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A Girl’s Best Friend, The Spa Girls Series #2 By Kristin Billerbeck / Thomas Nelson Morgan’s a girl who has it all, or so it seem. But even with diamonds at her disposal, a fabulous figure and a doting daddy, her well-sculpted life has left her without an identity to call her own. To add insult to injury, the Prince Charming she thought she’d found to rescue her proved to be a dud. So with all of that going on, a getaway with her best friends was in order. And it’s then that Morgan can rejuvenate, regroup and figure out with God’s help how to make a life she can live with. 1

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Kelly’s Review:

A Girl’s Best Friend is the second novel in Kirstin Billerbeck’s Spa Girls series. The Spa Girls are three friends in the San Francisco area - Lily, Morgan and Poppy. The Spa Girls met in college and have been friends ever since. They are all approaching 30 and are dealing with various phases in their lives. Dealing includes many trips to their favorite spa, of course.

This novel’s central character is Morgan. Morgan is one who seems to “have it all” from all outward appearances. Her father is in the diamond business and Morgan’s job has always been to showcase her father’s jewel collections and to just be on the fashion scene. Morgan is wealthy and has so much at her disposal, but she finds that material things don’t always add up to happiness and certainly don’t bring her love.

In this novel, Morgan begins to question her father’s motives and winds up on her own. She has to learn what she can live with and without. I felt that Morgan’s character was very superbly developed. Throughout the course of the novel, she was revealed to have her flaws just like everyone else. She was real and I felt that I could relate to her trials in the way that her actions and reactions were written.

This is a great read. There are many reminders throughout the book of putting our trust in God’s sovereignty. There are encouraging and uplifting examples of dealing with low times in the walk of faith. This book is more than “chick lit” , without a doubt. I recommend it whole-heartedly. In fact, I recommend this series. I’ve moved on now to the third and final book in the series and I can’t wait to review it here as well! Excellent book, great series!!

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The Spa Girl Series 3 volume pack By Kristin Billerbeck / Thomas Nelson

A Time to Mend, Safe Harbor Series #1 By Sally John & Gary Smalley / Thomas Nelson Claire Beaumont shatters her marriage with one simple sentence: “Max, either the business goes or I do.” The ultimatum exposes long unaddressed wounds in her husband, herself, and their four adult children. Will a fatal fire reignite their passion for each other—or destroy everything they’ve worked for together? 320 pages, softcover from Nelson.

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Kelly’s Review

This is the first novel in Sally John and Gary Smalley’s new Safe Haven series which was just released this year. I enjoyed reading this book. I felt that the story lines were very well developed and weren’t overly clinched nor were they too predictable. The character development in this book is really rich and the characters each bring depth to the story lines.

I appreciated that this novel touched upon issues that are real and relevant in marriage, especially Christian marriages. Topics covered include submission, fidelity and also providing each partner with a safe harbor within the marriage. I thought that each facet of the story was handled beautifully.  This is a great read for those who are married whether facing trials or not. The issues and lessons of the story could serve as reminders to many of us even if we are never faced with the exact same situations.

I recommend this one. It’s a worthy read. I will be looking forward to more books in this series. I will also be sure to check out more works by Sally John.

On April 28th, I posted a review of The Shack by William P Young. It has been two weeks since that post and I still find myself reflecting on the book. In my initial review, I noted that this book didn’t change my life because, honestly, it wasn’t life-altering for me. But, to say that it has been thought-provoking is an understatement. When a book continues to remain on my mind for days and weeks after I have completed it, as The Shack has done, then I know the message has gone deeper than words can convey.

The main messages that have remained with me since I read this book are these:

Forgiveness - In this novel, the main character, Mack, has to come to terms with making peace with the death of his daughter. He has to find a pathway to forgiveness in order to attain any sort of peace. He has been encumbered by a “Great Sadness” to the extent that the sadness became his very identity. His very soul was being darkened by sorrow, hatred and bitterness. Coming to a place of healing for his heart and soul was not easy. I appreciated the way the book didn’t sugar-coat what he was going through nor make light of the struggles he faced in his faith in the aftermath of his daughter’s death. His struggles were so real and the way he worked through them were emotionally raw and powerful. That element really touched me and made a lasting impression upon my heart.

Redemption - In this novel we learn that Mack has struggled basically all his life. He had a rough and terrible childhood and a hard upbringing. He made his own way in the world and in many ways overcame his past, but it still haunts him daily. He loves his family and is broken by his inability to protect his daughter from death. By grace Mack goes through a process of finding his way to feeling worthy of forgiveness and embracing the love of God. That really pulled on my own heartstrings. I sometimes feel that as a sinner, I don’t have any right to God’s love, but that is absolute incorrect thinking on my part. God doesn’t ask us to earn His love, but He does ask us to accept it. And, forgiveness also comes so freely from God. He doesn’t hold onto our sins, but we hold onto them ourselves making us captive to them. This novel beautifully demonstrates the need to let go and give ourselves completely over to God.

Love - We’ve all heard it said that “God is love” and The Shack resounds that message very beautifully. There are times when the emotional charge of the display of love is emotionally raw and I found that to be the most beautiful message in the story. As parents, we love our children to the depth of our very souls. And, yet, I know that I am guilty of neglecting to remember that I am God’s child and He loves me even more than that.

I don’t want to say much more about the book because I am trying to be extra careful not to give too much away for those that haven’t read it yet. Several staff members at our church are all abuzz about this book! I’ve also had some interesting conversations with others that have read it.I hope that anyone that reads this will pick up a copy of this book. I am not going to say that it will change your life or anything, but I will tell you that it will leave a message on your heart.

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The Shack By William P. Young / Windblown Media Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his “Great Sadness,” Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant “The Shack” wrestles with the timeless question, “Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?” The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!

The Proposal, The English Garden Series #1 By Lori Wick / Harvest House Publishers Lifelong bachelor William Jennings is a fierce-tempered, agnostic 19th-century Englishman—and an unlikely candidate for fatherhood. But when a distant relative dies, he finds himself guardian of three children, and in over his head! Taking refuge at his sister’s home, he befriends her kindhearted neighbor, Marianne. Can she change his mind about faith . . . and family? 300 pages, softcover from Harvest.

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Kelly’s Review:

This is the first book I have read by Lori Wick and I can say with certainty that I will be reading more of her works. in fact, The Proposal is the first novel in The English Garden series and I will be reading the rest of the books in the series at some point in the future.

This is a novel involving three children (two boys and a girl) who have been orphaned when their father is killed in a tragic accident. They are taken in by a bachelor uncle who is certain he has no want of a wife, but has a fondness for children nonetheless. Initially the uncle finds himself more drawn to the boys as he feels that he doesn’t quite understand little girls. It is discovered that the nanny he hired for the little girl is mistreating the child, so he fires the nanny and sets about to make things right with the girl as well as her brothers. Through the course of the story, the uncle and the children go to visit the uncle’s sister and her family so that he may reconcile with them and learn the ways of parenting in their home. It is at the sister’s home that he meets an intriguing lady neighbor whom the children come to adore immediately. The uncle has also had long-harbored disdain for religion and the church. The novel reveals his growing curiosity about faith and acceptance of Christ along the way. The novel also details the emotional growth of a man who comes to terms not only with being a family and having faith, but also learning to trust in love.

This book is beautifully written. It had such a classic feel to it. I felt myself drawn to the children immediately. I enjoyed the development of the uncle’s character tremendously. In all, I feel that this is a very nice read. As I mentioned before, I am very interested in reading the rest of the novels in this series.

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English Garden Series, Volumes 1-4 By Lori Wick / Harvest House Publishers

Dawn’s Light, Restoration Series #4 By Terri Blackstock / Zondervan In the final book of the Restoration Series by bestselling author Terri Blackstock, the end of a global electrical blackout signals the beginning of the Branning family’s ultimate test. Murder and affairs of the heart form the backdrop for a family sifting through the lessons they have learned-and how well they have truly learned them.

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Kelly’s Review:

Dawn’s Light is the fourth and final novel in Terri Blackstock’s Restoration series. I have read each of these books almost as soon as they came out, so I was especially anxious to read this last installment and it did not disappoint. The series is incredible and, to me, this is the best book of the series. Terri Blackstock really saved the best for last. Don’t get me wrong, the other three books are outstanding, but I definitely feel that this book had every possible element to be the perfect conclusion to this series.

The thing that touched me the most in this book was the way the central family in the book, the Brannings, deals with the many trials and tribulations that have come their way as a result of the global power outage. In this novel, the Brannings’ faith is put to the ultimate test and the way Terri Blackstock has written it, every element is emotionally riveting and powerful. The way the family, and in particular the mother (Kay), handles this huge test of faith is just so real. Again, I appreciate that this wasn’t written like “cleaned-up Christianity”, but is emotionally raw and true. The way the family works through the trial is inspiring and definitely brought to mind how I think I would react in a similar situation. I was drawn into this element of the story and it was just incredibly powerful.

The other elements of the story are superbly written as well. There are elements of suspense, romance, excitement and renewal. Terri Blackstock ties it all together just beautifully. My reading of this book just flew by. It never had any points that felt like they were dragging or weighing down the story. Everything moved at just the perfect pace and I didn’t want to put it down once I started it.

If you haven’t read the other three books in the Restoration series, I highly recommend reading them first. Save this one because it’s worth the wait. And, if you have read the others and haven’t gotten to this one yet, get it! This book delivers and is one of the best books I have read all year! Kudos to Terri Blackstock for another excellent novel and terrific series!!

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To purchase this book, please see the link above. To purchase others in the series, you can click on the following links:

Last Light, Restoration Series #1 By Terri Blackstock / Zondervan Terror reigns when electrical power is cut off across the world-creating a global crisis that reveals even deeper darkness within human hearts. What would you do? Whom could you and your family trust, especially if there was a killer in the neighborhood? The first book in this exciting new series from Terri Blackstock.

Night Light, Restoration Series #2 By Terri Blackstock / Zondervan * As global catastrophe plunges the world into darkness, survival becomes everybody’s new lifestyle. The Brannings must choose between hoarding their possessions or sharing with others. When young thieves raid their pantry, Jeff Branning tracks them down, uncovering a trail of desperation and murder—and a new purpose that’ll transform their family and the community! 352 pages, softcover from Zondervan.

True Light, Restoration Series #3 By Terri Blackstock / Zondervan On so many chilling levels The “what if” question arises as a global catastrophe affects the residents of Oak Hollow. They now have had to deal without electricity for eight months and the deep winter nights have set in. Tension mounts when a young man is murdered. Is Mark Green the killer? The darkness from the blackout also reveals the darkness in human hearts as the survival of the fittest gets more intense.

The Shack By William P. Young / Windblown Media Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his “Great Sadness,” Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant “The Shack” wrestles with the timeless question, “Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?” The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!

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Kelly’s Review:

I purchased this book over the weekend after reading a recommendation for it in a friend’s online journal. I actually didn’t set out to get it, but we were at Lifeway and when I saw it I remembered her recommendation, so we bought it. I’m so glad we did!! This book tells an amazing story and the messages contained within it are truly powerful.

I am mixed on how to properly review The Shack because at different points in the book, I had different reactions to it. There were times when I was saddened by the events of the story. There were times when I was moved. There were times when, honestly, I was confused. There were even times when I felt it was going way out in an weird direction. But, it kept pulling me in and pulling me back to reading. The story and the messages are powerful. Even through sadness, confusion, oddity and even elation, I just felt like I was supposed to be reading the book. I felt that I needed to take in the overall message and not get lost in the subtleties elsewhere. And, I did. I had to force myself to put it down at times and take a break from reading. I had to make myself slow down and embrace the message. And, yes, sometimes I had to make myself pick it back up again. It was worth it all. I came through this book with such an uplifted spirit.  I’m so glad I read it and I can recommend it without any reservation whatsoever. This book didn’t change my life, but it touched my heart and gave me some beautiful insights that I appreciate so much. That is what I would like to see shared with others.

I may have more to share on this later. But, for now these are the words that have come to me and I hope they are adequate to express how much I enjoyed this book. It blessed my heart and I have no reservation in recommending it to others.

The Book of Jane By Anne Dayton / Random House, Inc Jane Williams knows just where she’s headed in life. She has a dream job, lives in a ritzy Manhattan apartment, and plans to wed the love of her life. But in a heartbeat her perfectly planned world falls apart. Has God forgotten her? A witty, contemporary retelling of Job’s story with a sophisticated twist! 294 pages, softcover from Broadway.

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Kelly’s Review:

The Book of Jane is a modern-day take on the Biblical story of Job. Jane Williams, a New Yorker who seems to “have it all”, is the central character. Jane has a job she loves, a boyfriend she adores, a great apartment and more. Everything in her world is just perfect and she is thankful for all the blessings in her life.  The tables start to turn and Jane is met with one disaster in her life after another. Whatever can go wrong for her does.  Jane knows that she has to continue to rely on God and believe in His graciousness, even in the darkest of times. But, will she?!

I don’t mean to leave a cliffhanger in the book description above, but I just don’t want to give away anything in the plot.  The way Jane’s trials and reactions are written in this book are very believable.  Jane’s trials have a domino effect - first one, then another, then ANOTHER and so forth. Her reaction to those trials is not oversimplified which I appreciated. The book is written in a way that illustrates that Christians suffer too. Too often I think that some novels are guilty of “cleaning up” Christianity and making it seem as though all it takes is a prayer heavenward to set things straight. That’s simply not the case as we all know. I found it encouraging to read a novel in which the character had so many trials and faced them with God’s guidance, but also with her own human emotions showing.

This was a great read. It was what some would call “chick lit”, I’m sure, but definitely chick lit of great quality.  The read, for me, was enjoyable and inspirational. I will be sure to read more books by these authors in the future.

Frasier Island By Susan Page Davis / Harvest House Publishers After specialized underwater training, Ensign Rachel Whitney is posted to a remote island in the North Pacific, a tiny scrap of rock guarding a highly classified secret. She could love her new assignment if her commanding officer, Lt. George Hudson, were not so obstinate and a bit distrustful.Despite George’s first reaction to her presence on the island, Rachel sets out to prove she is perfect for the job. She doesn’t dream of being a heroine or falling in love, but months later, when word leaks out about the prize they are guarding, Rachel and George have few resources besides each other and their faith in God to foil an enemy attack that could endanger all of America.

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KELLY’S REVIEW:

I read Frasier Island second although it is actually the first book in a series. I read Finding Marie first and really enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to reading Frasier Island. I actually wish I had read Frasier Island first. This is not because the books are that closely intermingled as far as the story lines go, but this book actually had a little less action than Finding Marie. I wouldn’t have gone into it anticipating more action if I had read it first. However, I will say that the parts that contained action were very well written and kept me riveted. I don’t feel that the book was at all lacking action, certainly, but after reading Finding Marie first I somewhat anticipated more.The book was most definitely an enjoyable read even without the amount of action in the second novel.

The character development in Frasier Island is superb. I really felt that I got a great insight into the lead characters, George and Rachel, as well as the secondary character of Pierre. The way Susan Davis writes, I feel connected to the surroundings and the characters. I could relate to the characters even with no military or combat experience due to Davis’ insightful and descriptive writing style.

I very much appreciate a novel that doesn’t portray Christians as perfect and shows how all Christians deal with struggles in their lives through their walks of faith. Davis does this beautifully with both Frasier Island and Finding Marie. This provided yet another way I could relate to the characters even without having experienced similar situations.

I very much enjoyed this book and the series. I look forward to the next installment as well. Add these books to your reading list and keep an eye out for future works by the talented Susan Page Davis!

Sweet Caroline, Low Country Series #1

I just noticed that Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck is on sale at Christian Book! For a limited time, this great book is only $5.99 plus shipping/handling!

I reviewed Sweet Caroline a couple of weeks ago. It is a GREAT read! I highly recommend it, so don’t miss out on this great deal!

Finding Marie By Susan Page Davis / Harvest House Publishers Boarding a plane in San Francisco, Marie Belanger is looking forward to flying home to Maine. But suddenly she’s on the run when a computer drive mysteriously appears in her luggage and a woman is murdered. Her husband, Peter, is scouring the country looking for her. Will he find her before the killer does? 350 pages, softcover from Harvest.

Kelly’s Review:

Finding Marie is a suspense novel that is full of action and captivated my attention from the very first page. I didn’t realize that this is actually the second in a series by Susan Page Davis, but not knowing didn’t take away anything at all from this book. It captivated me and kept me wanting to read more with every page. I actually hated to put it down and walk away from it when I had to take breaks in reading. I don’t read a lot of action stories, but I should read more because I was thoroughly engrossed in this novel from start to finish.

The main storyline of Finding Marie revolves around Marie Belanger. She has left her beloved husband, Pierre, in Japan and is returning home to the U.S. with other Navy dependents. While on a layover in San Francisco, she witnesses the murder of another Navy wife named Jenna. Marie finds herself on the road from those that killed Jenna AND from an opposing group as well. Marie comes to realize that she has a computer flash drive that Jeanna had apparently planted in Marie’s belongings before she was killed. Marie has to rely on every resource she can come up with in order to survive and outmaneuver those who are seeking to catch and potentially kill her. Through her ordeal, she shows examples of faith, courage and wisdom in prayer. Once her husband finds out she is missing, he and his best friend, another Naval officer, return Stateside and join the NCIS, FBI and CIA in their search for Marie and manhunt for the killers.

This book is absolutely riveting. I felt myself tense up on several occasions and looked forward to breathing a sigh of relief whenever that time came. There were also times when I thought a sigh of relief was forthcoming and I had to keep white-knuckling through to get there. I enjoyed the pace, the timing and the suspense contained within the chapters. My interest level was kept high throughout the novel.

I would certainly recommend this one. Perhaps read the first novel in the series, Frasier Island first. As I said above, I didn’t read it first, but it’s next on my reading list. Wish I had read the series in sequence, but Finding Marie definitely stood on its own as an excellent novel. I look forward to a third installment and feel certain I will read more of Susan Page Davis in the future.