shawn has served for over a decade as a firefighter and paramedic in northern Nevada. From fire engines and ambulances to tillered ladder trucks and helicopters, Shawn’s work environment has always been dynamic. The line of duty has carried him to a variety of locale, from high-rise fires in the city to the burning heavy timber of the eastern Sierras.



After graduating from James Logan High School in Union City, California, Shawn attended Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego as a Theology undergrad. There he found clarity of direction and proceeded on to acquire an Associate of Science degree in Fire Science Technology as well as Paramedic licensure through Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada.



Shawn currently lives in Reno, just outside of Lake Tahoe. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his wife, three children and yellow Labrador.



ABOUT THE BOOK



When hotshot smoke jumper Silas Kent gets his own fire crew, he thinks he's achieved what he's always wanted. But a lightning-sparked fire in the Desolation Wilderness of the Sierra Nevadas has his team in a plane before they can even train together.



Pilot Elle Westmore has been called up to drop the crew into the heart of the forest infernos. A single mother of a mysteriously ill six-year-old, she can't imagine her life getting any more complicated.



It doesn't take long for things to go very wrong, very quickly. A suspicious engine explosion forces Elle to make an emergency landing. Silas is able to parachute to safety but soon discovers his crew can't be trusted. They're hiding something, and now Silas is on a race to save himself and Elle from the flames--and from a more dangerous threat: his own team.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Falls Like Lightning, go HERE

My review:
I really enjoyed this book. It had its share of suspense and romance, but it also gave a fascinating look into the lives and activities of a smoke jumper. I was hooked at the first page and kept reading until I was done with the book.

The author is a fireman and paramedic, which makes his stories more realistic since he knows what he is talking about. I recommend this one.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Pattern of Wounds by J. Mark Bertrand


This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Pattern of Wounds
Bethany House (July 1, 2011)
by
J. Mark Bertrand




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:





J. Mark Bertrand lived in Houston, where the series is set, for fifteen years, earning an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. But after one hurricane too many he relocated with his wife Laurie to the plains of South Dakota. Mark has been arrested for a crime he didn't commit, was the foreman of one hung jury and served on another that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead.

ABOUT THE BOOK


It's Christmas in Houston, and homicide detective Roland March is on the hunt for a killer. A young woman's brutal stabbing in an affluent neighborhood bears all the hallmarks of a serial murder. The only problem is that March sent the murderer to prison ten years ago. Is it a copycat -- or did March convict the wrong man?

Alienated from his colleagues and with a growing rift in his marriage, March receives messages from the killer. The bodies pile up, the pressure builds, and the violence reaches too close to home. Up against an unfathomable evil, March struggles against the clock to understand the hidden message in the pattern of wounds.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Pattern of Wounds, go HERE.

My review:
Books written in the first person have never been my first choice to read, but I enjoyed Bertrand's first book, so I grabbed this one. In my humble opinion, it is even better than the first. I started reading it and did not put it down until I finished.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Jefferson Burke and the Secret of the Lost Scroll by Ace Collins

Does an original scroll written by Joseph—the earthly father of Jesus—reveal evidence that Christ's birth was not divine? An unlikely hero, history professor Jefferson Burke is tapped by circumstance to find the lost Biblical text that could alter the course of the world. This action-adventure story will have believers and doubters alike hanging on every twist and turn as two men race across the globe, with the foundation of Christianity hanging in the balance.



Jefferson Burke and the Secret of the Lost Scroll is a mystery as old as the Christian church wrapped in a modern-day thriller.


Though an unwilling hero, professor Jefferson Burke's intellectual curiosity pits him against the powerful Bruno Krueger in a race to find a 2000-year-old scroll that calls into question the divinity of Christ and could shake the foundation of Christian faith, upsetting the balance of power in the modern world. Their deadly quest spans the globe, involving officials from the Vatican, CIA and FBI agents, British royalty, a Hollywood actress, and modern terrorists.


This classic battle of good vs. evil will hook believers and doubters alike. The uncertainties raised by the very existence of the elusive scroll will have every reader questioning the basis of their faith and wondering what would happen if certain fundamental truths suddenly were proven untrue.

Artfully and thoughtfully told, this is the kind of action-packed adventure story that will keep loyal Ace Collins readers—and increasing legions of new fans—coming back for more.

My review:
Ace Collins has written books in all sorts of categories, and in the last couple of years has tried his hand at fiction, with great results. His first fiction attempt, Farraday Road and the sequel, Swope's Ridge were great and enjoyable reads in the Christian suspense genre'. This book falls under suspense/mystery/intrigue, but reads like an Indiana Jones adventure. The end result is a terrific read.

My one disappointment: I felt more could have been done with the faith of the two main characters. It is obvious that Burke holds no Christian profession, and his female counterpart most likely does not. I know everything can't be tied up with a neat conversion at the end of the book, but I am hoping if there are more books, the faith element will be explored more.

All in all, a great book, and I recommend it.

About the author:

Ace Collins is the writer of more than sixty books, including several bestsellers: Stories behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas, Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas, The Cathedrals, and Lassie: A Dog’s Life. Based in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, He continues to publish several new titles each year, including a series of novels, the first of which is Farraday Road. Ace has appeared on scores of television shows, including CBS This Morning, NBC Nightly News, CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, and Entertainment Tonight.


Author Website: http://www.acecollins.com/


Jefferson Burke and the Secret of the Lost Scroll is available from Zondervan Publishing. Thanks to Zondervan for the review copy.

Vigilante by Robin Parrish



This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Vigilante
Bethany House (July 1, 2011)
by
Robin Parrish




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Robin Parrish wants to take you on a ride.



A wild ride -- which is exactly what you're in for when you pick up one of his books. And he's adamant that it will never be the same kind of experience twice.



Robin's stories mix, mingle, and meld various genres together to create thoroughly original suspense/thrillers. His Dominion Trilogy, for example, mashed up superhero action, secret societies, ancient myths, and an apocalyptic setting to create an entirely new take on the classic "hero's journey." Offworld mixed science fiction and an end-of-the-world scenario with high-octane action. Nightmare, his 2010 novel, is a spine-tingling examination of the world of the paranormal, paired with can't-put-it-down mystery. His 2011 novel, Vigilante, is an action-packed story about a soldier who sets out to change the world. Later this year, he's releasing his first ever Young Adult novel, titled Corridor.



Always pushing the envelope, ever on the edge of where modern storytelling is going, Robin Parrish will gladly and unapologetically tell you that he's an entertainer, a weaver of stories that ignite the mind and delight the heart. Defying labels and refusing pigeonholes, his imagination is fueled by the possibilities of asking "What if…?", and as anyone who's read his work knows, he has a very big imagination.



His influences as a novelist range from television and film storytellers like Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams, to masters of the modern myth like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Akin to Philip K. Dick's search for the meaning of identity, most of what Robin writes about boils down to his own ponderings and examinations of just what this thing we call "existence" is.



Robin is a full time writer. He and his wife Karen and two children live in High Point, NC.



"Robin Parrish is a keen-eyed, passionate pop cultural savant,

whose writing is as incisive and insightful as it is entertaining."


- Allan Heinberg, Executive Producer, Grey's Anatomy







ABOUT THE BOOK



Nolan Gray is an elite soldier, skilled in all forms of combat. After years fighting on foreign battlefields, witnessing unspeakable evils and atrocities firsthand, a world-weary Nolan returns home to find it just as corrupt as the war zones. Everywhere he looks, there's pain and cruelty. Society is being destroyed by wicked men who don't care who they make suffer or destroy.



Nolan decides to do what no one else can, what no one has ever attempted. He will defend the helpless. He will tear down the wicked. He will wage a one-man war on the heart of man, and he won't stop until the world is the way it should be.



The wicked have had their day. Morality's time has come. In a culture starving for a hero, can one extraordinary man make things right?



If you would like to read the first chapter of Vigilante, go HERE.

My review:
I really enjoyed this book. Even though I am not for vigilante justice, I liked the main character and what he stood for, though I disagreed with his methods. What I walked away from, other than a great read, was the idea that yes, there is evil in this world, but there is a wrong way to go about fixing it.

Monday, July 4, 2011

A Place Called Blessing by John Trent and Annette Smith

An orphaned boy’s story of loss, love, and eventual acceptance by the most unlikely people.



Five-year-old Josh and his two older brothers lose their parents in a drunk-driving accident. A series of foster homes and a shocking tragedy eventually separate them, leaving Josh alone, angry, and distrustful of most everyone. At age eighteen, Josh strikes out on his own to find work. With only a high school education and few life skills, he is one step away from homelessness when Providence brings him to a place where he finds much more than physical shelter. For the first time in his life, Josh receives unconditional love and something every human being craves, the gift of "the blessing."


Includes an introduction and reader’s guide designed to identify and discuss the five elements of the biblical blessing that every person needs. Readers are shown, through the power of Josh's story, how to give this gift to their children and others as outlined in the more than one million copy bestseller, The Blessing.

My review:
This isn't a long book, coming in at only 158 pages of the actual story, but those 158 pages cover a lot. I wish the book had been a little longer, but I really enjoyed it. Though fiction, it is a very moving story of a troubled young man and how two very special people made a difference in his life.

Trent and Smith took the five elements from the book by Trent and Gary Smalley, The Blessing:

1) Meaningful touch
2) A spoken message
3) Attaching a high value
4) Picturing a special future
5) An active commitment

A Place Called Blessing was written around these five elements and show through fiction what we can accomplish by giving them to those we come in contact with. The end result is a very moving story that is definitely worth reading.

The book also includes several questions for thought and discussion.

I highly recommend this book and also The Blessing.

About the authors:

Dr. John Trent is president of StrongFamilies.com and founder of The Institute for the Blessing at Barclay College. John is a sought-after speaker and an award-winning author of more than twenty books, including six books for children. He has been a featured guest on numerous radio and television programs across the country and leads The Blessing Challenge, a joint partnership with Focus on the Family and StrongFamilies.com. John and his wife, Cindy, have been married for more than thirty years and have two grown daughters, Kari and Laura.



Annette Smith is a novelist, nurse, and a master storyteller. Her first book of short stories, The Whispers of Angels, sold more than 100,000 copies. Annette has written four additional volumes of original short stories, two parenting books, and five novels, all set in small towns. Her fourth novel, A Bigger Life, was named by Library Journal as one of the best novels of 2007 and was a finalist in the American Christian Fiction Book Awards.


A life-long Texan, Annette lives in Tyler, Texas with Randy, her husband of thirty-one years, and an affectionate, shaggy mutt named Wally. Annette has worked as a registered nurse in a variety of settings. Her current home-hospice position gives her a unique position in the lives of relative strangers, and she often finds herself bearing solitary witness to intimate, behind-the-scenes situations full of grace and meaning.

A Place Called Blessing is available from Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for the review copy.

Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn



This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Lion of Babylon
Bethany House (July 1, 2011)
by
Davis Bunn

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in North Carolina, Davis left for Europe at age twenty. There he first completed graduate studies in economics and finance, then began a business career that took him to over forty countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.



Davis came to faith at age 28, while living in Germany and running an international business advisory group. He started writing two weeks later. Since that moment, writing has remained both a passion and a calling.

Davis wrote for nine years and completed seven books before his first was accepted for publication. During that time, he continued to work full-time in his business career, travelling to two and sometimes three countries every week. His first published book, The Presence, was released in 1990 and became a national bestseller.

Honored with three Christy Awards for excellence in historical and suspense fiction, his bestsellers include The Great Divide, Winner Take All, The Meeting Place, The Warning, The Book of Hours, and The Quilt.

A sought-after speaker in the art of writing, Davis serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Marc Royce works for the State Department on special assignments, most of them rather routine, until two CIA operatives go missing in Iraq--kidnapped by Taliban forces bent on generating chaos in the region. Two others also drop out of sight--a high-placed Iraqi civilian and an American woman providing humanitarian aid. Are the disappearances linked? Rumors circulate in a whirl of misinformation.

Marc must unravel the truth in a covert operation requiring utmost secrecy--from both the Americans and the insurgents. But even more secret than the undercover operation is the underground dialogue taking place between sworn enemies. Will the ultimate Reconciler between ancient enemies, current foes, and fanatical religious factions be heard?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Lion of Babylon, go HERE.

My review:
I have read a few books by Davis Bunn over the years, but that did not prepare me for reading this one. Wow. What a read. I will admit I was a bit worried about the plot - was afraid it would come off very pro-Muslim in the way that the liberal media does, but it did not. Yet it isn't anti-Muslim.

I curled up in my reading chair and planned on reading a chapter or two. I quickly ditched that plan, and settled in for the long haul. I loved the plot, the setting, the characters - especially the main character. There was a lot of suspense and drama, which I love in a book, and above all was the Christian content. This is not simply an awesome international intrigue thriller. It is much more than that. It showed through fiction how God can work - and is working - in any country or people and can bring those people to Him.

Though fiction, Bunn painted a great and realistic picture through his words. As I read through the pages, it was like I was there on the streets of Iraq. The whole book seemed real, like the events could really happen. I got pulled into the book and became a very willing observer of the action and events within. I also learned a lot about Iraq and the difference in the kinds of Muslims.

My only disappointment was coming to the end of the book. It seemed to come too fast. I saw on a sign last week this quote: "The problem with some books, is that the covers are too far apart." True. But the only problem with this book, is that the covers were not far enough apart. I loved, loved, loved this book! I cannot say enough good about it.

I am very much recommending it. It is a story that men are more likely to enjoy than women, but anyone who enjoys a good thriller with international intrigue and military action will enjoy this. It should get 5 out of 5 stars in any review.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers and the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for the review copy.

Friday, July 1, 2011

The Protector by Shelley Shephard Gray


This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Protector
Avon Inspire; Original edition (June 28, 2011)
by
Shelley Shepard Gray




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.



Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page



ABOUT THE BOOK



Everyone needs a safe place to call home


When her mother passes away, Ella's forced to auction off her family's farm. Her father died years ago, and she could never manage the fifty acres on her own. But after she moves to town, she can't deny the pain she feels watching the new owner, Loyal Weaver, repairing her family's old farmhouse—everything Ella had once dreamed of doing.



What Ella doesn't know is that Loyal secretly hopes she will occupy this house again...as his wife. He begins inviting her over, to ask her opinion on changes he wants to make. As their friendship blooms, Ella starts to wonder about Loyal's intentions, especially when her best friend, Dorothy, hints that Loyal is not who he seems. There's no way the golden boy of their close-knit Amish community could be interested in Ella, long the wallflower, hidden away caring for her ailing parents.



Should she trust the man she's always yearned for, or the friend who's always been by her side? When one of them threatens to disrupt the independence she's finally achieved, Ella is faced with a choice. She can protect her heart and keep things the way they've always been. Or she can come out of her shell, risk everything for the love she's always wanted, and finally have a place to call home.



If you would like to read an excerpt from The Protector, go HERE.

The Final Hour by Andrew Klavan

The Homelanders are attacking—and it's Charlie's last chance to stop them.



Charlie West was an ordinary high school kid who went to bed one night and woke up in the clutches of terrorists and wanted by the police for murder. He also woke up with no memory of the events of the last year.


His memory is returning now and has brought the terrible realization that he knows when the terrorists are going to strike next.


Whatever it takes, Charlie knows he can't give in or give up until they're stopped . . . even when the final hour is ticking away.

My review:
I have really enjoyed this series, and have been eagerly anticipating this fourth and final book in the series. I was not disappointed.

This book picks up right where the last one left off, with Charlie in jail. More of his memory is returning and he remembers there is going to be an attack, but cannot remember where.

This book has the same pulse pounding excitement, drama and suspense that the other three had, but was even better because everything was finally tied up. I devoured this book the same day it came in the mail, and loved every minute of reading it. This series was geared for young adult, but an adult can and will enjoy it as I did.

Klavan created a very likable and believable character in Charlie, and it was satisfying to see everything finally play out and work out for him.

I highly recommend this book - and the whole series, but they should definitely be read in order.

About the author:

Andrew Klavan has been nominated for the Mystery Writer of America's Edgar award five times and won twice. He is the author of several bestselling novels, including Don't Say A Word, filmed starring Michael Douglas, True Crime, filmed by Clint Eastwood, and Empire of Lies. He is currently writing a series of thrillers for young adults called The Homelanders. The first two novels in the series are The Last Thing I Remember and The Long Way Home. Klavan is a contributing editor to City Journal and his essays have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, among other places. His satiric video commentaries can be seen on PJTV.com.

The Final Hour and the other three books in the Homelanders series is available from Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for the review copy.


The author talking about his series below: