Sierra Jensen Collection; Volume 1 by Robin Jones Gunn

This is a young adult collection containing the titles Only You, In Your Dreams, and Don’t You Wish. 

Only You begins with 16-year-old Sierra on a mission trip to Europe. While Sierra is thrilled to have made new best friends, she worries what will happen to those friendships when she returns home. And, she wonders if she’ll ever get a boyfriend, after seeing both of her new best friends with theirs.

Sierra isn’t totally thrilled to be going home, either. A move to a totally new town awaits her. Her parents decided to move in with her aging Granna Mae since she was becoming confused and now needed help. Sierra meets Paul on the trip home, and asks him some pretty deep, thought-provoking questions.

Sierra arrives at her new home and starts at her new, private Christian school all within a week. Will she adjust to the larger school? Will she ever see the older Paul again?

I wish there would have been a prequel to this title. I haven’t read the Christy Miller series for teens, where Sierra was introduced, but it would have been nice to have a stand-alone book to really introduce Sierra, and then have it included in this series.

I haven’t read young adult books in a while, but am always looking for titles for my kids, so I thought it was worth a shot. Some of the situations and attitudes just didn’t resonate with me. I get that the book is about Sierra changing her attitude and making an effort to adapt. I feel like, though, that it’s kind of one-sided in that what Sierra changes about her behavior isn’t modeled by the other kids at school. For me, it’s easier to see a “wrong doing” or attitude adjusted when there is the opportunity for comparison.

I’m giving this title 3 out of 5 stars because it didn’t seem realistic enough to me. I will have my oldest daughter read this once I get the hard copy and see what she thinks. It’s entirely possible that my spin comes from being an adult. 

The format of this book was electronic, for my Kindle. I was not able to get the entire series; what I got only had the first title, which is why this is a partial review. I spent considerable time with Blogging For Books, Edelweiss and Amazon to sort out the issue. Amazon didn’t feel it was an issue with my device, but wasn’t able to compare files to validate that I wasn’t missing content from the original file.

Don’t let that keep you from ordering from Amazon, though, because the file size of the one it has is different from the one I received from the publisher.

In the end, I’m doing a partial review and B4B is going to send me a hard copy of this collection. Once I’ve gotten that and have read the other two books in the collection, I’ll update my review here.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman

Sephora’s three children are grown. Her husband is a well-known plastic surgeon. She looks like the picture of an accomplished southern lady. 

Life isn’t quite what Sephora had hoped for. She’s lonely. Her husband is a serial cheater. Sephora can’t even enjoy the magazine shoot and garden party for Southern Living Magazine at her home because the guest list includes women he’s cheated with.

Sephora decides she’s had enough.  She has her bags packed, and is ready to move to their summer house on the lake, when her husband, Bender, comes home early and unexpectedly.

He’s got cancer. He’s dying.  He wants her to take care of him at the summer house on the lake. ~~~~

I think the plot is pretty solid; it has a lot of potential. The book didn’t feel particularly long, and there were a lot of characters. Most of the characters weren’t necessary. In my mind, they didn’t add anything to the story line, and actually detracted from it because they weren’t central to the meat of the story.  It seemed like a lot of the book was spent on characters who didn’t matter, and there wasn’t enough development with the characters who did.

I didn’t feel Sephora’s change; I didn’t have enough good in the relationship for her to be “in love” with her husband. I found myself thinking his change was disingenuous, because the nature of brain tumors is often a change in personality. Did Bender change because he was repentant and he really did love her or was it the brain cancer?  There wasn’t enough of any of it to get a sense of how she took care of him while he was home and sick; a few paragraphs do not a relationship make, imo.

There was one scene where Sephora runs into a mistress at the hospital. Current mistress?  Former mistress?  I have no idea.  Apparently, the mistress would come on certain days every week. I just find this part odd. We already know that he cheated with numerous women throughout their decades long marriage. A lot more could have been done with this scenario, but it just wasn’t developed well enough for it to really grip me.

For my taste, the whole thing was undeveloped.  I think the premise is good.  It wasn’t a terrible read, but it certainly didn’t push my buttons. It was marginally ok. The characters weren’t deep enough or rich enough for me to really get into their heads.

I don’t think it was a matter of having too many characters or too much stuff going on- they just weren’t developed enough. One character in particular died and later on, this person was classified as a friend who mattered; a friend who would call. Honestly, by that point, I had to stop and think about who that person even was! Here again, the relationship was not ever developed to the point where I remembered the character or thought that kind of emotion could be assigned to it.

This was an e-book for me, so I have no idea of the “weight” of the book by looking at it- was it a heavy book?  A really thin book?  No idea. If it was the latter, I would say there could have easily been additional chapters to help with background and clarity- even memory sequences with an eye to the affairs would have been nice.  There was not enough background to really feel *why* Sephora was finally ready to go; you just had to accept that she was. On the flip side, there also wasn’t enough to understand why she decided she still loved him.

I’d like to say I could give this title raving reviews, but I just can’t. I have to give it 3 out of 5 stars. If this is typical of this author’s work, I’d probably read another before deciding not to get additional titles. There was just not enough there for me to want to actively pursue additional titles.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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Not By Might by Al Lacy

Old Colorado West. Outlaws. Lawmen. Doctors. And the women who love them.

14 years ago, Duke Foster was shot in the leg and crippled by lawman Chet McCarty, who had tracked Duke following a string of armed robberies in Missouri and Kansas.  While doing 10 years in Leavenworth, he secretly became friends with a prison guard. Once paroled, Foster handsomely paid his friend for what he’d done for him during the years he was imprisoned. 

Present day, that guard now works in another position the federal building in Denver, and has his ear to the ground.  He hears that Chet McCarty is on his way out to Denver.  After notifying Foster, it doesn’t take long for the gang to come up with a plan to kidnap McCarty; shoot him in the leg, and force him to live out his days confined in their hideout in the San Juan mountains.

The thorn in their side is U.S. Chief Marshall John Brockman, aka known as “the Stranger.”  John is a preacher gunman, and subordinate to Chet McCarty.  They are also friends.  John has an uncanny knack for killing those out to kill him, particularly in situations where normal men would be outmanned and outgunned.

Throw into the mix John’s wife, Breanna, a country doctor, a new nurse, and a Christian hospital staff, and you have a good mix of intrigue and concurrent plots to keep your interest.

I will say, I was initially thrilled that this book has locales that are my personal favorites in the country- the San Juan mountains in southern Colorado, Gunnison, Black Canyon, and Monarch Pass. (If you’ve never had the chance to get to these places- GO!  You won’t regret it! Here’s a picture of the Black Canyon area- see what I mean?)

Initially, I was disappointed.  The beginning of this book was SO slow going, I was not looking forward to having to plow through it. About midway, it picked up, though, and became quite good.

I appreciated the medical history. I appreciated the suspense.  One thing that I thought could have been better was the use of the same Bible story numerous times throughout the book.  I understand where the author was going with this; however, I think his point could have been made better had he used more than the single example.

This was an ok book.  I have favorite authors and while he is not one of them, I would read another of his titles if it became available to me.  I try to keep an open mind and read at least two or three books from an author before deciding whether or not to pursue additional titles.  That being said, those that don’t know much about Christianity or how to be saved would probably really appreciate this book.

I give this book 3.5 stars out of 5.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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The Crossing by Serita Jakes

10 years. That’s how long it’s been. That’s how long it’s been since Claudia was free.

10 years ago, Claudia’s life changed. No, 10 years ago, Claudia’s life unravelled.  Funny thing is, it’s only now that it’s beginning to show……

10 years ago, a school bus was stopped at a railroad crossing, and the lives of the people on the bus- mostly highschoolers- were changed forever. BJ, the young cheerleading coach and best friend to Claudia, was murdered.

Football star Casio was shot in the arm. Principal’s daughter Georgie gave CPR while waiting for the paramedics who were stranded on the other side of the train tracks by the long freight train. Cheerleader Claudia held BJ, sobbing and willing her to live.

10 years later, Claudia’s husband, Victor, is the Assistant District Attorney. He sets out to try to solve this cold case, hoping to bring closure to the community and help ease Claudia’s escalating panic attacks. It’s a race against the clock as Claudia’s emotional state and their marriage begin to collapse.

Written from a variety of perspectives (including the dying BJ), this book definitely keeps you guessing. In addition to the main story line, sub-plots totally, delightfully entangled all of these characters. Serita Jakes is absolutely one of my new favorite authors. I will definitely be looking for more of her books and recommending her to my friends!!

Because there were a few things that were a little bit confusing, I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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Forever Faithful Trilogy by Karen Kingsbury

Sequels!! Squee! This series in includes the titles Waiting for Morning, A Moment of Weakness, and Halfway to Forever.

If you have been reading my reviews, you may remember my recent review of Waiting for Morning. You may also recall that this is not my normal reading fare, since I generally don’t like to cry my way through books. Because this was such a recent read, I didn’t re-read this portion of the trilogy, but here’s a recap:

Hannah, a devout Christian woman, eagerly awaits the return of her husband and two daughters home from their annual fishing trip. As Hannah waits, she reflects on her blessed life with the love-of-her-life doctor husband and her two wonderful daughters. Hannah continues to wait, and as time passes, the sense of dread begins to consume her. The light at the end of that tunnel is finding Matt, an attorney whose specialty is this particular kind of case, and a renewed relationship with her surviving daughter, Jenny.

Book two, A Moment of Weakness, tells the story of Jade and Tanner, childhood friends, convinced they would grow up and marry each other. Every thing is on track until 10-year-old Jade’s mother leaves, and she and her father move to escape the legacy left behind.

11 years later….. Tanner’s life is on track as his mother would have it. An internship in a small town- Tanner’s mom is certain he and Jade won’t meet, and if they do, there is no way they would remember each other. Would they?

~~Spoiler alert~~~ Because this is a trilogy, if you don’t want the answer to whether or not Jade and Tanner reconnect, stop reading here.

Really.

Don’t.

Read.

Any.

More..

If you are still here, no doubt you’ve guessed the answer. Book three, Halfway to Forever, picks up both stories: Matt and Hannah; Jade and Tanner.

Matt and Tanner are partners in a law firm which specializes in defending religious freedom, and takes on high-profile cases where Christians are being persecuted, more or less. Both couples’ relationships are solid; both long for a child.

The obvious thread of all three books is, of, course, faithfulness. The faithfulness focused on isn’t the character’s faithfulness. Nope, this faithfulness is all about God’s faithfulness; His promises to us, during times of hardship and trial; His promise of faithfulness in times of plenty and of ease.

If you can get past the first book, this series is incredibly good. The first book wasn’t bad by any means, but the subject matter is tough stuff. All of the series characters are extremely well-developed, and I do think each book can stand alone. While an overview of the past is woven in, it doesn’t detract from the present story.

Because of the first book (which I gave 4.5 stars), this series gets a 4.5.  I’d give it 4 3/4 if I could.

I would definitely recommend this series to friends. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury

Hannah Ryan is waiting. Today is the day her husband and daughters return from their annual camping trip. As she waits, Hannah reflects on her life and is pleased. She feels lucky.  No, she feels blessed. Childhood best friends, Hannah always knew she wanted to marry Tom.  It took him a little longer, but it all worked out in the end. Hannah knows she has a charmed life. Pediatrician husband Tom; two great girls on the cusp of young adulthood; a life rich in faith…. yes, life is perfect. 

And Hannah waits, eagerly awaiting their return. As afternoon turns to evening, Hannah’s thoughts start to wander, and she tries to shake off her feeling of dread. When the squad car pulls into her driveway, her instinct is to flee…………

I had read the title summary, of course, and thought I was prepared for the topic of this book. This is not the typical kind of book I read for pleasure.  True to form, this book was a bit depressing for my preference. This is definitely not a feel-good-pick-me-up book. While things resolve more or less near the end of the book, by the first few pages, I could tell that I would have rather chosen a different title to review.

That being said, the writing and character development is very good.  The author draws you in right away, and in many ways, this book becomes a train wreck- something you don’t really want to be involved in, but once you’ve seen a little bit, you feel you have to know the outcome, one way or another.

This topic is raw; harsh reality. Have your box of tissues handy for the duration of this read. I would recommend this book to someone who is in a dark place in their life, but only if they are committed to reading it to the end, because if they don’t, they might miss the point of the story, and this could send them over the edge.  Tragically difficult- and important- this topic is heavy, and this title is not for the faint of heart. I will probably track down the sequel to this book, just to see if it’s more upbeat.

Because of the subject matter, I give this book 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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Mercy Come Morning by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Successful.  Accomplished.  Respected.  Professional. These are all words that Krista could use to describe herself as a professor of history.

Longing. Distant. Thorny. Unloved? These words are directly conflict with the way Krista lives her life. They come to her unbidden, and now she is running out of time.

For the last ten years plus, Krista has lived her life hundreds of miles away and emotionally removed from her mother, who has been robbed by Alzheimer’s. Krista’s relationship with her mother has been a struggle her whole life; feeling like a burden to her mostly single mother; trying-and failing- to please her mother; wishing she could feel loved by her mother. Krista never met her father, and as her mother slips away, she knows she has to face this head on; to try to reconcile the relationship within herself before her only remaining family is physically gone forever.

While hundreds of miles away, Krista has made sure that her estranged mother had the best care possible.  That care comes in the form of a skilled nursing facility run by her first (and only?) love, Dane. Krista comes home as the end nears for her mother.  Can she face and overcome her demons?

This book had a solid plot and execution. It was entirely too short, though. I really felt like the characters could have been developed even more and the book could have been more revealing. This tells you how much I liked the characters- I wanted more! 

While there were relatively few characters, I think they could have had their history explored more- more memories of times and experiences together- without it being detrimental to the story line.  I think had this book been longer, I would have definitely given it a 5 star rating.  Because of the length, I have to give it 4 stars.  This was too short read for me, but the plot and characters were solid.  I would definitely recommend this to a friend, but would encourage another title as a companion read, because this book will be over entirely too soon!

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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Saving Grace by Annie Jones

Rose, Naomi, Mary Lucille, and Gayle: after forming the Prayer Tree circle, they have started to drift apart, each consumed in her own life. Naomi misses her friends.  She misses the connection they had as a group.  But, Naomi has a plan.  Each year, New Bethany has the Splendor Belle Gala.  A time-honored tradition, it started off as the way young ladies were introduced into society.  These days, it’s basically a fundraiser for the holiday season.

Legend has it that old Grace Grayson-Wiley was stood up on the night of her ball, over 50 years ago. Hard times, having hit one of the town’s most prominent families, “the family’s entire future rested squarely and irrefutably on the shoulders of the petite eighteen-year-old Grace. She had to go the Belle Gala to meet and mingle, with hope to win the marriageable intentions of the only kind of man that could save her family from their predicament.”

After a brief marriage, widowed Grace returned home, and sits on her porch each year in the gown she had worn that fateful night, waiting for the date that never came.

Naomi has an idea for a “project” that will bring her circle of friends back together, and one that will, hopefully, bring some life back to Grace- if she doesn’t shoot them first.

This book had me chuckling from the beginning. This book is filled with characters, but there was no getting lost and mixing up who was who.  All of the story lines, I thought, were well presented and very nicely wrapped up at the end. Normally, I’m not a fan of stories within stories, because I think they are usually presented in a way where I feel like the characters are lacking.  Not so with this title!

I would definitely recommend this as good reading.  I’m inclined, too, to go back and find the first book in this series, because these are heartwarming characters that ring of authenticity.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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Here Burns My Candle; Liz Curtis Higgs

I love historical fiction!  Set against a backdrop of 1745 Scotland, this book does not disappoint.  Secrets of the Kerr family abound during the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite Rebellion.  Their quest was to claim the British throne for James Francis Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie’s father.  Supporting the Jacobites takes a huge toll on the Kerr women; with secrets revealed and results none of them anticipated. 

Characters are well-developed overall; leaving the reader feeling attached to them. I am, however, not a fan of skunky characters without real consequence from others, at least not without significant struggle and tangible thought process leading to the responses. The reaction to some offenses are too flippant for my personal taste, which led to a lack of complete character resonance with me.

That being said, there was character metamorphosis, on a variety of levels for many of the main players.  I found myself emotionally invested, but wished that certain scenarios had more depth, more time spent with internal thinking; more “something.”

I will definitely make a point to get the sequel, to see what happens next in the journey. If you like historical fiction, you will enjoy this book.  I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  Click below to help me out by ranking my review!

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Tandem by Tracey Bateman

Mysterious small town murders in Missouri.  A stranger brought to the town by a package originating there. Will she find the answers she’s searching for? 

Lauryn manages the family estate auction house business, now that her dad is failing due to Alzheimer’s. An only child, she struggles with his care and downward spiral. The current estate causes a town tangle, the likes of which have never been seen before.

As Lauryn sends the package, she has no idea what is being unleashed. Is the package connected to the recent murders in Abbey Hills? What troubles lurk, should the package recipient come to town, looking for answers?

At first blush, the previews of this book read like a classic murder-mystery.  By page 13, I had figured out that nothing could be further from the truth! What a thrill it was to have something completely unexpected crop up in what I thought was going to be a routine who-done-it read.

Not having read any of the author’s previous thirty books, I didn’t have a clue what I was getting into. I make it a policy not to read reviews of other books written by authors I am reading for the first time, nor do I research an author before reading. I’m intrigued now, and will make a note to read other books by Tracey Bateman when I get the chance.

If you have an open mind and like books that aren’t run-of-the-mill and have plots with major, interesting twists, this book is right up your alley.  If you prefer straight, literal reality-based stories and shy away from the funky, Tandem may not be one to put on your list of must-reads.  As a book-of-all-kinds lover, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I give it 5 stars out of 5.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  Click below to help me out by ranking my review!

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