"Unending Devotion" Review

It’s 1883, and Lily Young is on the search of her life. Her younger sister has been lured to the taverns and brothels of the lumber camps, and Lily is determined to search every single town in Michigan until she finds her.

Connell McCormick, boss of the McCormick lumber camps in Harrison, Michigan, works hard to earn the respect of his father, a wealthy lumber baron. When Lily comes blazing into town searching for her sister, she challenges everything he has known about the lumber business and about himself.

As more and more evil comes to light in the town of Harrison, Connell and Lily must work together to save the town from the man who has held it in his grip for far too long. But will it be in time to save Lily’s sister? And will the differences between Connell and Lily be too much to overcome?

Having enjoyed Jody Hedlund’s previous novel, The Doctor’s Lady, I was very interested to read this one. I have read a few historical novels taking place in lumber camps, but I don’t recall reading one that came so totally at the story from the angle of the many social ills that existed in these places.

If I take the book as a whole, the overall story was riveting. The idea of one man controlling an entire town and using it for his sordid gain was a bizarre but fascinating concept, and it was amazing to find out that this is based on actual events in Harrison, Michigan, during this time period. The ‘rescue’ scenes were very exciting and thrilling to read, especially the final one. The flow of this novel was very well done also. The order of events made sense, and I never felt as if I was missing out on something.

The main characters in this novel were such that, even now, I have a hard time deciding what I think about them. On the one hand, for the majority of the novel they frustrated me to no end. On the other hand, I will hand it to the author for creating characters that were not at all flat but were very multi-dimensional. They came across as real even if I was annoyed with the way they were acting. Connell is so apathetic to his situation and surroundings, but Lily is the other extreme. She is idealistic to the point that she is reckless. Both of these attitudes had me aggravated with them for most of the book. Ultimately, however, these characters do experience growth, which redeemed the book overall.

One important thing I do want to mention is that I would not recommend this novel for younger readers. One of the main storylines revolves around taverns and brothels and young girls being forced into prostitution. I felt that this book was grittier than what I usually prefer to read – and sometimes unnecessarily. While I appreciate the author staying true to the time period and wanting to give a complete description of events in which readers can be fully immersed, I would have liked the novel better had it been a little less graphic in its descriptions.

While this novel ultimately has excellent themes of forgiveness and unending devotion, I was disappointed with how the characters got to that point. Lily and Connell both realize a need for God to have His way in their lives, but at no time is Christ ever mentioned as the way to get there. I am becoming more and more disappointed with Christian books that mention God throughout but have no mention at all of the saving grace that comes through faith in Christ alone. I am not saying that every Christian book must be have a conversion story, but when characters experience any sort of spiritual growth (as they do in this novel) without acknowledging Christ, to me it is lacking.

I will say that this book is an excellent treatise on the horrors of forced prostitution. It is easy to think that women who were involved in selling their bodies did so because they had no other way to get work, but it is more than likely these women were held against their will. And this is something that still occurs today all over the world.

So, I guess I have mixed emotions about this novel. It had both a compelling story and remarkable themes of love and forgiveness. But throughout the novel I felt something was missing. Even just one mention of Christ’s love and redemption through the cross - His unending devotion to us - would have made it so much better for me. After all, He is the only reason we are able to show grace and forgiveness and devotion to others.


I will give Unending Devotion ... 3 BookWorms.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"At Every Turn" Review

When Alyce Benson hears two missionaries speak at her church, she immediately pledges to give $3000 to their work. Alyce knows that, especially in 1916, this is a substantial sum, but she is deeply moved by the stories and pictures of the children in Africa, and she knows that her wealthy father will give the money to her.

But when her father refuses to help, Alyce must find another way to raise the money. Relying on everything she knows and loves about driving, Alyce conspires with her father’s mechanic, Webster, to secretly enter several car races, hoping to win a least a part of the prize money. Webster has been a good friend to her over the last couple of years, but the more they work together to prepare for the races, the more Alyce wonders if there is more to this young man than meets the eye.

As Alyce falls deeper and deeper into the secrets surrounding the races, she wonders if she is really doing the right thing. She knows her ability can help raise money for the missionaries, but is she doing things God’s way or her own?

When I first signed up to review this book, I was only moderately interested in reading it based on the summary. I was mainly reading it because of how much I enjoyed the previous book by Anne Mateer, Wings of a Dream.

Once again, just like in Wings of a Dream, I thought the story started out just OK. I thought it was nice and that it was different, since it is about a girl who drives race cars, but I wasn’t really expecting much else out of it.

Over the course of the novel, however, I got more involved in the story, and the novel just really grew on me. By the end of the book, I had enjoyed it so much that I almost wanted to go back and read it again to make sure I hadn’t missed anything!

I think the main reason I connected so much with this novel was that I really understood Alyce and what she was dealing with. A lot of times it is so hard for me to understand whether or not I am doing something because God wants me to or if I am just jumping in without waiting for Him. Alyce gets involved in a tangle of lies because she tries to take things into her own hands instead of trusting God for the outcome.

I also felt a bond with Alyce because she wasn’t seen as a “normal” girl. She liked to race cars rather than do things that would typically be more girly. This is how I feel sometimes, since I am not really a “girly-girl.” I would rather watch college football on a Saturday afternoon instead of go shopping. I liked how the author pointed out that God had given Alyce the ability to race cars and that she should do it for Him instead of trying to fit into some sort of mold. Oh, and being an Indiana girl, I loved the setting and mentions of the various places close to me!

The characters in this novel were written extremely well. They really came to life and were distinctive. I also really liked the relationship between Alyce and her grandmother. It was so sweet to witness the bond they shared in Christ and their desire to see Alyce’s parents come to know Him as well.

The romantic side of this story was interesting, but something about it kept me from liking it completely. Maybe it was because Alyce seemed to go back and forth between Webster and Lawrence so much. Or maybe it was because Alyce seemed to be naive in her judging of people. Whatever it was, the good thing about it was that it was there throughout the story as a main plot point but also didn’t get in the way of the greater story of Alyce and the racing.

I especially enjoyed another theme in this book that came through loud and clear for me at a time in my life when I needed some encouragement in this area. I loved how several times it was pointed out that we can a blessing to people and show them the light of Christ wherever God has placed us. I loved how at the end a character said that they could have their own little mission field right where they were, even if others wondered at their choice of where to serve.

At the beginning of this novel, I was wondering if it was really going anywhere. But once I got into it, I was liked it more and more at every turn of the page

 

I will give At Every Turn ... 4½ BookWorms.

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"The Reunion" Review

Aaron Miller is the kind of person that people tend not to notice. A handyman at a trailer park in Florida, Aaron lives a quiet life serving the people around him – people who would never suspect that he is actually a hero.

Forty years ago Aaron Miller saved the lives of three men who belonged to his battalion in Vietnam. But when he came home from those battles, he faced battles of his own. Addicted, homeless, and without his family, Aaron struggled to break free from the hold that the war had on him. Even though he found God and cleaned up his act, Aaron is still alone.

But not for long.

The diligent search of a determined journalist, Dave Russo, will put all of the pieces together to form a reunion beyond what Aaron ever expected – the homecoming fit for a hero.

I will be the first to admit that I am not a fan of sappy stories. Now, you may wonder how I can read almost exclusively historical fiction romances and then say that I don’t like sappy stories. Well, I personally think that just because a book is a romance doesn’t mean that it is sappy, and I think most historical fiction doesn’t come off as sappy.

You know what I’m talking about – the stories where the authors put just the right situations and sentimental words in them for the sole purpose of making you cry. (I won't name names here, but if you really want to know who I think some of these authors are, just ask me sometime!) They are so contrived that you can see them coming a mile away. I know that a lot of people enjoy these books, and I have no problem with that. But I usually just end up rolling my eyes.

Which brings me to this novel, The Reunion. It has so many things that should make it just another sappy story – a whirlwind romance, a forgotten war hero – it even takes place at Christmas!

But I really liked it.

Somehow the things in this novel didn’t come off as too sappy, and I can’t explain why they didn’t. All I know is that Dan Walsh can spin a great tale.

What struck me most about this book was that the people in it seemed so real. They acted how real people would act. (I loved the ‘blind date’ for Karen toward the beginning of the book – hilarious). The conversations even flowed in a normal manner, and it never felt as if any of the words that were spoken were contrived. The romance in the novel wasn’t unrealistic, either, even though it was a love-at-first-sight scenario.

I also was inspired by the humbleness of Aaron. It would sometimes irk me when Aaron would seem to brush off what he did in Vietnam as unimportant, but then I realized that this is what makes a great hero. A hero isn’t someone who seeks out fame and fortune and glory. It is someone who does what is required of him and is even willing to give his life for his friends. And Aaron’s relationship with God is so clear. He is quick to point out to others that his turnaround was through Christ alone.

I will say that the scene that takes place in Vietnam was hard for me to read, mainly because battle scenes can be disturbing, but I realize that it was necessary for the buildup of that part of the story. You can tell from this novel that the author has a great deal of respect for the U.S. Armed forces, and I appreciated how everything surrounding the war and the veterans was portrayed.

I wasn’t sure at first how all of these somewhat random storylines I was reading were going to fit together. But they did. And beautifully. Karen, Dave, John, Billy, Heather – all of these characters’ stories are woven together expertly to bring about a reunion for Aaron Miller and to give him the homecoming that he always deserved.

I will give The Reunion ... 4 BookWorms. 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."



"The Judge" Blog Tour

About the Book: When a brilliant billionaire is diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer, he realizes that all his considerable wealth cannot prepare him to meet his Maker. But he has an idea that might: he will stage the ultimate reality show. With his true agenda hidden, he auditions followers from all the world’s major religions, inviting them to the trial of their lives on a remote island, where they must defend their beliefs against spiritual challenges.

Oliver Finney, a feisty old judge with his own secrets, is chosen to defend Christianity. As the program takes a strange twist, he quickly realizes he is trapped in a game of deadly agendas that may cost him his life. With Internet access monitored, Finney sends coded messages to his law clerk, Nikki Moreno. Aided by a teen crypto-geek, Nikki soon discovers the key to understanding Finney’s clues in an apologetics book Finney wrote and must race against time to decipher the mysteries contained in the ancient words of Christ before her boss dies defending them.

(Previously published as The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney.)

 

 

 

About the Author: Randy Singer is a critically acclaimed, award-winning author and veteran trial attorney. He has penned more than 10 legal thrillers and was recently a finalist with John Grisham and Michael Connelly for the inaugural Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction sponsored by the University of Alabama School of Law and the ABA Journal. Randy runs his own law practice and has been named to Virginia Business magazine's select list of "Legal Elite" litigation attorneys. In addition to his law practice and writing, Randy serves as teaching pastor for Trinity Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He calls it his "Jekyll and Hyde thing"—part lawyer, part pastor. He also teaches classes in advocacy and civil litigation at Regent Law School and, through his church, is involved with ministry opportunities in India. He and his wife, Rhonda, live in Virginia Beach. They have two grown children. Visit his website at www.randysinger.net.

 

 

 

My Take:

It isn’t very often that I read a book that I don’t want to put down.  The Judge was one of those books.  As I read it, I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen.  The concept of a reality TV show pitting defenders of the major world faiths against each other in a court of law was absolutely fascinating.  The depiction of the five “contestants” was perfect.  I felt like I knew each of them and couldn’t wait to see them in court.  For me, this was the main story and the part that interested me the most.

For others, I'm sure the main story was the second plot line that involved the main character’s assistant and the codes they were passing back and forth.  Though that part was interesting, it got to be too much.  During the sections where they were trying to crack the code, I kept wanting to return to the courtroom to hear from the contestants.  The description on how they cracked the code was, at times, excessive and dragged on. This actually kept me from giving it a 4.5 BookWorm rating.

The end of the book was one of the best endings I have read in a very long time.  This was my first time reading a Randy Singer book, but I know for certain that it will not be the last. 

This book combined elements of a courtroom thriller, a spy novel, and a mystery/thriller.  I can’t wait to read more.

I will give The Judge ... 4 BookWorms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."



"Material Witness" Review

Material Witness by Vannetta Chapman is the third in the Amish Mystery series taking place in Shipshewana, Indiana. It was sent to me as a review copy by Zondervan Publishing.

Tragedy strikes once again in the small Amish community of Shipshewana, Indiana, and this time it occurs during the annual Fall Crafters Fair. Callie, who is English, and her Amish friends (Deborah, Esther, and Melinda) find themselves in the middle of another mystery when local detective Shane Black thinks that Callie might have actually been the intended target of the murder that has occurred. To make matters even worse, Melinda’s son Aaron is the material witness in the case.

When the killer contacts Callie and demands money from a source that she knows nothing about, the case starts spinning out of control. During the largest event their town sees all year, Callie and her friends must race against the clock to save themselves and their families from a madman.

I enjoyed the first two books in this Shipshewana Amish series – Falling to Pieces and A Perfect Square – so I was looking forward to returning to the characters and the setting of Material Witness.

And it did not disappoint.

While I still think my favorite over all was A Perfect Square, since we got to see both sides of the story, this one was still really good. The characters were interesting, the writing was excellent, and the mystery was intricate enough to keep my attention through the whole novel. I especially enjoyed the action sequences at the end of this book when everything is coming to a head. It was exciting, and I didn’t want to put the book down!

This book was especially fun for me because of the involvement of the children. I enjoyed seeing things from Aaron’s point of view and his interaction with the other kids. I liked that particular plot point in this novel, but, as a mom, it also made me so nervous thinking about those kids going out and trying to catch the killer! Another fun thing about this book was how Shane came up with all of the different ways to keep the killer from finding out that they were protecting Callie. I will try not to ruin the surprise, but the costumes and the subtle messages were just great.

I usually enjoy series books, most often because once you get to the third book, you already know the characters really well, and you can just jump into the story. I felt that Material Witness was able to do that well. You could probably read this one if you haven’t read the others – there is some background information given – but there are a lot of characters to keep straight, so I would recommend reading the first two in the series first.

One of the things I have enjoyed in this series is the interaction between the Amish people and the English people. Callie’s best friends are three Amish women, but they don’t let that be a barrier. They love each other and have a great friendship while still respecting the others’ lifestyles. There is a great sense of community, even among those who are not Amish. The Amish women have a deep faith – so much so that I even wish that this faith had been a bit more evident in Callie and Shane. They seem to grow in their faith, especially at the end of this book, but for me it was still a bit vague.

I have said in my other reviews of this series that these books are light murder mysteries. It always seems funny to me to call a murder mystery “light,” but that is just what this is. But this is something that I really like. I like having a mystery to figure out, even a murder, which is exciting and interesting but not gruesome or over-the-top. The Shipshewana Amish mysteries fit this exactly, and that is why I have really enjoyed them.

I will give Material Witness … 4 BookWorms.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

 

"The Beginner's Bible Super-Duper Mighty Jumbo Coloring & Activity Books" Review

The Beginner’s Bible is a popular children’s Bible that has been around for a while from Zondervan. I have not actually read this children’s Bible, but I have read a couple of single-story softcover books that were taken from The Beginner’s Bible (Jesus Feeds the Hungry and Jesus Heals the Sick), and I enjoyed them. When I requested to review those story books, Zondervan also graciously sent me The Beginner’s Bible Super-Duper Mighty Jumbo Coloring and Activity Books to review as well.

For more information about these books, click on the pictures below.

              

These books all came at a great time, too, because I had just started looking for a simple preschool-level Bible activity book that I could use along with my Bible reading time with my three-year-old daughter. So far, this has worked out really well. We read a chapter of the Bible that correlates with one of the coloring pages or several of the activity pages, and then we color or work on the pages together.

My daughter likes to color, but she likes the activity pages even more. There are dot-to-dots, word searches, mazes, matching, and even pages where you can trace and learn letters and numbers. The coloring pages are good, too, and are done in the same manner as The Beginner’s Bible (which I thought was a bit cartoon-y for a book, but it’s good for coloring pages).

As far as value, these books are excellent. They are each $5.99, but there are 384 pages in each book. And to use it as we are – as kind of a preschool Bible curriculum – it’s a really good deal.

I would recommend these Bible coloring and activity books as a fun way for preschoolers to learn even more about God’s Word.

 

I will give this coloring book and this activity book ... 4 ½ BookWorms!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"Jesus Feeds the Hungry" Review

Jesus Feeds the Hungry is a children’s book that tells the story from the Bible of Jesus feeding the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15). The artwork is taken from The Beginner’s Bible, also from Zondervan, and it is in a soft cover format. (For more information, please go here.)

I liked this retelling of Jesus feeding the five thousand. It stays accurate to the verses from the Bible but uses language that is somewhat easier for younger ones to understand and to read. The pictures are nice and colorful, but I thought they were a bit on the cartoon-y side. (It’s something about the eyes…they pop out at you).

When I asked my three-year-old daughter what she liked best about the book, she said she liked the pictures of the fish and that “it was a miracle!”

The recommended age group is 2-5, and I think that is an appropriate target for this book. My daughter was interested in the story and liked the pictures. It is a nice Bible story book telling about a wondrous miracle that was performed by Jesus during his life here on Earth.

I will give Jesus Feeds the Hungry ... 4 BookWorms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."



"Jesus Heals the Sick" Review

Jesus Heals the Sick is a children’s book that puts together several stories from the Bible of Jesus healing those who were sick. The artwork is taken from The Beginner’s Bible, also from Zondervan, and it is in a soft cover format. (For more information about this product, please go here.)

I liked this retelling of Jesus healing the various people, especially how it pulled it several of the healings together into one story. It stays accurate to the verses from the Bible but uses language that is somewhat easier for younger ones to understand and to read. The pictures are nice and colorful, but I thought they were a bit on the cartoon-y side. (It’s something about the eyes…they pop out at you).

When I asked my three-year-old daughter what she liked best about the book, she said she liked when the people put their friend through the roof.

The recommended age group is 2-5, and I think that is an appropriate target for this book. My daughter was interested in the story and liked the pictures. It is a nice little Bible story book telling about many of the people who were healed by Jesus during his life here on Earth.

I will give Jesus Heals the Sick ... 4 BookWorms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."



"Havah: The Story of Eve" Review

She knew the earth when it was perfect...

 

 

Made by God in a manner like no other, she lived in utter peace without flaw in paradise until one fateful decision changed everything. Now, all humanity suffers for her mistake. But what did it feel like then to first sin and be exiled, to see all innocence crumble so vividly, and a strange new world take its place?

Experience the epic dawn of mankind through the eyes and heart of Eve—the woman first known as Havah.



About the Author: Tosca Lee is author of the critically acclaimed and extensively-awarded novels Demon: A Memoir and Havah: The Story of Eve. A sought-after speaker and former Mrs. Nebraska, she continues to work for local charities and as a senior consultant for a global consulting firm. Tosca holds a degree in English and International Relations from Smith College and also studied at Oxford University. She enjoys travel, cooking, history, and theology, and lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.

For more information about Havah, please click here.


My Take:
 
The selection for August for my Book Club was Havah: The Story of Eve by Tosca Lee, and, fortunately, it was also available for review from B&H Books through Netgalley.
 
I was a little reluctant going into reading this book because I am not a huge fan of fictional stories about Biblical people. In the past, I have had to be cautious because when I go back and read the account from the Bible, I tend to see the fictional story in my head. That's not necessarily a horrible thing, but I also don't like to get the fictional story mixed up with what has been given in the true account from God's Word.
 
Because of that, I'm not sure I enjoyed Havah as much as I might have if I was someone who enjoyed speculative fiction.
 
Overall, I thought the novel was well-written, even though it was rather graphic in its telling. The descriptions of life in the Garden of Eden were beautiful, and the realities that Adam and Eve had to have faced after being removed from the garden were told in gritty detail. However, I could have done with fewer descriptions of their bodily functions. I would also not recommend this novel for younger readers due to some intimate details that are given.

For me, this novel was a bit long and drawn-out, but I do understand that the author had a lot of ground to cover! One thing that I also didn't understand was Eve's actual relationship with God towards the end of her life. She seemed to believe that they would all be going back to God in heaven after they all died (including Cain), but it was not clear why that would actually happen. Had she been restored to a relationship with God through faith? According to the novel, I wasn't really sure.

I guess that there were just things about this book that I liked and things that I didn't. It was interesting to read about Adam and Eve's lives before and after the Fall. The contrast between the Garden and living out on their own was monumental - I really felt their loss and despair. However, this well-done contrast came with gritty descriptions and other aspects of the novel that, while mostly appropriate, are not something I enjoy reading on a regular basis.

If you enjoy speculative fiction and vivid descriptions, then I would recommend this book. And let me know what you think!

I will give Havah ... 3 BookWorms.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from B&H Books through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"Love's Reckoning" Blog Tour

Love’s Reckoning

By Laura Frantz

 

In this sweeping family saga set in western Pennsylvania, one man's choices in love and work,in friends and enemies, set the stage for generations to come. Love's Reckoning is the first entry in The Ballantyne Legacy, a rich, multi-layered historical quartet from talented writer Laura Frantz, beginning in the late 1700s and following the Ballantyne family
through the end of the Civil War.

On a bitter December day in 1785, Silas Ballantyne arrives at the door of master blacksmith Liege Lee in York, Pennsylvania. Just months from becoming a master blacksmith himself, Silas is determined to finish his apprenticeship and move west. But Liege soon discovers that Silas is a prodigious worker and craftsman and endeavors to keep him in Lancaster. Silas becomes interested in both of Liege's daughters, the gentle and faith-filled Eden and the clever and high-spirited Elspeth. When he chooses one, will the other's jealousy destroy their love?

Available September 2012  at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

About the Author: Laura Frantz is a lover of history, is the author of The Frontiersman's Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, and The Colonel's Lady, and currently lives in the misty woods of Washington with her husband and two sons.


My Take:

When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to get into it. The time period is the 1780's, and it is written as such - with a lot of 'on the morrow' and 'twas and (since one of the main characters is from Scotland) several Scotish words. But once I settled into the writing style, I really became immersed in the setting and the story.

This novel is a long one, but because of it's length, you get to know the characters very well, both the ones that you like and the ones that you don't. I did start to get a little bogged down with the descriptions by the end of the novel; however, I think the overall effect of the writing and the setting made it unique.

Normally I don't go for the sweeping, saga-like books and/or series, but for some reason this one just drew me in. As I was reading I would think, "Oh, there is something big coming...I can feel it." And then something fairly big would happen. But I would still think, "I think something bigger is coming!" And it would. By the time I hit the halfway mark, it was a snowball of one thing after another, and I was along for the ride.

One thing I really liked about this novel was how Eden desired to know God, even though she had never been allowed to go to church or have a Bible in her home growing up. Her desire and respect for Someone greater than herself after coming from an unbelieving home was a very interesting situation. I wish, though, that this had been explored a bit more towards the end - I felt as if I wasn't quite sure how that all played out.

Even though this novel kept my attention, it was pretty dark overall. There was so much misery in this family that it often got depressing. Towards the end things finally started to get better, and I hope this continues in the coming novels in the series.

(I will also give a word of caution that this book deals with some themes that would not be appropriate for younger readers.)

I enjoyed Love's Reckoning, and I look forward to the next books in the Ballantyne Legacy series.

I will give Love's Reckoning ... 3½ BookWorms

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Publishing/Baker Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Conquer Your Fears and “Live to Give” Webcast

Thomas Nelson Author and Hoops of Hope founder, Austin Gutwein, to host September 6 online event to focusing on themes his latest release, Live to Give.

On September 6 at 8 PM EDT, Austin Gutwein will be hosting a live Facebook web event to encourage participants to conquer their fears and use their talents to help others. The webcast will center on the themes Gutwein writes about in his latest release “Live to Give: Letting God Turn Your Talents into Miracles” (Thomas Nelson/August, 2012). At the conclusion of the webcast, the winners of a month-long social media fueled “Get and Give” contest will be announced, including the winner of a Kindle Fire and $250 donated to the winner’s charity of choice.

Join Austin on the evening of Thursday, September 6th as he shares about his own experiences and encourages others to conquers their fears and “live to give”. Austin will also be taking audience questions and interacting with participants. PLUS – there will be several “Live to Give” giveaways – books, gift certificates and much more! RSVP today and tell your friends.

Based on the John 6 story of Jesus feeding the 5000, in “Live to Give” Gutwein challenges his readers that regardless of age and talent, God can use them to make a difference. Even though God could take care of everything Himself and doesn’t really need our help, He desperately WANTS us to help Him care for others. Gutwein walks young people through discovering and embracing their unique God-given strengths and abilities, then figuring out how to use those talents to help others. Sometimes doing that takes a leap of faith on our part, and often becoming fearless in the process.

More about Austin: At eighteen years old, Gutwein speaks with wisdom and has the experience to reinforce his message. When Austin was just nine years old, he watched a video that showed children in Africa who had lost their parents to AIDS. Gutwein realized these kids weren’t any different from him—except they were suffering. Feeling called to help, he took his love of basketball and decided to shoot free throws to raise money for orphans in Zambia. On World AIDS Day in 2004, he shot 2,057 free throws to represent the 2,057 kids who would be orphaned during his day at school. Through sponsorship from parents and friends, Gutwein raised over $3,000 that day to give hope to eight orphans in Zambia.

Over the past eight years, Gutwein’s efforts have created Hoops of Hope, the largest free throw marathon in the world. With an estimated 40,000 people in more than 25 countries participating, Hoops of Hope has raised more than $2.5 million to build schools, medical clinics, dormitories for orphanages, and the only computer lab in Zambia.

Enter to win a Kindle Fire and have $250 donated to your favorite charity. Click for the banner for details and entry or visit http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/13528976/livetogive.



Learn more about Austin and Hoops of Hope at www.AustinGutwein.com and www.HoopsOfHope.org.