Category: Christian Fiction Review

REVIEW: The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner

REVIEW: The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Sarah Hollenbeck seemed to have it all. Her husband was handsome and successful – her high school sweetheart. From the outside, their life looked perfect. But the love was gone. Patrick was sleeping with anyone but his wife. Sarah hadn’t worked since college because she got married and focused on helping Patrick with his business and his image. Without him, what does she have?

The decision to write came a little out of nowhere, and her early poems were horrible. But over the course of 6 weeks, she poured herself and her angst over her marriage and divorce into a steamy story of love. And it was a hit! Two books later “Raine de Bourgh” is famous for her graphic, saucy romances.

Then Sarah meets Jesus. A conversation with a friend turns into a prayer to Christ. And Sarah’s life is suddenly on a new track. But how will she reconcile her old life – and current book contract – with her faith? And how can she tell the sexy widowed pastor at her church that she’s the author of these scandalous books?

Review

This was excellent from start to finish! The transformation of Sarah from the shallow, needy woman at the beginning to the strong, centered woman she becomes is inspiring. Her desire to do right by her new relationship with Christ is sincere. She’s still figuring things out, but she’s determined.

The characters in the story are people I would want as friends. Well, most of them. And the chemistry between Sarah and Pastor Ben is terrific. He’s not perfect, but he is devoted to her, to honoring God in their relationship, and he’s compassionate when the newness of her faith is apparent in the things they are working through.

The story was excellent. I cared about what happened to the people in the story. This is everything I want Christian fiction to be. Strong story, characters I care about, and a faith at the core that feels natural and authentic. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Spark by J. M. Hackman

REVIEW: Spark by J. M. Hackman

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When Brenna set a school display aflame with fire from her hands, it was a surprise to say the least. But that surprise was small compared to the news that her mother was really from a parallel universe – an “alternity” called Linneah. Her Linnean heritage gives Brenna her power with fire. Brenna is required to visit Linneah by her 16th birthday – and today is that day. The only problem at the moment are the four monsters blocking the portal.

Brenna, her dad and her grandma manage to make it through the portal after some peril. But things aren’t all peaceful in Linneah. Brenna’s mom is missing. No one has heard from her in weeks. She’s somewhere in the Jasper Territory, possibly captured by the enemies of Elyon, the Most High God. And Linneah’s leadership and way of life is under attack as well. Brenna’s powers mark her as the possible subject of an old prophecy which starts to come true, regardless of Brenna’s resistance. She will have to choose her priorities – save Linneah or save her mother – and figure out what she is willing lose in order to save anyone.

Review

I received a review copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this fantasy world and the faith pieces that were woven into it. The characters were good, and I cared about what happened to them. There were hints of Narnia in the story, I thought, which I enjoyed.

My only disappointment in an otherwise terrific book was the climax. There were several lovely, highly suspenseful moments throughout the story that were totally satisfying. But when the final battle came, it fell a little flat in comparison. I read the entire wrap up of the book waiting for one last twist or an unexpected betrayal to give the ending a satisfying punch, but that never came. So after enjoying 85-90% of the novel, the ending fizzled a little for me.

I will happily recommend this to Christian young people – really, any young people – looking for a new fantasy series to enjoy. But I will include the caveat that the ending might be a little low key compared to their expectations. Book 2, Flare, will be out in the fall, and I will totally be checking it out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Falling for You by Becky Wade

REVIEW: Falling for You by Becky Wade

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Willow is a world renown super model on sabbatical, working at her family’s inn. It’s a temporary gig while a new manager makes the transition into the job, but it’s perfectly timed. Willow is feeling burned out from her fast paced life. She’s looking forward to quiet time with her sisters and time out of the spotlight.

Corbin was a stud on the football field – before his injury. But his career is over, so he’s going to kick off his retirement with a lot of physical therapy and some remodeling therapy by fixing up an old house with his dad. Corbin needs a project to occupy his time, and it will help him keep an eye on his dad who has cancer.

Four years ago, a series of choices led Willow and Corbin to break up. Willow is still heart broken when she thinks of the choices she made, and angry when she thinks of the choices Corbin made. She’d prefer to never see Corbin again. But Corbin’s niece, Charlotte, is a huge fan. And she is convinced that Willow is the person who can help her solve a 40-year-old family mystery. So when Charlotte asks Willow to help her, Willow can’t help but say yes. She has no idea, though, that Charlotte has made Corbin part of the team as well. This means Willow is now stuck in regular contact with the man who broke her heart.

Review

I struggled to figure out if this story wanted to be a romance or a mystery. While I think it was stronger on the romance side, I feel like the story suffered from a minor identity crisis. It tried to be both at once, and it wasn’t all I hoped for on either side.  The mystery was interesting. I love cold case stories. It was odd to have a football player and a model trying to dig into it, though. The characters acknowledged that oddity, which helped. But they uncovered a lot of big things pretty easily. As a seasoned mystery reader, it felt all too simple. And the mystery pieces at times got in the way of the flow of the romance, interfering with my enjoyment of the story just on that level.

The sign of a great Christian fiction book for me is that reading it becomes a spiritual experience. If it connects me to God or it prompts me to examine my own spiritual life, I feel like the story works from a faith perspective. This book just did not click for me on that spiritual level. The spiritual pieces were okay – I just didn’t feel like the integration was as smooth as I have found in some other stories. This aspect of the story wasn’t “bad,” but wasn’t all it could have been for me as a reader.

I liked the characters. This is a second book in a series about Willow and her sisters. I haven’t read book one, but that didn’t impact my understanding of this story. I am intrigued by the story line for book one and might consider giving it a try. The chemistry between Willow and Corbin, and the situation with Corbin’s dad saved the story for me and kept me engaged to the end. I cared about how they were going to deal with their history, and I found the ending satisfying.

Thanks to the folks at Netgalley and Bethany House for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck

REVIEW: The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Tenley’s first book was a best-seller. An award winner. But she can’t get one word written for a follow up. With a famous father and great-great-grandfather who were authors, shouldn’t this be easier? Is she destined to be a one hit wonder?

In 1902, Birdie longs to throw off the expectations of her station. She wants to have her stories published and marry the man she loves. But the publisher she approached turned her down, and she never got her manuscript back. Her parents have arranged a marriage for her that will solidify her status in society for the rest of her life. But what about what she wants?

When Tenley heads to Florida to care for her estranged mother while she goes through chemo, she’s supposed to be writing her next book. Instead she takes steps that will draw her story and Birdie’s together across more than 100 years.

Review

This was terrific! First and foremost it’s a story of writers, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I adored Birdie. She showed great strength and determination as she made every effort to fight the destiny laid out for her. Her story was my favorite.

I empathized with Tenley. She’s lost. She doesn’t really know who she is. But she does the right thing in going to take care of her mom. And while they still had prickly moments, I loved watching them try to sort things out.

This is also a set of love stories (Jonas and his family are fantastic!! There are several laugh-out-loud moments of banter between Tenley and Jonas). And it is also a story of God who sings over both of these women, encouraging them to not be dismayed. This was absolutely lovely!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Bringing Maggie Home by Kim Vogel Sawyer

REVIEW: Bringing Maggie Home by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Meghan heads to Las Vegas to stay with her grandmother, Hazel, after a terrible car accident puts Meghan on leave from work. She has no idea that her mom, Diane, has also come to Vegas.

Being in close quarters together shows the strain in the relationship between the three women. Meghan adores her grandmother, and Diane is jealous. Diane grew up feeling smothered by Hazel’s over-protectiveness. Determined to not be like Hazel, Diane pushes Meghan to be independent and self-sufficient. While Meghan does develop those traits, she feels like she missed out on some nurturing and displays of love in her life.

The women might not have survived together for long with their hurts and hang-ups. But Meghan accidentally discovers her grandmother’s life-long secret. Hazel’s little sister, Maggie, disappeared when she was three. Hazel had been with her, stepped away from a moment, and Maggie had never been seen again.  Meghan, a cold case investigator, offers to look into the 70-year-old disappearance. The chances of finding Maggie alive after all this time are slim, but they have to try.

Review

This was a lovely, emotionally satisfying story. The 70-year-old cold case is what initially grabbed my attention, but the relationships between these women made the story for me. I loved the relationship between Hazel and Meghan. It was warm and mutual. They were devoted to one another. Diane was prickly and abrasive. But you could see why and feel empathy for how she came to see life the way she did. The faith pieces of the story worked most directly in the relationship with these three characters. The faith pieces were handled well overall. They felt natural when they came into the story and they were realistic. No easy answers or promises of an easy life if the non-believing character would just believe.

The cold case was fascinating. No huge surprises – the clues were laid out for the reader. But the solution was satisfying. The cold case also brought in the romantic part of the story. This was an enjoyable, moving story. I would recommend this highly and would read others by this author.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Sisters of Sugarcreek by Cathy Liggett

REVIEW: The Sisters of Sugarcreek by Cathy Liggett

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Lydia lost her husband, a volunteer firefighter, in the fire at Faith Community Church. But even more, she lost her anchor to everything. Henry was a private man. He did everything around the house himself except cook and garden, which Lydia did. They didn’t have neighbors over often, and they never lingered after church. They lived a quiet life, and Lydia was often alone. Without Henry, she’s adrift and feeling out of her depth.

Jessica lost her Aunt Rose in the fire. Rose had raised her as a child when she lost her parents. She welcomed her back as a young pregnant woman when her marriage fell apart. Now Jessica owns Rose’s craft store, Rose’s Knit One Quilt Two Cottage. But Jessica doesn’t knit or quilt. She’s not prepared to run a store like this. She’s definitely in over her head.

Liz is grieving Rose’s death, too. Her best friend and partner in “crime.” Rose and Liz had started a secret encouragement ministry, leaving food and handcrafted items for folks in need of a little hope. She talks Jessica into helping her keep it going. And Lydia is going to be their first recipient.

Review

This was delightful. Each of the three main characters was strong and interesting in her own right. There wasn’t a part of the trio that sagged. The pieces of their stories wove into each other’s well. The romantic pairings were obvious from the outset, but I enjoyed the story so much I didn’t care if that was predictable.

I have not had a lot of luck with finding Christian fiction I love. I have a few “go to” books that I read over and over, but otherwise I find the stories or characters can be flat or the message feels heavy-handed. This was NOT the case here. The faith pieces made sense where they entered the story. It felt natural. I didn’t feel like the author was trying to make a point. She just told a great story about people of faith.

This was excellent. I will be adding it to my small collection of Christian Fiction mainstays and telling others about this great story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Hello Stars by Alena Pitts and Wynter Pitts

REVIEW: Hello Stars by Alena Pitts and Wynter Pitts

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

All Lena wants to do is enjoy summer break with her dog, her family and her friends. But when the chance to meet her idol, Mallory Winston, comes up, Lena can’t pass up the opportunity.

While her contest video ends up being something of a disaster, Lena wins anyway. Before she really grasps what has happened, Lena and her family are whisked off to California so Lena and Mallory Winston can star in a movie.

While Lena loves the people she works with – and the message of the film they are making – the process challenges her in ways she wasn’t expecting. And one innocent but careless decision could end up costing her everything.

Review

This is a fun story. Lena is a sweet girl trying to figure out her faith and where God fits into her daily life, choices and opportunities. Her family’s faith is strong. It’s a cornerstone of who they are. And in the middle is big sister, Lena, trying to apply the scriptures and principles her parents are trying to teach them.

First in a new series, this will be a great choice for middle to upper elementary girls (like 3rd through 6th grade, or so). The faith pieces are well integrated in the characters and the story line. The characters are likable and believable. The average-girl-meets-singing-sensation-and-makes-a-movie premise is fun, with glimpses into the process for how movies are made. Book two, Day Dreams and Movie Screens will release this fall and continues the story as Lena takes part in promotion for the movie and sees how fame may change the life she loves.

Many thanks to Zonderkidz and Handlebar for a review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥