Book Review: Never Been Kissed by Melody Carlson/4 Stars

About the book:

New School = New Chance for That First Kiss

Summer is ending, and for once that doesn't seem like such a bad thing to Elise. She's hoping that starting fresh at a new high school will turn her first-kiss prospects around. New guys, new friends, and a new lease on life.

What she wasn't counting on was all the new pressure--to hang with the right crowd, wear the right clothes, and date the right guy. Just when it seems she's on top of the world, everything comes crashing down. Could one bad choice derail her future?

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than two hundred books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series. Visit Melody's website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/.

My thoughts:

Melody Carlson has always been my go-to author for great YA fiction, and Never Been Kissed was another fabulous example of her talent within this genre. I read this book from cover to cover in one sitting, and even though I'm a few years removed from the young adult period of my life, there was plenty in this short book to open my eyes to what teens are involved in today, particularly on the topic of sexting.

Melody's novels are always on the pulse of current teen issues and what's happening in high schools everywhere.  Never Been Kissed is just the kind of book that should be read by parents and teens alike.  My rating is 4 stars.

Southern?  No
Sass?  No

**Many thanks to Revell for providing a copy for review.

Book Review: Fatal Judgment by Irene Hannon/4.5 Stars

About the book:

U.S. Marshal Jake Taylor has seen plenty of action during his years in law enforcement. But he'd rather go back to Iraq than face his next assignment: protection detail for federal judge Liz Michaels. His feelings toward the cold-hearted workaholic haven't warmed in the five years since she drove her husband - and Jake's best friend - to despair...and possible suicide.

As the danger mounts and Jake gets to know Liz better, he's forced to revise his opinion of her. And when it becomes clear that an unknown enemy may want her dead, the stakes are raised. Because now both her life - and his heart - are in danger.

Full of suspense and romance, Fatal Judgment is a thrilling story that will keep you turning the pages late into the night.

My thoughts:

Fatal Judgment was the first romantic suspense novel I've read in quite a long time.  It was also the first time I've read anything by Irene Hannon, and I have to say that I was very impressed.  The first novel in her new series, Guardians of Justice, was a thrill ride with U.S. Marshals, the FBI, and a murderer on the loose.  The action was consistent throughout, but sprinkled with moments of grief and healing for both Liz and Jake.  It was up to Jake to protect Liz at every turn, and he was definitely a hero worth reading about! 

Another thing I loved was that, as a reader, I knew who the bad guy was all along because he was revealed about 1/3 of the way into the book.  From past experience, sometimes that works for a story, sometimes it doesn't.  In Fatal Judgment, it defintely worked!  I was given a glimpse into his crazy mind, and his motives for striking out at Judge Michaels.  On the other hand, his character saddened me because there are so many people in the real world that have his same twisted logic toward our country.

I have no doubt that the next installment in this series will please suspense fans as easily as this one did.  Irene Hannon has enormous talent within this genre, and the thoughts and research that went into this novel was evident on every page.  And now that I know that a few characters from this novel were a part of her previous series, I can't wait to get my hands on those next!

4.5 Stars

Southern?  Yes, set in St. Louis, Missouri
Sass?  No

*On a side note, I experienced a first with this novel.  There were three characters in this book that had very familiar names--mine, my mom's, and my dad's.  How weird is that?!?!?  Christy, Harold, and Eleanor (and all spelled exactly like they should be) made an appearance in Fatal Judgment.  Too bad my hubby's name couldn't be in there somewhere, too.  :o(  Maybe he'll show up in the next book.  :o)

**Many thanks to Revell for providing a copy for review.

Book Review: Blind Hope by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher/4 Stars

About the book:

An unwanted dog. An emotional rescue.

Sometimes the life you save may be your own.

Laurie had her own shattered dreams before she came to work at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch—the ranch of rescued dreams—where broken horses and broken children encounter healing every day. Reaching out to save a dog in need, Laurie soon realized that the dog was rescuing her.

An inspiring true story told through the engaging voice of Kim Meeder, Blind Hope reveals poignant life lessons Laurie experienced from her ailing, yet courageous canine friend. Despite the blindness of her dog—and her own heart—Laurie uncovered what she really needed most: authentic love, unconditional trust, and true acceptance, faults and all.

As Laurie and her dog, Mia, both learned to follow the lead of a master they couldn’t see, Laurie discoverd the transforming power of God’s selfless love even for imperfect and selfish people—and she experienced a greater love than she has ever known.

My thoughts:

Non-fiction is not typically something I read a lot of, but when I saw this cute dog on the cover of Blind Hope, I couldn't resist.  This was a story about a sweet dog and the woman she rescued.  Normally, you would see a sentence like that turned the other way around, and even though Laurie did rescue a sweet dog that she named Mia, Mia was the one that really made a lasting impact on Laurie's life.  Through Mia's sweet, but sometimes stubborn, personality, Laurie was able to see the areas in her life where she walked away from God, or didn't trust Him as much as she should have.  While reading about Laurie's past, I was able to draw parallels with my own life where I have strayed and needed to be brought back by God's grace. 

While the lessons are incredible and powerful, I have to admit that I wasn't crazy about the way the story was told.  Laurie told her story to Kim Meeder, who then told the story with introductions and conversations that, frankly, got in the way.  I think if the story had just been written from Laurie's POV, I would've enjoyed it a hundred times more.  I never had a problem getting the lessons from Laurie's life, but to have them retold after I've already read about them was a little annoying.

In spite of the layout, it was still a very good story.  The pictures of Laurie and Mia that were included were an added bonus, and many of them were quite beautiful.  One word of warning before starting this book....have a box of Kleenex nearby! 

4 Stars

Southern? No
Sass?  No

**Many thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah Books for providing a copy for review.

Book Review: The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher

About the book:

Fifteen years ago, Lainey O'Toole made a split-second decision. She couldn't have known that her choice would impact so many. Now in her mid-twenties, she is poised to go to culinary school when her car breaks down in Stoney Ridge, the very Amish town in which her long-reaching decision was made, forcing her to face the shadowed past.

Bess Reihl is less than thrilled to be spending the summer at Rose Hill Farm with her large and intimidating grandmother, Bertha. It quickly becomes clear that she is there to work the farm--and work hard. The labor is made slightly more tolerable by the time it affords Bess to spend with the handsome hired hand, Billy Lapp. But he only has eyes for a flirty and curvaceous older girl.

Lainey's and Bess's worlds are about to collide and the secrets that come to light will shock them both.

Beautifully written, The Search is a skillfully woven story that takes readers through unexpected twists and turns on the long country road toward truth. Fans both old and new will find themselves immersed in this heartwarming--and surprising--tale of young love, forgiveness, and coming to grips with the past.

My thoughts:

I do believe that this is Suzanne's best novel so far! The Lancaster County Secrets Series has always had a good dose of drama, and of course, secrets, but without a doubt, this book was my favorite of all three. 

Whenever I see a character with the name Bertha, I always picture a large, perhaps bulky, woman that speaks her mind and someone that won't stand for any backtalk.  Well, that was Bertha to a T in this book!  There were time when she had me howling with laughter with her funny way of talking, and especially, when she tried to sound smart by using big words that she didn't remotely know what they meant.  So, be forewarned...you're in for a treat with this book if only just for Bertha.

Bertha didn't steal the whole show, though.  Lainey was another character that really stood out in the story.  Without making things too complicated, Lainey was a relation of Bertha, and because of a car breakdown, she found herself in Stoney Ridge.  At first for Lainey, it was a temporary situation that over time, became a permanent one.  Throughout her life, she's held on to her own batch of secrets, and little does she or Bertha know, these secrets are about to change their lives.

Before Lainey could move forward in her life, though, she had to do a little housekeeping...namely in the form of forgiveness to a stepfather that was quite cruel to her.  This forgiveness didn't come easily since Simon, her stepfather, had not changed much from the man she knew him to be when she was a child.  One comment that her character made in the book stuck with me right through to the end--

"...a few years ago, I went to a church service and the pastor happened to be preaching on the difference between divine forgiveness and human forgiveness.  I knew I couldn't forgive others without God's help.  He said that we fail in the work of grace and love when there is too much of us and not enough of God.  One I understood that and asked for God's help, I was able to forgive Simon and stop condemning him."

Wow...'nuff said.

In case you're still wondering whether or not you should give this book a chance, let me end the guessing game for you--YES!!!  Go get a copy!!  You will be so glad that you did, I can promise you that.  :o)

5 Stars

Southern?  No
Sass?  Yes - Bertha in all her glory!

**Many thanks to Revell Books for providing a copy for review.

**Click here to read my review of The Choice and here for The Waiting.

CFBA Blog Tour: Angel Harp by Michael Phillips

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Angel Harp FaithWords (January 26, 2011) by Michael Phillips


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Phillips has been writing in the Christian marketplace for 30 years. All told, he has written, co-written, and edited some 110 books. Phillips and his wife live in the U.S., and make their second home in Scotland.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

Widowed at 34, amateur harpist Marie "Angel" Buchan realizes at 40 that her life and dreams are slowly slipping away. A summer in Scotland turns out to offer far more than she ever imagined! Not only does the music of her harp capture the fancy of the small coastal village she visits, she is unexpectedly drawn into a love triangle involving the local curate and the local duke.

The boyhood friends have been estranged as adults because of their mutual love of another woman (now dead) some years before. History seems destined to repeat itself, with Marie in the thick of it. Her involvement in the lives of the two men, as well as in the community, leads to a range of exciting relationships and lands Marie in the center of the mystery of a long-unsolved local murder. Eventually she must make her decision: with whom will she cast the lot of her future?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Angel Harp, go HERE

Book Review: Courting Miss Amsel by Kim Vogel Sawyer

About the book:

Edythe Amsel is delighted with her first teaching assignment: a one-room schoolhouse in Walnut Hill, Nebraska. Independent, headstrong, and a strong believer in a well-rounded education, Edythe is ready to open the world to the students in this tiny community. But is Walnut Hill ready for her?

Joel Townsend is thrilled to learn the town council hired a female teacher to replace the ruthless man who terrorized his nephews for the past two years. Having raised the boys on his own since their parents' untimely deaths, Joel believes they will benefit from a woman's influence. But he sure didn't bargain on a woman like Miss Amsel.

Within the first week, she has the entire town up in arms over her outlandish teaching methods, which include collecting leaves, catching bugs, making snow angels, and stringing ropes in strange patterns all over the schoolyard. Joel can't help but notice that she's also mighty pretty with her rosy lips, fashionable clothes, and fancy way of speaking.

When Edythe decides to take her pupils to hear Miss Susan Anthony speak on the women's suffrage amendment, the town's outcry reaches new heights. Even Joel isn't sure he can support her newfangled ideas any longer. And if he can't trust her to know how to teach the boys, how can he trust her with his heart?

My thoughts:

It's been awhile since I've read a historical romance that was as good as this one.  While the storyline itself wasn't anything new to the world of books, the delivery of the story was what really captured my attention.  Kim's style of writing was so pleasant and easy-going.  It felt like I was getting together with an old friend over a glass of sweet tea. 

Her characters were down-to-earth people that really cared about one another (even though some were too nosy and troublesome for their own good).  "Miz" Kinsley was one of my favorites because she never hesitated to tell it like she saw it.  Her character was there to show Edythe that she could run her life on her own for only so long. She cared about Edythe beyond just being her landlord; her desire and prayer was to see Edythe relinquish control of her life over to the Lord.  I also really enjoyed Joel's character, and especially his relationship with his nephews.  I could picture those boys in my mind's eye as being very cute little youngsters that could've been some michevious little rascals if not for their constant desire to please their Uncle Joel and teacher, Miss Amsel. 

Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the conversation.  Now, Edythe was a very intelligent lady, but almost too intelligent for the people of Walnut Hill.  When she arrived spouting her big vocabulary, most folks had to ask her to repeat it.  Over time, she became a little easier to relate to.  In the mean time, though, what she heard from the townsfolk was some down-home lingo--"Miss" became "Miz," "courting" became "courtin'," and apparently, when one was sick with an illness of sorts, they were "stove up."  I have to admit...that last one was a new one for me.  :o)

Courting Miss Amsel was such a quick read that I wish it would've lasted longer!  After just one book, I think Kim's already earned her place on my favorite author list.  And since this was my first experience with Kim's books, I guess I need to go find another one now.  :o)

5 Stars

**Thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing a copy for review.

**Click here for more information about the book as well as a link to read the first chapter.

CFBA Blog Tour: Seredipity by Cathy Marie Hake

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Serendipity Bethany House (August 1, 2010) by Cathy Marie Hake



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
 


Known for surfing across the kitchen on a dropped dill pickle slice, waterskiing on sea anemone spit, and using Right Guard® as hair spray; she considers herself living proof that God does, indeed, possess a healthy sense of humor.


Cathy loves classical music, romantic getaways with her husband, and Diet Pepsi Free®. "I need chocolate to survive, love my friends, and enjoy a deep personal relationship with the Lord. Although an extrovert, I'm very conservative on a personal level."


In her writing, Cathy attempts to capture a unique glimpse of life and how a man and woman can overcome obstacles when motivated by love. In her inspirational pieces she enjoys the freedom of showing how Christ can enrich a loving couple's relationship.

Cathy Marie Hake is a registered nurse who worked for many years in an oncology unit before shifting her focus to perinatal care. The author of over twenty novels, she lives with her husband and two children in Anaheim, California.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Todd Valmer should have known better. A farmer who's been through several disasters, he travels to Virginia to fetch his widowed mother to cook and help him around his Texas farm...or that was the plan until she keels over on the train and they get kicked off.


Maggie Rose barters for a living and also makes soaps, lotions, and perfumes with a special rose recipe passed down from mother to daughter for generations. She hasn't wanted to marry...until that handsome Texan shows up.

Her heart skips a beat, and when he proposes, a hasty marriage follows. What ensues, however, is a clash of culture and a battle of wills--and it's clear they both mistook instant attraction and infatuation for love. As their marriage loses its sparkle and fills with disillusionment, Todd and Maggie must determine what is worth fighting for. He dreams of a farm. Maggie wants to fulfill the family tradition with her rose perfumes.

Todd's mother, however, has entirely different plans for her son that do not include Maggie. In light of their hasty marriage and mistaken dreams, is there any hope of recapturing their love and building a future together?

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

CFBA Blog Tour: Courting Miss Amsel by Kim Vogel Sawyer

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Courting Miss Amsel Bethany House (January 1, 2011) by Kim Vogel Sawyer


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and six grandchildren.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Edythe Amsel is delighted with her first teaching assignment: a one-room schoolhouse in Walnut Hill, Nebraska. Independent, headstrong, and a strong believer in a well-rounded education, Edythe is ready to open the world to the students in this tiny community. But is Walnut Hill ready for her?

Joel Townsend is thrilled to learn the town council hired a female teacher to replace the ruthless man who terrorized his nephews for the past two years. Having raised the boys on his own since their parents' untimely deaths, Joel believes they will benefit from a woman's influence. But he sure didn't bargain on a woman like Miss Amsel.

Within the first week, she has the entire town up in arms over her outlandish teaching methods, which include collecting leaves, catching bugs, making snow angels, and stringing ropes in strange patterns all over the schoolyard. Joel can't help but notice that she's also mighty pretty with her rosy lips, fashionable clothes, and fancy way of speaking.

When Edythe decides to take her pupils to hear Miss Susan Anthony speak on the women's suffrage amendment, the town's outcry reaches new heights. Even Joel isn't sure he can support her newfangled ideas any longer. And if he can't trust her to know how to teach the boys, how can he trust her with his heart?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Courting Miss Amsel, go HERE.

Coming Soon--New Blog for Moody Publishers!

Moody Publishers is pleased to announce our new corporate blog! We will be launching Inside Pages, at http://www.insidepages.net/, on January 17th and to celebrate we’re hosting daily giveaways from January 17th-29th, giveaways include a Kindle, iPod, new book releases, Ryrie Study Bibles, and more. Inside Pages will serve as Moody Publisher’s online forum on faith, publishing, and literary culture, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at publishing and creating a digital community for dialogue about books. Here you will hear from the editors about the changing face of traditional publishing, catch a sneak peek at upcoming titles and what goes on behind the publisher’s desk, and read devotionals and articles from our authors. Inside Pages will also regularly feature giveaways and free reading/writing resources. See http://www.insidepages.net/ for details. We hope to see you there!

Book Review: The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

About the book:

Miss Mariah Aubrey, banished after a scandal, hides herself away in a long-abandoned gatehouse on the far edge of a distant relative's estate. There, she supports herself and her loyal servant the only way she knows how--by writing novels in secret.

Captain Matthew Bryant, returning to England successful and wealthy after the Napoleonic wars, leases an impressive estate from a cash-poor nobleman, determined to show the society beauty who once rejected him what a colossal mistake she made.

When he discovers an old gatehouse on the property, he is immediately intrigued by its striking young inhabitant and sets out to uncover her identity, and her past. But the more he learns about her, the more he realizes he must distance himself. Falling in love with an outcast would ruin his well-laid plans. The old gatehouse holds secrets of its own. Can Mariah and Captain Bryant uncover them before the cunning heir to the estate buries them forever?

My thoughts:

Ever since reading The Silent Governess last year, I have been eagerly awaiting the next book by Julie Klassen.  The Silent Governess was one of those few books that grabbed my attention from page one, and I literally could not do anything else but sit and finish that book as quickly as I could.  So, when I received the offer to read and review The Girl and the Gatehouse, I was eager to revisit Regency England to see what Julie Klassen had in store.

Well, I have to say I was a bit disappointed.  You see, I'm not a huge Jane Austen fan.  I've liked the movies that I've seen (Sense and Sensibility being my favorite), but I've never had the desire to read her books.  This book made me realize that even more.  Maybe it was just simply the time period where things had a much slower pace because this book seemed far too long to me.  There seemed to be an abundance of secrets, as well as an abundance of characters that I had a hard time keeping it all straight.  All I could think to myself while reading was that I really wanted to like this book, but the continual addition of characters and subplots made it a bit of chore to finish.

While this book wasn't my cup of tea, I have no doubt that I will read whatever Ms. Klassen writes next.  I still need to read her earlier novels to get a more complete picture of her writing style.  I would recommend The Girl in the Gatehouse for fans of Jane Austen, and most fans of historical fiction would probably like it, too.  My rating is 3 Stars.

**Click here to read a synopsis of the book with a link to read the first chapter.

**Thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing a copy for review.

CFBA Blog Tour: The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen (and my brief thoughts, so far)

This week,

The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Girl in the Gatehouse

  Bethany House (January 1, 2011) by Julie Klassen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie says: My background is in advertising and marketing, but I am blessed with a dream job—working as an editor of Christian fiction. I have been writing since childhood, but Lady of Milkweed Manor was my first novel. It was a finalist for a Christy Award and won second place in the Inspirational Reader's Choice Awards. My second novel, The Apothecary's Daughter, was a finalist in the ACFW Book of the Year awards. I am currently writing one novel a year.

I graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoy travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends.

My husband and I have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Miss Mariah Aubrey, banished after a scandal, hides herself away in a long-abandoned gatehouse on the far edge of a distant relative's estate. There, she supports herself and her loyal servant the only way she knows how--by writing novels in secret.

Captain Matthew Bryant, returning to England successful and wealthy after the Napoleonic wars, leases an impressive estate from a cash-poor nobleman, determined to show the society beauty who once rejected him what a colossal mistake she made.

When he discovers an old gatehouse on the property, he is immediately intrigued by its striking young inhabitant and sets out to uncover her identity, and her past. But the more he learns about her, the more he realizes he must distance himself. Falling in love with an outcast would ruin his well-laid plans. The old gatehouse holds secrets of its own. Can Mariah and Captain Bryant uncover them before the cunning heir to the estate buries them forever?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Girl in the Gatehouse, go HERE.

My thoughts (so far):

This is one fabulous book!!  I haven't had much time to read in the past few days, but I am simply savoring each moment that I have with this particular novel.  I'm starting to realize (since I've only read one other novel by her) that Julie Klassen does not disappoint!  :o)

Full review to (hopefully) come next week.

CFBA Blog Tour and Book Review: Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer

This week, the

 Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Paradise Valley Bethany House (January 1, 2011) by Dale Cramer 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dale Cramer was the second of four children born to a runaway Amishman turned soldier and a south Georgia sharecropper's daughter. His formative years were divided between far-flung military bases, but he inherited his mother's sense of place—

He took on small construction projects at night to help make ends meet— "and to preserve the remainder of my sanity," he says. While building an office in the basement of a communications consultant, a debate over labor/management relations turned into an article on mutualism which found its way into an international business magazine. It was Dale's first published article, and he liked the feel of it. He bought books, studied technique, and began participating in an online writers' forum, writing during the boys' naps and after they went to bed at night. Before long he was publishing short stories in literary magazines and thinking about writing a book.

Three storylines vied for Dale's attention when he finally decided to write a novel. His first two choices were commercially viable secular stories, and a distant third appeared to be some kind of Christian saga about a broken-down biker. The process of determining which novel to write was settled by a remarkable encounter with his youngest son, a lost set of keys, and God. His sense of direction was suddenly clarified. In 1997, Dale began work on Sutter's Cross, which was eventually published in 2003.

His second novel, Bad Ground (July 2004), while it is not autobiographical, contains a great deal of material drawn from his own experience as a construction electrician.
He and his wife and two sons make their home in northern Georgia.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

An Amish settlement in Ohio has run afoul of a law requiring their children to attend public school. Caleb Bender and his neighbors are arrested for neglect, with the state ordering the children be placed in an institution. Among them are Caleb's teenage daughter, Rachel, and the boy she has her eye on, Jake Weaver. Romance blooms between the two when Rachel helps Jake escape the childrens home.
Searching for a place to relocate his family where no such laws apply, Caleb learns there's inexpensive land for sale in Mexico, a place called Paradise Valley. Despite rumors of instability in the wake of the Mexican revolution, the Amish community decides this is their answer. And since it was Caleb's idea, he and his family will be the pioneers. They will send for the others once he's established a foothold and assessed the situation.

Caleb's daughters are thrown into turmoil. Rachel doesn't want to leave Jake. Her sister, Emma, who has been courting Levi Mullet, fears her dreams of marriage will be dashed. Miriam has never had a beau and is acutely aware there will be no prospects in Mexico.
Once there, they meet Domingo, a young man and guide who takes a liking to Miriam, something her father would never approve. While Paradise Valley is everything they'd hoped it would be, it isn't long before the bandits start giving them trouble, threatening to upset the fledgling Amish settlement, even putting their lives in danger. Thankfully no one has been harmed so far, anyway.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Paradise Valley, go HERE.

My thoughts:

This book was like a breath of fresh air when it comes to the Amish fiction genre.  Never before have I read a historical tale about the Amish, and certainly, not one that saw them moving from Ohio to Mexico.  Not only were the circumstances totally new, but the telling of the story was superb.  This was my first experience with Dale Cramer, and I think I might be a fan for life.

For the most part, the story centered around Caleb Bender and his decision to move his family to Mexico.  Daughters Miriam, Emma, and Rachel and their stories were all featured pretty equally, but I wish that there had been more specifically focused on one of them.  This book seemed very much like an introduction book to give the reader the story of each character and their relationships within the family.  Now, honestly, this was not a bad thing as I had no trouble at all staying interested in the story.  There was always something happening--whether it was the fear of bandits stealing from their lands or robbing them on the side of the road, or the excitement of new life beginning for two of the daughters. 

One thing that really impressed me was that this was an Amish book that at times, didn't feel like an Amish book.  Once the family arrived in Mexico, they were literally all alone.  They still felt an accountability to God to maintain their faith and standards, but there were times that their strong trust in their faith crumbled.  It was interesting to see how they wrestled with their difficult circumstances without retaliating in anger or with violence, and something that, as a reader, I've not really experienced in an Amish novel up to this point.

This book would appeal to either men or women, and that's the first time I've been able to say that about an Amish novel.  Women will be able to relate to the struggles of starting over in a new place while keeping peace with a large family, and men will identify with the desire to protect their families the best way they can.  I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the series as the Bender family tries to forge a new place for the Amish in the mountains of Mexico.  My rating for Paradise Valley is 5 Stars.

**Many thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing a copy for review.

Book Review: Take One by Karen Kingsbury

About the book:

Filmmakers Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison left the mission field of Indonesia for the mission field of Hollywood with a dream bigger than both of them. Now they have done the impossible: raised enough money to produce a feature film with a message that could change the world.

But as Chase and Keith begin shooting, their well-laid plans begin to unravel. With millions of dollars on the line, they make a desperate attempt to keep the film from falling apart—even as a temperamental actress, a botched production schedule, and their own insecurities leave little room for the creative and spiritual passion that once motivated them. Was God really behind this movie after all? A chance meeting and friendship with John Baxter could bring the encouragement they need to stay on mission and produce a movie that will actually change people’s lives.

My thoughts:

I have been a fan of Karen Kingsbury since the start of her writing career. Her early novels are some of the best that Christian fiction has to offer. More so, her novels featuring the Baxter family pretty much have their own shelf at the bookstore. :o) This new series, Above the Line, still features the Baxter family, but they are no longer in the forefront as they have been in Karen's three sets of series preceeding this one.

What impressed me most about this book was that it dealt with real-life issues: jealousy, peer pressure, alcohol, temptation, etc. I have to say this was a nice change from some of her recent books where everything seems so tidy and everyone has a happy ending. The person that seemed to struggle the most in this book was Andi, the daughter of one of the movie producers. She's grown up the child of missionary parents, and feels that she's always been held to a different standard. She knows what she's been taught from God's Word, but she's reached the time in her life that she wants to experience things for herself, and not shy away from them simply because that's what she's always been told. I really applaud Kingsbury for creating a character that struggled with day-to-day life, and not another one who had a Scripture-verse answer for everything that went wrong. Mind you, those type of characters are not bad, but when you've been around them for the last 14 books of the Baxter saga, anything different is a welcome change.

With all that said, I'm looking forward to the rest of this series. I'm particularly anxious to see what happens between Bailey and Cody and Tim...methinks that little love triangle will be around for awhile. My rating for Take One is 4 Stars.