Against the Tide, Elizabeth Camden

This review is part of a book review program with Bethany House. The Bethany House book review program is simple: I request a book from the links they send via email, then I read the book they send and write a review on this blog and a retailer’s site (such as Amazon). If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers

I've been trying to write my own stuff more often lately, so I promised myself that I would start paring down on how many of these reviews I would participate in for a little while. But then I got the email notification that resulted in me reading this book and despite all my best intentions to write more, read a little less (just a little, mind you), I was hooked.

(Photo credits go to: http://imgv2-4.scribdassets.com/img/word_document/110453310/255x300/164f01de0c/1350587760)

After tragically losing her parents and younger brother, immigrant Lydia Pallas has grown up from that young girl who was completely unable to speak English, and she's finally found her place in the world. With a stunning talent for languages, she has acquired a job translating intelligence for the U.S. Navy. Her ordered world is slowly jumbled when the ever-intriguing and mysterious Alexander Banebridge sweeps into her life and hires her as a translator.

Waging his own war against the opium trade, Bane will do whatever it takes to take the trade down. His past and the sacrifices made in his life, has left him with an iron will that refuses to bend under the sweet attention he craves from Lydia. But his own refusal to get her involved is overruled when his enemies in the opium trade gain a cruel upperhand over Bane. And this time, he knows he can't afford to keep Lydia out of the conflict and the danger involved in his life.

Finding a cause bigger than herself gives Lydia purpose, and though she wants absolutely nothing to do with Bane, she can't refuse his request for aid - the stakes are too high and too unusual to refuse. The mission set before her, however, will test her courage, determination, and her wits to the very edge.


Sounds good, right? I thought so too; but in reality, it was so much better than what I imagined it would be.

I started reading this one afternoon, thinking to get a few chapters out of the way and then get to writing after that. But I literally could not put this book down! One long (and very pleasant) afternoon-turned-evening later, and I was staring spell-bound at the very last page, unwilling to close the book and have the story end for real.

Camden's characters are intriguing, at times frustrating, and real. That's one of the first things I look for in a new book, and while you have to do a bit of imagining and history-minding in order to account for certain instances of naivete and/or cultural oddities, she was real to her historic setting.

And the story line was incredible. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, Camden hit me with a twist, and the race to the finish line was on again (so to speak). Without spoiling any twists or the ending, I can definitely say that despite how well I can normally predict what's gonig to happen in a book, I was caught pleasantly unawares several times (which is hard to do, actually).

I would rate this (on a 1-10 low/high scale) at about 8. Camden has talent and a natural ability to tell a good story. With a strong (but believable!) feminine character, strong supporting characters, witty dialogue, an intriguing plot, and brilliant twists, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a bit of intrigue and (a little bit more than) a dash of romantic tension.

Over the Edge, Mary Connealy

This review is part of a book review program with Bethany House. The Bethany House book review program is simple: I request a book from the links they send via email, then I read the book they send and write a review on this blog and a retailer’s site (such as Amazon). If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers

Book three of the Kincaid Bride series, Over the Edge starts with a blazing gun fight between outlaws and a fiery woman. If that's not bad enough, her runaway husband rides to the rescue and even in her crystal-clear rage, she misses him with the bullet she intends to shoot him with.

Seth Kincaid doesn't remember his bride, or the child that inarguably inherited his eyes. Actually, he doesn't remember much of anything of the events that happened after he fought in the Civil War. All of a sudden, he has a family: a wife that's spitting mad, a loud yet adorable baby boy, and a surprise brother that finds him at the most unexpected (and opportune) moment. Needless to say, he has a lot to sort out. But while Seth is willing to make things work, his wife seems more intent on shooting him.

Check out the trailer for the book here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeSzqacHzQM&list=UUOTCh77FT1ZAyg-Mrj97HWw&index=2&feature=plcp

Even though I was hesitant to start a book without reading the first two of the series, I started in right away, highly intrigued by the plot line the summary on the back of the book promotes. But as I kept reading, the less interested I became.

I think it's more than some of the interesting quirks each character possesses, it's more that all of the characters seem very two-dimensional (only because there is slightly more than just one-dimension, but just the tiniest bit). Instead of reading about characters that are very real in spite of the fact that they live on the page instead of in reality, I read about characters that had a single-minded determination to stay flat on the pages rather than springing up and taking on a life of their own.

The male characters, in particular, seemed very unrealistic. Each had about one real character trait and there wasn't any depth to them, which is a shame because I felt they had so much promise. Rafe, the older brother, is a control freak that treats his wife like a child (and she lets him!); Ethan, the middle child, is a smiling guy, that's it; and Seth is reckless and crazy, with a strong attraction to his "scary" wife (I've never heard a guy admit that out loud about a woman they're supposedly in love with). There's promise in each character trait, but without fleshing it out just right, you get what you read in this book (unrealistic , frustrating, and boring characters).

The plot, too, seemed a bit scatter-brained. It wasn't very focused and I found myself wondering why certain scenes kept jumping around and why some were even included in the book. It finally figured itself out, but I wasn't convinced - it definitely wasn't believable to me at every turn, which lost my interest at times.

While parts of the book were intriguing, I wouldn't want to read it again. I find I'm not particularly inclined to pick up the previous two books in this series either. Maybe it's a one-time fluke, but I wasn't overly impressed. I would rate this (on a 1-10 high/low scale) about a 3-4. The author has promise, but I think the two major things she needs to work on are: 1) character development and believability, and 2) plot structure/organization.

Relentless Pursuit, Ken Gire

This review is part of a book review program with Bethany House. The Bethany House book review program is simple: I request a book from the links they send via email, then I read the book they send and write a review on this blog and a retailer’s site (such as Amazon). If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers

This book can pretty much be summed up on the cover, where it says: "God's love of outsiders including the outsider in all of us" and is accompanied by a cover with four sheep on it, one way off to the side and away from the other ones (a pretty great image, if I do say so myself).

Gire's approach kind of caught me off guard. I should just know by now, having read several books that have caught me in such a state, that I need to stop having preconceptions about the books I receive in this program. I don't really know what I expected, but I think it was something more along the lines of a manual.

I got a story book instead. Including several stories about C.S. Lewis, Francis Thompson, his own life, and many others, Gire writes with an engaging voice about relatable topic matter. He uses the stories he tells throughout each chapter in order to present a clearly understandable point to illustrate the titled theme of his book.

While I have to say that this isn't the best book I've ever read, it's certainly not on my list of bad ones either. Gire is engaging, humorous at times, clear about where his pursuit of the topic is going throughout the book, and interesting enough to hold my attention.

Out of a 1-10 (low/high) rating, I'd rate this book around 6. There are great points that Gire makes, and if you're feeling as if you're an outsider, this is definitely a good book to read to gain a (most likely) new perspective on things. I know I learned/realized a few things about myself when I read it!

Visions of the Coming Days, R. Loren Sandford

This particular book review post is part of a book review program with Bethany House. The Bethany House book review program is simple: I request a book from the links they send via email, then I read the book they send and write a review on this blog and a retailer’s site (such as Amazon). If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers

R. Loren Sandford writes about (well, you probably guessed this from the title) the future (and in relation, kind of about the end of days). Everyone believes something about what's coming and/or how the world will end and this is another view to fit into that category.

I have to tell you that I'm a skeptic. I believe that the word will end, yes, but I'm skeptical of the people that preach, sell, warn, and tell others about their theories on how the world will end, what will happen, what we will/will not become, blah, blah, blah. It all seems a bit crazy to me most times. For instance, a zombie/vampire apocalypse? I guess I'll believe it when I see it, otherwise I'm not buying what you're selling. A nuclear war tearing us apart, however, is much more believable to me.

But I don't know. Can anyone really know? ... I guess those are just some of the thoughts that run through my head when I hear other people talking about the end of the world and what they think/"know" (I'm a skeptic, remember?) will happen.

Stanford, however, completely blew any preconceived ideas about what he had to say right out of the water for me. I was surprised that I not only agreed with a lot of what he wrote about, but that I had been thinking along the same lines for some of the topics he discusses.

Coming from an admitted skeptic, I don't think I need to say that this makes me recommend this book wholeheartedly. It also makes me want to look into everything he said more in-depth and generate discussion with my peers and those around me about his views, how they line up with a Biblical perspective, and how practical application (if it's indeed needed based on what Stanford wrote) can be applied.

I'm not sure what else to say except that this is a must-read. Everyone needs to read this, because it's insightful, thought-provoking, and exceptionally well-written.

Love in Disguise, Carol Cox

Hello and welcome to my book review blog! For those of you that are new to my blog, and even those who aren't new, thank you for reading! It's always a pleasure to share a passion of mine - books - with other passionate people.

This particular book review post is part of a book review program with Bethany House. The Bethany House book review program is simple: I request a book from the links they send via email, then I read the book they send and write a review on this blog and a retailer’s site (such as Amazon). If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers

Love in Disguise is a grin-enducing, edge-of-your-seat whodunnit starring a down-her-luck aspiring actress sent out to the wild, wild west. Finding herself abruptly jobless and having just had her dreams of becoming an actress quite suddenly (and cruelly) crushed by a self-absorbed diva, plain little Ellie Moore is homeless on the chilling winter streets of Chicago when she quite literally stumbles upon a prospective job opportunity. After some trickery and clever persuasion, she is sent to Arizona to catch a thief in a mining operation. But she never expected her crime-solving partner to get married and quit. And she never expected that she'd have to put her acting skills to use in more ways than she had originally planned. Now, having to play two characters in a small town where everyone knows everyone's business, and not getting caught in her roles, seems more complicated than ever. And all of that was before mine owner Steven Pierce introduced himself to her in both of her roles - one as an old lady and the other as the old lady's gorgeous and engaging niece. Now Ellie finds herself losing her heart to a man who doesn't even know her real name and appearance. But that's the least of her worries when the thief comes after both of her characters, Ellie finds herself unsure of her safety and knows time is running out for solving the case. Can she catch the thief in time or will the thief catch her first?


I have to admit that it took me a little bit of time and effort to get into this book at first. The beginning is semi-slow, but picks up in the later half of the book. I was a bit frustrated at times, wishing I could get into it more than I was, but then I mysteriously found myself at the end of the book (it had picked up and grabbed me along the way and before I knew it, it was over and I wanted to read more!).

The story line is interesting and there are scenes and ideas that definitely amused and surprised me that were different from the typical solve-the-case plot you find in most crime-solving books. I loved the tension that Cox brings to life throughout the novel, too. It's gripping, the characters are properly funny, serious, sad, etc., when they need to be, and Cox pulls off depth of emotion and relationships as if it's a talent she was born with.

The humor in the book is outrageous, witty, and helps set a great tone to the novel. Following Ellie as she tries to pull off two completely opposite characters is fascinating to read and Cox crafted everything brilliantly.

This is a must-read for anyone who likes the mystery/crime genres mixed with a good amount of humor and a dash of romantic suspense. I would highly recommend this book as a lighthearted read.

Submerged, Dani Pettrey

For those of you that are new to my blog, welcome! This particular book review post is part of a book review program with Bethany House. The Bethany House book review program is simple: I request a book from the links they send via email, then I read the book they send and write a review on this blog and a retailer’s site (such as Amazon). If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers

Submerged is a story of mystery and suspense, with a little bit of romance thrown into the mix. Bailey, the main character, returns to her hometown in Alaska after her aunt's tragic plane crash for her funeral. But Bailey's past - and her past actions - hurt more than she dares show the small town of Yancey, Alaska. Running into an old love and discovering that her aunt's plane crash was no accident definitely spice up the intriguing tale Pettrey unveils. But when Bailey's expertise in Russian history and artifacts forces her to stay and help solve a theft/murder scheme, will she crack under the pressure, or will things finally turn out right?

I don’t normally read mysteries/thrillers, so this was a different experience for me. I do have to say that, while I didn’t really buy into a lot of the romance aspect of the novel (which is more familiar to me), the plot was very thrilling. Not, by any means, and edge-of-your-seat thriller, but a pleasantly mild, interest-inducing, twistedly delicious road that kept me reading just so I could find out who the mystery person at the end really was.

There were several aspects that I felt could have been worked on to make the storyline more believable/appealing. Let’s stick with believable, though, since novelists generally don’t write just to appeal to every single reader.

Aspects that could have been more believable:

Relationships – not just romantic, but generally speaking. The depth that we see doesn’t go very far, which isn’t always necessary in a novel, but in this case I feel it could have been a bit deeper – or at the very least could have involved a little more conflict than loosely one-sided from bailey's perspective. Relationships are messy – not all the time, but for the most part there is more tension running through even casual relationships (which Pettrey covers with the main character, but for the most part leaves that tension only at her doorstep and discludes others).

Romantic involvement – it was very shallow. While most romances are characterized by heavy, heavy, dirty, sweaty, etc., etc., not all of them have to be to be good, so put that out of your mind right now that that’s what I 'm trying to say. What I mean is that while most relationships may be very chaste-looking on the outside, there is more on the inside that is important to portray/mention. The romantic involvement of the two main characters in Submerged scrapes by on the shallow side, not allowing the reader to see the real attraction (attraction is more than just physical: characteristics and traits they admire, small things they do for each other, etc., all count as attraction). The author tries and makes a valiant effort, but unfortunately I’m not sure she actually got it right.

Since most of the unbelievable elements of the story (for me, at least) hinged on those two elements, I’ll leave off with that part and move on to the better stuff:

Mystery – I never would have guessed at the direction the novel took in the end, never would have guessed who the killer was. (I won’t ruin it for those who might be interested in reading this, don’t worry.) It was intriguing and absoluetly-can’t-put-it-down good. Point for Pettrey.

Plot – Complicated, a little twisted, and ultimately great! I loved trying to keep up with the plot as it went on, and it kept me off-balance enough that I didn't get bored with it. While I can generally know where the story will go near the end of any book I read, I have to say that there were definitely elements that surprised me. Point 2 for Pettrey.

A compelling story and voice – Pettrey's voice is fresh and new. Her perspective is focused and she's amazingly detailed. Despite a few things I may have overanalyzed, I couldn't put the book down and couldn't wait to pick it back up when I was absolutely forced to put it aside for a few hours.

Overall, I would recommend this book and anything else Pettrey writes. She's fresh, distinctive, and has some major talent that I can't wait to see develop even more. If you want a good read, this is definitely the book for you.

Angels Are for Real: Inspiring, True Stories and Biblical Answers, Judith MacNutt

Time for another book review from the Bethany House program I mentioned in my last post.

For those of you that are new to my blog, welcome! The Bethany House book review program is simple: I request a book from the links they send via email, then I read the book they send and write a review on this blog and a retailer’s site (such as Amazon). If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers

I think I need to stop having expectations of how a book should be when I order them. For example, I expected this book to be more textbook-like and (no other way to put this) dry. I was, however, very pleasantly surprised when I opened the cover and started reading – the dialogue was engaging and the stories were very intriguing.

But, even though the spiritual realm fascinates me, I couldn’t help being slightly freaked out by some of the stories MacNutt tells. While having a guardian angel seems appealing and yes, I can imagine very useful at times, I couldn’t help but wonder what my reaction would be if one actually appeared to me. I think I would be awed and terrified all at once, to be honest – they are heavenly beings after all.

MacNutt’s approach is understandably religious, so if you’re looking for testimonies of real people, or just a good read, I would definitely recommend this book. Overall, this is another can’t-put-it-down-but-I-really-need-to-get-some-sleep-tonight read for those interested with anything having to do with angels.

Spirit Wars, Kris Vallotton

Recently I tried something new, thinking that it would be something fun and as a benefit, I would get free books. I signed up for Bethany House's book review group. All I have to do is request a book from the links they send me, read the book (obviously), then write a review on this blog and a retailer's site (such as Amazon). If this sounds like an interesting idea to you, you can get more information/sign up here: www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers

So, here goes my first attempt. My first selection was Spirit Wars by Kris Vallotton.

Though I have to confess that I haven't finished the entire book yet, I couldn't put it down once I started it. The only reason I didn't finish it all in one sitting was the huge paper I had due the next day which forced me to put down the book and get down to business.

I have to admit (another confession... I promise it will be the last one) that the book surprised me entirely. I picked it up expecting some grand explanation on the theology of spiritual warfare -- mainly concerning demons and otherwordly experiences.

What I encountered was a fascinating (and sometimes shocking and thrillingly chilling) narrative on experiences and encounters with beings that live in another realm - the spiritual realm.

And while this has a religious aspect shading its explanation and approach to this realm, I would highly encourage everyone interested in this topic or type of genre to read this book. Even if you don't agree with some - or even any - of the theology, explanations, descriptions, or beliefs represented in the book, it provides a fascinating glimpse into one facet of how to view the topic of spiritual warfare.

The French Lieutenant's Woman, John Fowles

The French Lieutenant's Woman is a work of fiction that involves a Victorian love triangle between the main character, Charles, his fiancé, Ernestina, and the French Lieutenant's Woman, Sarah.

Charles is a gentleman, and as becomes his status in Victorian England, he is engaged to a woman of good connections, Ernestina. As they stroll down the Cobb in Lyme Regis one day, Charles notices a woman standing alone, looking out to sea. Ernestina is quick to explain that this is "the French Lieutenant's Woman" and informs her fiancé that no respectable person in town should have anything to do with the wretched creature. Charles, however, is intrigued and - if I may - a bit peaked that his fiancé is speaking so vilely. Thus begins Charles' dance with propriety, his duty to Ernestina, his compassion for Sarah, clandestine meetings, and a forbidden romance with the fallen woman of Lyme Regis.

But is Sarah everything she seems to be? *Insert dramatic music here*

Overall, I rate this novel as excellent and a must-read for all of my readers. As an exploration of the constraints of Victorian social conventions and the use of writing as a style itself, Fowles provides an interesting voice and point of view.

However, if you want to read something to simply be entertained, this probably isn't the book for you. The thickness of the book and the language that marks all Victorian-era novels (which Fowles imitates throughout the novel's entirety) can be rather, well, long.

Freedom from social conventions is an overriding theme in the novel and the exploration of boundaries is always present throughout the narrative. Obviously, each of the characters respond to these constraints in different ways. But don’t worry, I won’t spoil anything by giving you a long-winded explanation you don’t want to read anyway. But I can tell you that between all the characters, you have a full spectrum of actions and reactions to enjoy (from the straight-laced, typical Victorian reaction [spoiler: fainting!] to the throw-it-all-in-the-wind-and-let-it-play-out reaction).

But what I found most interesting in Fowles' The French Lieutenant's Woman was his use of style and approach to the narrative itself that - as a writer - I found absolutely fascinating.

Writing mainly from the perspective of Charles, with brief side-trips into the other character’s perspectives, Fowles constantly inserts himself into the narrative. He addresses the reader, reminding them that they’re reading a novel at various points throughout the course of the narrative.  Another interesting thing I found myself liking when I read The French Lieutenant’s Woman was that Fowles repeatedly reminds the reader that he’s writing the story not for his own satisfaction , but for the reader. He tells us that he’s pushing the characters around and moving them as he wishes (like a child playing with action figures or Barbies), and not once does he let the reader forget that these characters aren’t real.

Strangely, I didn’t find myself repelled from the narrative or the characters at all. There is something indefinable (and brilliant) in Fowles’ use of words that compelled me to keep reading, to invest myself in the story and the characters even though I knew it wasn’t real and the characters didn’t exist.

But it was the ending that completely hooked me on this novel forever. Fowles takes a moment and inserts himself into the narrative in a new way (he’s literally a character in the novel!).

Put up against the ending he wants, Fowles enters the narrative to try to solve a problem – he knows he can’t simply end at this point when readers would think it too sudden and with no resolution (because that’s what we really want, isn’t it?). He also adds that the style of Victorian models that he’s using to write the narrative won’t allow this either. So Fowles gives us two possible endings.

It’s up to the reader to choose the ending they like. And to ponder the one they didn’t choose.