Book Spotlight: Talking to the Dead by Bonnie Grove

This month, CFRB presents Talking to the Dead by Bonnie Grove.

About the Book:

Twenty-something Kate Davis can't seem to get this grieving widow thing right. She's supposed to put on a brave face and get on with her life, right? Instead she's camped out on her living room floor, unwashed, unkempt, and unable to sleep-because her husband Kevin keeps talking to her.

Is she losing her mind?

Kate's attempts to find the source of the voice she hears are both humorous and humiliating, as she turns first to an "eclectically spiritual" counselor, then a shrink with a bad toupee, a mean-spirited exorcist, and finally group therapy. There she meets Jack, the warmhearted, unconventional pastor of a ramshackle church, and at last the voice subsides. But when she stumbles upon a secret Kevin was keeping, Kate's fragile hold on the present threatens to implode under the weight of the past. And Kevin begins to shout.

Will the voice ever stop? Kate must confront her grief to find the grace to go on, in this tender, quirky story about second chances.

My thoughts:

Very rarely do I come across a book that just leaves me floored the whole way through. Except for one tiny little break, I read this book from cover to cover, and loved every second of it. While it's not a book that I would normally go out of my way to read, words cannot adequately express how impressed I was after reading this fabulous debut novel.

Talking to the Dead is a great example of an author thinking outside the box and finding a new niche in the Christian fiction arena. I have never come across a Christian fiction novel that dealt with any type of mental illness, much less mental institutions and shrinks, and how individuals seek help (be it worldly or spiritual) for those problems in the real world. Even though the Christian aspects of the novel were a tad bit watered down in places, I really applaud the author for showing what some churches/pastors are like in the real world, particularly, the scene with Jack's father. It literally broke my heart to read through Kate's experience with this fictitious pastor, knowing that there really are pastors and church leaders out there that use the same tactics.

Talking to the Dead is now firmly planted on my all-time favorites list. Now, I must begin the impatient wait for whatever she has in store for her next book. If all of Bonnie's books are as great as this one, I'll be a fan for life.

About the Author:

Bonnie Grove started writing when her parents bought a typewriter, and she hasn't stopped since. Trained in Christian Counseling (Emmanuel Bible College, Kitchener, ON), and secular psychology (University of Alberta), she developed and wrote social programs for families at risk while landing articles and stories in anthologies. She is the author of Working Your Best You: Discovering and Developing the Strengths God Gave You; Talking to the Dead is her first novel. Grove and her pastor husband, Steve, have two children; they live in Saskatchewan.


Purchase Talking to the Dead at
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Check out these other member blogs this week for more info.

Book Spotlight: Abide with Me by Delia Parr

About the book:

The three Long sisters of Welleswood, New Jersey, felt they could handle any problem, any crisis together…

But suddenly, each was facing the most critical challenge of her life. Andrea, a single mom, was in a fight for survival, against cancer. Madge, who'd once lived a storybook life, needed to find forgiveness--if she ever could--for a husband who'd kept a shocking secret for years. Jenny, pregnant with her third child, longed to keep her husband's dream alive, whatever the sacrifice.

To get through it all, they would have to lean on one another as never before, trusting that their love and hope--and their faith, no matter how far it was tested--would see them through.

My thoughts:

I had never even heard of Delia Parr until last year when I read one of her books--Day by Day. Turns out that Day by Day is book 2 of her Home Ties Trilogy, and I had no clue I was reading the series out of order....which is not a bad thing since each book can stand on it's own. While I was not at all impressed with Day by Day (very depressing and slow-moving story), Abide with Me was just right. There are some pretty hefty issues brought up, but I didn't have that same depressed feeling with this one as I did with Day by Day. Overall, Abide with Me was a wonderful, light read, and as soon as I can find a copy, I plan to finish out the series and read book 3, Carry the Light.

A-Z Wednesday

A-Z Wednesday is hosted by Vicki at Reading at the Beach. The rules are pretty simple.....

1. Visit Reading at the Beach to get this week's letter.
2. Find a book on your shelf that starts with this week's letter.
3. Post the title, picture, description and link of the book on your blog.
4. Go back to Reading at the Beach to post a comment with a link to your post.

This week's letter is M. I've decided to feature the following book--Michal by Jill Eileen Smith.

About the book:

As the daughter of King Saul, Michal lives a life of privilege--but one that is haunted by her father's unpredictable moods and by competition from her beautiful older sister. When Michal falls for young David, the harpist who plays to calm her father, she has no idea what romance, adventures, and heartache await her. As readers enter the colorful and unpredictable worlds of King Saul and King David, they will be swept up in this exciting and romantic story. Against the backdrop of opulent palace life, raging war, and desert escapes, Jill Eileen Smith takes her readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride as Michal deals with love, loss, and personal transformation as one of the wives of David. A sweeping tale of passion and drama, readers will love this amazing story.

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I have wanted to read this book for sooooooo long, and it's just sitting there patiently with all the other books on my shelf waiting to be read. :o) I am a huge fan of Biblical fiction, and am so glad to see new authors in this genre. Oh, and it won't be long 'til the next book comes out in this series. Book 2, Abigail, will be releasing in February 2010.

Waiting on Wednesday: Burn by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Burn by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy set to release January 2010.

About the book:

She Escaped the Fire—But Not the Effects of the Burn

Janeal feels trapped in her father’s Gypsy culture. But everything changes one night when a brutal and powerful man named Salazar Sanso promises her the life she longs for if she will help recover a vast sum of money tied to her father.

When the plan implodes, Sanso and his men attack the gypsy settlement and burn it to the ground. During the blaze, Janeal is faced with a staggering choice.

The impact of that choice changes her forever.

Years later, the wonderful and terrible truth of what really happened that night begins to sear Janeal’s soul. In a horrifying revelation, Janeal learns that nothing about her life since has been exactly what it seems. As truth rises from the ashes of her past, Janeal finds she must make a new life-or-death choice. But this time, escape is not an option.
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I'm really looking forward to this book! The Dekker/Healy combo did a great job last year with Kiss, and I have no doubt that this book will be just as incredible! :o)

Blog Tour and Book Spotlight: Leaving Carolina by Tamara Leigh

*A big thank you to Liz Johnson at Waterbrook Multnomah for sending me a copy to review!*

About the book:

Piper Wick left her hometown of Pickwick, North Carolina, twelve years ago, shook the dust off her feet, ditched her drawl and her family name, and made a new life for herself as a high-powered public relations consultant in LA. She’s even “engaged to be engaged” to the picture-perfect U.S. Congressman Grant Spangler.

Now all of Piper’s hard-won happiness is threatened by a reclusive uncle’s bout of conscience. In the wake of a health scare, Uncle Obadiah Pickwick has decided to change his will, leaving money to make amends for four generations’ worth of family misdeeds. But that will reveal all the Pickwicks’ secrets, including Piper’s.

Though Piper arrives in Pickwick primed for battle, she is unprepared for Uncle Obe’s rugged, blue-eyed gardener. So just who is Axel Smith? Why does he think making amends is more than just making restitution? And why, oh why, can’t she stay on task? With the Lord’s help, Piper is about to discover that although good PR might smooth things over, only the truth will set her free.

My thoughts:

I have lived in the South my entire life, with most of it spent in Tennessee, and just couldn't imagine livin' anywhere else. Also, I absolutely love reading books that are set in the South, especially when a writer gets it right. Tamara Leigh is just flat out a great writer anyway, and Leaving Carolina is a great start to what I'm sure will be a fabulous Southern series of books.

Growing up with a last name like Pickwick is about as Southern as it gets...we actually have a Pickwick of our own in TN. :o) Just throw in some sweet tea and pickled corn, and then, you'll be Southern to the core. Tamara did a great job of describing what it's really like down here--good home cookin', down to earth people, and a love for family and friends. But listen, this book is not just all Southern stuff. There a great deal mentioned about forgiveness, first impressions, and making amends....certainly all things that could come across as preachy, but never do.


Personally, I cannot wait to read more about this family and the town of Pickwick. Tamara's style of writing is just plain fun to read, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

What's on Your Nightstand--October

What's On Your Nightstand? is hosted once a month by 5 Minutes for Books. It happens on the fourth Tuesday of every month. It's a great chance to let others know what you like to read, and to find new bloggers with the same taste in books as you have. I'm a couple of days late in getting my post up, but better late than never, I suppose.

October was really good for me in regards to meeting my reading goals. I got everything read on my nightstand this past month with one exception--A Flickering Light by Jane Kirkpatrick. It needed to be returned to the library before I got a chance to read it. :o(

This next month, here's what I'm aiming to read:

White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner
The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer
Thirsty by Tracey Bateman
Abide with Me by Delia Parr

I'm pretty positive that I'll get all four of these read, plus a few others. I'm not setting too large a goal because most of November is going to be spent doing a couple of things on the house (painting, chair rail in the living room, etc.) plus having the whole family over for Thanksgiving, so there won't be quite as much spare time for reading....I'll be too busy!

Book Spotlight: Kindred Bond by Deborah Raney

About the book:


For Claire Anderson, her position as a teacher in Hanover Falls is the realization of a long-held dream. In this loving community she attempts to cast aside the memories of her troubled childhood in the day-to-day interaction with the young lives entrusted to her care.

Michael Meredith finds worth as a nursing home administrator until an unwelcome investigation concerning suspicious deaths among the residents threatens his career. In the midst of this crisis, the linking of Claire's and Michael's lives creates a unique friendship that blossoms into a shared understanding neither has known before.

Both are empowered by the understanding and support they experience with each other until an agonizing secret is revealed that may tear the delicate fabric of their love. Is their faith strong enough to survive this astonishing discovery?

My thoughts:

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Deborah Raney. Her style of writing is just so easy to read, and the stories she tells have a way of stirring up all your emotions, especially if she's writing a tearjerker.


Kindred Bond is one of Deborah's first novels, and I can definitely tell that she has grown as a writer since this book. Not to say that this was a bad story....just that she has greatly improved since writing it. The book is geared more as a romance, and that part of the story is done very well--almost too well as I wanted to throw the book up against the wall a couple of times. :o)

There were a few spots that the story seemed to drag, but overall, I'd say it was a good book. If you're new to Deb's books, I would recommend starting with Beneath a Southern Sky or her Clayburn series first to get a better appreciation of her style.

3 1/2 stars