MORTAL FIRE

I received a copy of MORTAL FIRE by C. F. Dunn from Monarch Books via Kregel. It is part of the Secret of the Journal series.  I tried really hard to like this book.  I love journals, I love secrets, and I love mysteries – so yes, I was excited to read this when I received it in the mail.  The cover also intrigued me.  I guess you really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.  

I read this a few weeks ago and decided to sit on it before writing a review. I started one and then deleted it.  So, it seems only fair to point out the positives first in this review.  The story was realistic and I enjoyed the characters.  I enjoyed seeing Emma, the main character, make friends and fall in love.  The thing I liked the most about the novel was that Emma is a professor.  I’m teaching college classes for the first time this autumn semester.  I compared my college with Emma’s, and even though my community college must be much smaller than an “exclusive university.”  I had fun comparing the people at the university with people I work with.  I also love history, so I could connect with Emma on that level.  

My major fault with the story is hard to place my finger on: I just couldn’t get into the story.  The first chapter, involving a car accident, confused me, taking me out of the novel.  I’m sure that other people would enjoy this, especially other professors.  I will probably look for book two, ABYSS, when it comes out, so that I can give the series another chance. 

WHISPERS ON THE WIND

Lauraine Snelling is one of my favorite authors of Christian historical fiction.  I read her series, Dakotah Treasures, when I was in high school.  After book 1, RUBY, I rushed to the bookstore to read the rest.  I also read her books TENDER MERCIES and A PROMISE FOR ELLIE, both from different series.  I didn’t love them as much as Dakotah Treasures; however, I was thrilled to receive WHISPERS IN THE WIND by Lauraine Snelling from Bethany House.  When I saw it available, I literally said, “Yes!”  It’s the second novel in the Wild West Wind series.  I haven’t read book one yet, but I’ll look for it next time I need to buy a book (which will happen soon, trust me).  I’ll also keep watch for book three when it comes out. 

WHISPERS IN THE WIND involves Cassie Lockwood.  Her father is dead and she left his defunct Wild West show to lay claim to his ranch in South Dakota.  However, he’d purchased the ranch with a friend, so only half of the land belongs to Cassie.  Throughout the story, Cassie faces many struggles: she has to convince the other owners to accept her, she has to decide if she loves Lucas, and she has to survive in a new home.  I enjoyed that she was a trick shooter, but would have liked to have seen more that aspect.  I also would have liked to have seen much, much more to the story than just her struggles.  After a few chapters, I wanted something awesome to happen.  Yes, there were adventures and dangers, but the story seemed too focused on Cassie adapting to the ranch. 

While I enjoyed the novel, I never felt that I connected well with Cassie.  We’re two very different people.  I personally liked Gretchen, a little girl on the ranch, much better, and looked forward to the parts about her. 

I do recommend this to other fans of Christian historical fiction.  It’s a sweet story that left me with a smile, and many times I laughed at Cassie’s ragtag family.   It really brought the time period to life. 

SNEAK

I received a copy of SNEAK by Evan Angler from Thomas Nelson via BookSneeze. It’s the second book in the Young Adult, dystopian Swipe series (which starts with SWIPE, which I also read, courtesy of BookSneeze, and loved).  While I do love reading, only a few actually get me so excited I can’t wait to read.  This was did as soon as I opened the packaging.  SWIPE left me anxious to learn what happened to the main characters, Logan and Erin.  This quenched my thirst while still leaving me eager for what I hope will be a third book in the series.  I literally read SNEAK in one day; I couldn’t put it down for long. 

While I do read dystopian novels, that genre isn’t my friend.  I’ll often read them because one of my friends loves dystopian stories, so we can discuss them.  SNEAK actually made me want to write a dystopian.  Evan Angler is an outstanding wordsmith.  Without being too wordy, each sentence packs a punch and leaves you reading onward.  Despite the futuristic setting, the characters and adventures are realistic. 

The people in Evan Angler’s world must be Marked by the government.  After they are Marked, they can buy groceries, go to concerts, etcetera.  The Swipe series follows a group of the unmarked through danger, twists, and turns.  Since Erin and Logan are main characters, boys and girls will both enjoy SNEAK.  It would be a great addition to a middle or high school classroom library.  

CRUEL HARVEST

I received a copy of CRUEL HARVEST: A MEMOIR by Fran Elizabeth Grubb with Bryan Reardon, from Thomas Nelson via BookSneeze. This is one of the most gripping memoirs I have ever read.  Once again, this was a book that captured me from page one and left me breathless by the time I finished reading in one sitting.  It reads like a novel, very smooth, with realistic dialogue.  Many times, I had to remind myself that these horrific events had really happened to an innocent young girl.  I imagined the students I have taught in the past and I cringed to picture them, or anyone, in such situations. 

The memoir involves Fran Grubb’s childhood, a twisted nightmare she had to endure without help.  So many parts left my mouth gaping; other sections made me shudder.  Her family members fled her father, but for a long while, Fran was stuck with him.  She watched him kill her sister and sexually assault them.  I wept with Fran during many of the heart-wrenching events depicted in the chapters, and at the end, I cheered for her hopes.  To have become such a wonderful Christian woman proves what a strong person she really is.  I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a though-provoking read. 

When Hope Blossoms

I received a copy of WHEN HOPE BLOSSOMS by Kim Vogel Sawyer, from Bethany House. I had never read a book with a Mennonite protagonist before, so I was excited to learn about the religion and culture.  From chapter two onward, I was hook.  Sadly, chapter one was a little slow, so I beg you to at least read a few chapters in before making an opinion about the book.  By the time I was halfway through, I couldn’t stop, and read late into the night.   

Amy, a young Mennonite widow, moves to a new town with her three children.  Her son, Parker, suffered a head trauma that left him with a disability.  The neighbor, Tim, left the Mennonite faith because of his strict upbringing.  At first, he resents the Mennonites, but slowly becomes attached to Amy’s children (which I found a little odd.  Throughout the book, I got a sense of their strong relationship, but now how he was with Amy until the very end.  Their romance seemed sudden and unprepared, but didn’t make me like the book any less).  Little by little, he reopens his heart to the Mennonite faith. 

The story was very touching as it showed his progress.  I would have liked to see more growth from Amy and the children, but the story really focused on Tim.  His character is three-dimensional and realistic.  I learned a lot about the Mennonites and hope to find more books about them.  

MY POP-UP BIBLE STORIES

I received a copy of MY POP-UP BIBLE STORIES by Juliet David, illustrated by Daniel Haworth from Candle Books through Kregel Publications. In case you can’t tell from the title, it’s a pop-up book – of Bible stories! I’d never seen one like it before, and I by the time I finished reading it, I had mixed feelings. Originally, I was thrilled. Children and adults love pop-up books. They bring the stories to life in a 3-D sense that a mere picture book can’t do. When I was subbing and doing my student teaching in local elementary schools, children loved the pop-up books best. The school library even had a few that were always out. Since they delight children so much, it’s a great idea to make one about the Bible.

Sadly, I wasn’t as thrilled when I finished reading it. Each page was a different Bible story, such as Daniel in the Lion’s Den. While I loved all of the stories, integral to understanding the Christian faith, the single page that included only a few paragraphs didn’t do the story justice. It felt rushed and incomplete, leaving me with more questions than answers. A parent or teacher reading this to a child could then go to the Bible and continue the lesson, but since the stories are so sparse, they don’t capture the imagination or hold interest.

On a more positive note, the pictures are eye-catching and child-friendly. As a supplement to a lesson, this would be a great resource. Despite my misgivings, I did enjoy the book, and recommend it to teachers and parents.

GRANT: SAVIOR OF THE UNION

I received a copy of GRANT: SAVIOR OF THE UNION by Mitchell Yockelson, from Thomas Nelson via BookSneeze.  It is part of The Generals, a series about powerful Christian leaders.  As soon as I got it, my dad and uncle both requested to borrow it when I finished.  My mom also asked to read it, so it isn’t just a “boy” book. 

Prior to reading, I had known only a little about Ulysses S. Grant: a Civil War General who fought for the Union with great success and later became a United States President.  This biography makes him out to be so much more.  Yes, he did fight for President Abraham Lincoln, but he was also an ordinary man, who loved fishing and his family.  Spread out over sixteen chapters, the reader gets to experience Grant’s struggles with him.  I would have liked to learn more about his home life and childhood, though – these topics were rushed.  The biography focuses more on his part in the Civil War.  It is written in a simple way for anyone to enjoy, making it a fast read.  It will especially appeal to Civil War buffs and past war enthusiasts. 

I recommend this to history fans, as well as Christian readers who are looking for a role model.  Despite his faults, Ulysses S. Grant is someone to look up to; this biography proves why.