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 me via email, then after I've read it I write a review on this blog post and a retailer's site (such as Amazon, B&N, etc.) If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/bookreviewers.
Detailing some of Caleb Bislow's adventures, trials, and experiences as an "extreme missionary," Dangerous is about going where God's love needs to be shared - no matter the level of danger. From training kids in Nebraska, to warring African tribes and red-light districts in Asia, Caleb's account is unforgettable, inspiring, terrifying, and a helpful guide to living a life in places deemed "unsafe."
I picked this book because I've always wanted to go to places everyone deems "too dangerous" to help people that have been victims of sexual slavery. Bislow's experiences and account of his travels to help other people are not only terrifying in the best of ways, but also inspiring and life-changing. I found myself completely swept up in this book and can't recommend it enough.
On a 1-10 (low/high) scale, I'd rate this a must-read 9. I loved everything about Bislow's utter honesty, courage, and willingness to share everything.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Stranded, Dani Pettrey
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 me via email, then I read the book they send and write a review on this blog and a retailer's site (ex: Amazon, B&N.com, etc.). If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/bethanyhouse/bookreviewers.
Stranded is the third book in Dani Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series (I've reviewed the other two books here [Submerged, Shattered] if you want to read those reviews too). Following the theme of the series, Stranded is a story filled with mystery, suspense, and a liberal dash of clean romantic interests between the main characters.
The story begins on a cruise ship when Darcy St. James (the nosy reporter that Gage McKenna distrusted so much in the previous books) is looking for her ex-investigative journalist partner who has uncovered a huge plot and needs Darcy's help. But Abby is nowhere to be found, which is especially troubling after someone calls "man overboard" and then Abby never shows up at her undercover job, something Abby would never do unless she's in trouble.
Darcy is intent on getting to the bottom of whatever Abby was involved with and finding her friend. But running into Gage McKenna on the ship never crossed her to-do list. Gage, hired by the cruise line to lead adventure excursions for the guests, thought that guiding tourists around his beloved Alaska was the perfect way to get pesky Darcy out of his thoughts. But when he learns that things are not exactly what they seem on the ship, he gets involved - just the thing he did not want.
With things heating up and some deeper plot running under the surface of the whole trip, Darcy and Gage are finding out that there's way more going on than a first glance will ever show.
Ok, so I have to admit that I haven't finished the book yet. Not because I've been putting it off (which I kind of have lately), but more because I got a little bit bored with it. The characters are interesting, not as fleshed out as I normally prefer them (see my comments in the Submerged and Shattered reviews, a lot of the same stuff is going on as in the first two books). Though Pettrey is definitely growing as a writer and there is a bit more depth to each character than in her previous books, it still feels like there's something missing for me in the character development.
As for the mystery, it's interesting and I definitely want to find out what the huge plot is and where Abby is, but it seems like the pace is dragging. I'm about half-way through the book and am sorely tempted to not finish just because things slowed down too much. I don't expect a lot of action and adventure in all my stories, but it would be nice to have a pace that carries me along naturally rather than trying to bog through all the mire created by Gage and Darcy's clashing.
As to that, there is a certain tension to Gage and Darcy that I both love and instantly dislike. Perhaps that's how it should be, though. Pettrey is going in directions with the romantic interest that just seem slightly flat to me as a reader. Though the tension is better than her first two books, I'm still not buying it completely. I want something a bit more believable in the characters' love story - I'm not exactly sure how to describe what needs to happen to make that more believable, but I just know that she's so close to getting it right.
But then, I'm just a reader with obvious opinions that you can either take or leave on this page and never look at again.
Pettrey's compelling voice is still present in tho book and I'm glad she didn't lose that (some multi-published authors do, sadly). Overall, and given that I'm only half-way through the book, I'd rate this (on a 1-10 low/high scale) at about a 6. I would still recommend that anyone who hasn't read Pettrey pick up this series. And if you like a good puzzle, you'll love the puzzles Pettrey creates with a refreshing view toward plots that take place in Alaska.
Stranded is the third book in Dani Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series (I've reviewed the other two books here [Submerged, Shattered] if you want to read those reviews too). Following the theme of the series, Stranded is a story filled with mystery, suspense, and a liberal dash of clean romantic interests between the main characters.
The story begins on a cruise ship when Darcy St. James (the nosy reporter that Gage McKenna distrusted so much in the previous books) is looking for her ex-investigative journalist partner who has uncovered a huge plot and needs Darcy's help. But Abby is nowhere to be found, which is especially troubling after someone calls "man overboard" and then Abby never shows up at her undercover job, something Abby would never do unless she's in trouble.
Darcy is intent on getting to the bottom of whatever Abby was involved with and finding her friend. But running into Gage McKenna on the ship never crossed her to-do list. Gage, hired by the cruise line to lead adventure excursions for the guests, thought that guiding tourists around his beloved Alaska was the perfect way to get pesky Darcy out of his thoughts. But when he learns that things are not exactly what they seem on the ship, he gets involved - just the thing he did not want.
With things heating up and some deeper plot running under the surface of the whole trip, Darcy and Gage are finding out that there's way more going on than a first glance will ever show.
Ok, so I have to admit that I haven't finished the book yet. Not because I've been putting it off (which I kind of have lately), but more because I got a little bit bored with it. The characters are interesting, not as fleshed out as I normally prefer them (see my comments in the Submerged and Shattered reviews, a lot of the same stuff is going on as in the first two books). Though Pettrey is definitely growing as a writer and there is a bit more depth to each character than in her previous books, it still feels like there's something missing for me in the character development.
As for the mystery, it's interesting and I definitely want to find out what the huge plot is and where Abby is, but it seems like the pace is dragging. I'm about half-way through the book and am sorely tempted to not finish just because things slowed down too much. I don't expect a lot of action and adventure in all my stories, but it would be nice to have a pace that carries me along naturally rather than trying to bog through all the mire created by Gage and Darcy's clashing.
As to that, there is a certain tension to Gage and Darcy that I both love and instantly dislike. Perhaps that's how it should be, though. Pettrey is going in directions with the romantic interest that just seem slightly flat to me as a reader. Though the tension is better than her first two books, I'm still not buying it completely. I want something a bit more believable in the characters' love story - I'm not exactly sure how to describe what needs to happen to make that more believable, but I just know that she's so close to getting it right.
But then, I'm just a reader with obvious opinions that you can either take or leave on this page and never look at again.
Pettrey's compelling voice is still present in tho book and I'm glad she didn't lose that (some multi-published authors do, sadly). Overall, and given that I'm only half-way through the book, I'd rate this (on a 1-10 low/high scale) at about a 6. I would still recommend that anyone who hasn't read Pettrey pick up this series. And if you like a good puzzle, you'll love the puzzles Pettrey creates with a refreshing view toward plots that take place in Alaska.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Into the Whirlwind, 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 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.
Mollie Knox has everything neatly lined up and a bright future ahead for her watch-making business until the night the Chicago fire burns up her entire world. As the flames die down, and the rebuilding of Chicago commences, Mollie will do whatever she has to do to rebuild her business. But when she locks horns with Zack Kazmarek, an influential attorney for one of Chicago's finest department stores, she finds herself pushed beyond her comfort zone. And Zack will do whatever it takes to win this beautiful and beguiling businesswoman's heart. With her heart on the line, will Mollie step out of her comfort zone to find her happily ever after? Or will all her dreams rest with her company's rebuilt future?
Camden has once again written a great story (see my Against the Tide review here). With each twist and new development in the story line, I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting for what happens next. Camden's characters, like in Against the Tide, are intriguing, headstrong, at times frustrating, and very believable and real. As is more historically accurate, some of the incidents, cultural oddities, and happenings in the book are very realistic to the historic setting.
Though there were some twists and turns throughout the book, I hesitate to say that it was fairly predictable... but I have to own up to that admission - I think it lacked that bit of surprise that I expect from a new book.
I would rate this (on a 1-10 low/high scale) at about a 6. Camden has a gift for storytelling and I was pleased with the result of the second book I've read from her. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a love story and a story of new beginnings.
Mollie Knox has everything neatly lined up and a bright future ahead for her watch-making business until the night the Chicago fire burns up her entire world. As the flames die down, and the rebuilding of Chicago commences, Mollie will do whatever she has to do to rebuild her business. But when she locks horns with Zack Kazmarek, an influential attorney for one of Chicago's finest department stores, she finds herself pushed beyond her comfort zone. And Zack will do whatever it takes to win this beautiful and beguiling businesswoman's heart. With her heart on the line, will Mollie step out of her comfort zone to find her happily ever after? Or will all her dreams rest with her company's rebuilt future?
Camden has once again written a great story (see my Against the Tide review here). With each twist and new development in the story line, I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting for what happens next. Camden's characters, like in Against the Tide, are intriguing, headstrong, at times frustrating, and very believable and real. As is more historically accurate, some of the incidents, cultural oddities, and happenings in the book are very realistic to the historic setting.
Though there were some twists and turns throughout the book, I hesitate to say that it was fairly predictable... but I have to own up to that admission - I think it lacked that bit of surprise that I expect from a new book.
I would rate this (on a 1-10 low/high scale) at about a 6. Camden has a gift for storytelling and I was pleased with the result of the second book I've read from her. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a love story and a story of new beginnings.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Shattered, Dani Pettrey
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.
Shattered is the second book of the Alaskan Courage Series, and the sequel to Submerged, which I reviewed last year. Like Submerged, Shattered is a story of mystery and suspense with a side order of (clean) romance.
When Piper McKenna's brother, Reef, is charged with murder, she is determined to prove his innocence. Enter the love interest; Deputy Landon Grainger has been a part of the McKenna family forever. But when all evidence points to Reef, Piper can't understand why Landon doesn't believe in her brother's innocence. Charging off into the wilderness of Alaska and Canada, as well as the California coast, Piper and Landon launch their own investigation into what actually happened to cause a murder. But with so many things unsaid between them, how will Piper and Landon work together? And as the web of intrigue thickens and twists in a tangled knot, is it love or disaster that's brewing?
I have very mixed emotions about this book. I loved the intrigue and how many tangled threads were woven into the plot. I also loved the characters and how different they all were and how all of them together somehow make a wonderful, loving family. But the characters' reactions to certain events in the book were sometimes awkward or stifled, and the love story was sweet - but was it too sweet?
But the plot was the true driving point of the whole book. With so many twists, turns, and near dead-ends, I never would have guessed the ending. Pettrey's voice is still fresh and new. Her perspective is focused and she's amazingly detailed. Despite a few things I may have overanalyzed (again), I didn't want to put the book down.
So, enough said - I loved it. 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.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
The Full Armor of God, Larry Richards
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
Covering spiritual forces from a Christian perspective; how they are at war against the world and how to fight back. Using Paul's letter to the Ephesians to help illustrate and guide his defense plan, Richards also covers how God can help us fight against such spiritual attacks.
I wasn't sure about reading this book at first, since it had been a long time since reading Ephesians. After a refresher in Ephesians, however, I found myself completely swept up in Richards' engaging and straightforward approach. Though I can't find enough words to say how interesting, helpful, and awesome this book is, I hope that all my readers put it on their must-read list.
Out of a 1-10 (low/high) rating, I'd rate this book at about a 7. I loved his perspective on this subject and particularly loved his use of Paul's experiences in Ephesians.
Covering spiritual forces from a Christian perspective; how they are at war against the world and how to fight back. Using Paul's letter to the Ephesians to help illustrate and guide his defense plan, Richards also covers how God can help us fight against such spiritual attacks.
I wasn't sure about reading this book at first, since it had been a long time since reading Ephesians. After a refresher in Ephesians, however, I found myself completely swept up in Richards' engaging and straightforward approach. Though I can't find enough words to say how interesting, helpful, and awesome this book is, I hope that all my readers put it on their must-read list.
Out of a 1-10 (low/high) rating, I'd rate this book at about a 7. I loved his perspective on this subject and particularly loved his use of Paul's experiences in Ephesians.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
The Tutor's Daughter, Julie Klassen
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
Emma Smallwood is (as the title of the book suggests) a widowed tutor's daughter. When her father receives a request from a noble family for private tutoring for the family's two younger boys, Emma packs her trunk full of books (and a few clothes, I suppose) and heads off to help her father in this new teaching enterprise.
But a stormy past with one of the two older brothers, a strange love interest (perhaps) with another of the older brothers, mysterious happenings, and ill-concealed secret keeping make Emma's time away from home more danger-fraught than she could possibly have imagined.
The back of the book ends its summary by saying "Filled with page-turning suspense, The Tutor's Daughter takes readers to the windswept Cornwall coast--a place infamous for shipwrecks and superstitions--where danger lurks, faith is tested, and romance awaits."
If you want to see the trailer to the book (though I do not recommend it, as it's rather badly put together and acted out in my opinion), you can find it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZi5NQbkb0A&list=UUOTCh77FT1ZAyg-Mrj97HWw&index=4
(Photo from Julie Klassen's website: http://www.julieklassen.com/Books.html)
But a stormy past with one of the two older brothers, a strange love interest (perhaps) with another of the older brothers, mysterious happenings, and ill-concealed secret keeping make Emma's time away from home more danger-fraught than she could possibly have imagined.
The back of the book ends its summary by saying "Filled with page-turning suspense, The Tutor's Daughter takes readers to the windswept Cornwall coast--a place infamous for shipwrecks and superstitions--where danger lurks, faith is tested, and romance awaits."
If you want to see the trailer to the book (though I do not recommend it, as it's rather badly put together and acted out in my opinion), you can find it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZi5NQbkb0A&list=UUOTCh77FT1ZAyg-Mrj97HWw&index=4
Okay, so maybe you've picked up on the fact that I wasn't overly thrilled with this book. I started reading and almost quit around page 90 or so. By that point, I had pretty much figured out what was going to happen at the end of the book with a few small, yet notable (and spoiler-ridden) exceptions.
I'm not going to post any spoilers here, but there was one piece to the puzzle I hadn't guessed at that surprised me (hint: it starts with an "A"). One point, out of the whole book = not impressed.
Klassen's characters are frankly uninteresting, semi-two dimensional, and not-very-real. I didn't really believe in the characters as "real" people, there was something missing ... there wasn't a lot of depth to them that intrigued me. They improved a bit as I kept reading, but not in any notable way, unfortunately.
The story line was predictable and tame - I expected a bit more from all the raving reviews I've heard about Klassen and the blurb on the back cover. Before I reached page 100 (as I mentioned earlier), I had figured out most of the book and any twists and/or turns Klassen could have thrown on the page (there was a sad lack of twists and turns, unfortunately). I was a bit disappointed on that front.
I'm not going to post any spoilers here, but there was one piece to the puzzle I hadn't guessed at that surprised me (hint: it starts with an "A"). One point, out of the whole book = not impressed.
Klassen's characters are frankly uninteresting, semi-two dimensional, and not-very-real. I didn't really believe in the characters as "real" people, there was something missing ... there wasn't a lot of depth to them that intrigued me. They improved a bit as I kept reading, but not in any notable way, unfortunately.
The story line was predictable and tame - I expected a bit more from all the raving reviews I've heard about Klassen and the blurb on the back cover. Before I reached page 100 (as I mentioned earlier), I had figured out most of the book and any twists and/or turns Klassen could have thrown on the page (there was a sad lack of twists and turns, unfortunately). I was a bit disappointed on that front.
I would rate this (on a 1-10 low/high scale) at about 5. Klassen has talent, but I didn't see her whole potential on the page with this book. Her developing lead female character gets her bonus points, but still isn't what I would call a strong character. The dialogue was intriguing at a few points in the book, but most of it was fairly ordinary and (dare I say it?) mostly dull. The plot was predictable, tame, and (again) fairly ordinary. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for suspense, drama, romance, or a good mystery.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
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.
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.
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.
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