Book Review: The Queen by Steven James

From the publisher's website:

While investigating a mysterious double homicide in an isolated northern Wisconsin town, FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers uncovers a high-tech conspiracy that ties together long-buried Cold War secrets with present-day tensions in the Middle East.

In his most explosive thriller yet, bestselling author Steven James delivers a pulse-pounding, multilayered storytelling tour de force that will keep you guessing.

The Queen is the latest Patrick Bowers thriller from the author Publishers Weekly calls a "master storyteller at the peak of his game."

I have now read four out of five of Steven James' books in the Bowers' Files series. I have enjoyed reading every one of them. (The only reason I have not read The Knight is because I didn't have time when it came out - I need to get to it sometime!)

This series is quite fascinating and well-written. I have a little bit of a hard time when I read one because I have to remember the characters all over again, but the effort is worth it. It isn't long before I am engrossed in the story and find myself cheering Patrick Bowers (the main character) on in his quest to find the "bad guys" and see that justice is carried out. I'm sure I'll be sorry to see this series end.

Mr. James is a number one author who really understands human nature from a biblical standpoint and writes what he does with obvious passion and insight. His descriptions of evil are not "over the top", but definitely "edgy". I, however, believe that we sometimes need to see the depths of our sin before we can truly see the beauty of God and His holy majesty. These books have helped me to think in these ways. I tremble when I see the depravity displayed in the books, but I also (while reading) rejoice in the One who has provided a way for us to be delivered from "this body of death".

Another thing I found thought-provoking in this particular book were the references to the theme of forgiveness. Another main character, Tessa, has problems with guilt and feels a need to 'forgive herself". There were several scenes where the issue of forgiveness was discussed and I learned a lot from these. I especially like the following quotes which helped me understand forgiveness a little bit more:

"When you ask someone to forgive you, you're really asking the other person to sacrifice for the benefir of the relationship".

"Someone needs to sacrifice for someone else to be forgiven."

Steven James' works of fiction are not didactic, but I was certainly "preached" to when I read these scenes. I belive God simply used this book to teach me what I need right now in my life. (It is also not a "coincidence" that our pastor is preaching on this very subject on Sunday mornings right now. God's timing is perfect!)

I give The Queen 5 out of 5 stars!

“Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

(I received this book from Revell Books for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

When I was preparing to write this review, I decided to add a warning about the graphic content of the book that may offend some readers. Then I found this warning from the publisher that includes an article written by Mr. James that seems to express well the reason why his books contain the scenes that they do (please read the article if you are bothered by such content - it may be helpful to you):

WARNING: This book contains violence and graphic descriptions of disturbing crime scenes.  It is not for the faint-of-heart who may be offended by such written images.  For more on this topic, please read Steven James’ blog article entitled “Why I Write about Evil”.             

Here is a review of The Queen from Chris at Baker Book House:

                                              

You can also view a video for The Queen on the author's website HERE.



Book Review: God and Stephen Hawking by John C. Lennox

SEATTLE - Eminent scientist Stephen Hawking's latest contribution to the so-called New Atheist debate The Grand Design claims that the laws of physics themselves brought the universe into being, rather than God. In this swift and forthright reply, John C. Lennox, Oxford mathematician and author of God's Undertaker, exposes the flaws in Hawking's logic in his latest book, God and Stephen Hawking (Kregel Publishers, September 2011, ISBN: 9780745955490, $5.99).

Science has immense cultural and intellectual authority in our sophisticated modern world. With this kind of cache, it must nevertheless be pointed out that not all statements by scientists are statements of science. Therefore such statements do not carry the authority of authentic science, even though it is often erroneously ascribed to them.

Commonly written off as the inevitable clash between science and religion, the God debate is actually one between theism and atheism, where there are scientists on both sides. With a remarkable surge of interest in God that defies the so-called secularization hypothesis, it could well be that it is precisely the perceived failure of secularization that is driving the God question ever higher on the agenda. Book after book is being published on the subject by prominent scientists, as Francis Collins, Richard Dawkins, Robert Winston, etc. But were Galileo, Kepler, Newton and Maxwell, to name a few, really all wrong on the God question?

With such a lot at stake we surely need to ask Hawking to produce evidence to establish his claim. Do his arguments really stand up to close scrutiny? Has the Grand Master of Physics checkmated the Grand Designer of the Universe?

In lively, layman's terms, Lennox guides us through the key points in Hawking's arguments-with clear explanations of the latest scientific and philosophical methods and theories-and demonstrates that, far from disproving a Creator God, they make His existence seem all the more probable. Lennox's book is a great resource for Christians, churches and those in ministry who seek to educate themselves and open authentic dialog with those who question.

Praise for God and Stephen Hawking:

"A brilliant response to Stephen Hawking's The Grand Design. Make sure you hear both sides of the argument."

-Alister McGrath, author of The Dawkins Delusion
 
My thoughts on the book:
 
God and Steven Hawking is a little book, one that can be read in just a few hours and is understandable by the common man (at least mostly understandable!). I gained a lot of food for thought from reading it, even though I didn't grasp all of the scientific language contained within. I think the best way for me to show you what the book is like is for me to share a few of the quotes that helped me the most in comprehending what Hawkings wrote and the arguments against his ideas:
 
"God does not conflict or compete with the laws of physics as an explanation. God is actually the ground of all explanation, in the sense that he is the cause in the first place of there being a world for the laws of physics to describe." (p. 37)
 
"Hawking has signally failed to answer the central question: why is there something rather than nothing? He says that the existence of gravity means the creation of the universe was inevitable. But how did gravity come to exist in the first place? What was the creative force behind its birth? Who put it there, with all its properties and potential for mathematical description in terms of law? Similarly, when Hawking argues in support of his theory of spontaneous creation, that it was only necessary for "the blue touch paper" to be lit to "set the universe going", I am tempted to ask: where did this blue touch paper come from? Is it clearly not part of the universe, if it set the universe going. So who lit it, in the sense of ultimate causation, if not God?" (p. 44)
 
"What is very interesting in all of this is the impression being given to readers of The Grand Design that God is somehow rendered unnecessary, or non-existent, by science. Yet when one examines the arguments one can see that the intellectual cost of doing so is impossibly high, since it involves an attempt to get rid of the Creator by conferring creatorial powers on something that is not in itself capable of doing any creating - an abstract theory."   
 
"(Hawking says) Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist. "
 
"What does Hawking mean by 'spontaneous creation'? It sounds very much like an uncaused cause, an expression often cited as a paradoxical way of describing God. And even if there were such a thing as spontaneous creation it would scarcely be a reason, would it? A reason would be something that replaced the dots in the statement, 'There is something rather than nothing because...'. Hawking's statement seems to be saying, 'There is something rather than nothing because there is something - and that something comes about spontaneously without any cause or reason except, maybe, that it is possible and just happens.'" (p. 68)
 
There are a few more resources that I would recommend if you want to go further in your research of this subject: Expelled (DVD), I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Norm Geisler, and Collision (DVD).
 
I give God and Stephen Hawking 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

(I received this book from LitFuse Publicity for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

John C. Lennox is Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science at the University of Oxford, and author of the bestselling God's Undertaker. He lectures on faith and science at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. He has lectured around the world, including in the United States for Ravi Zacharias; in Austria; and in the former Soviet Union. For more about John C. Lennox, please visit http://johnlennox.org/.

Book Review: How Huge the Night by Heather and Lydia Munn

How Huge the Night

A Novel by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn

Fifteen-year-old Julien Losier just wants to fit in. But after his family moves to a small village in central France in hopes of outrunning the Nazis, he is suddenly faced with bigger challenges than the taunting of local teens. Nina Krenkel left her country to obey her father’s dying command: Take your brother and leave Austria. Burn your papers. Tell no one you are Jews. Alone and on the run, she arrives in Tanieux, France, dangerously ill and in despair. Thrown together by the chaos of war, Julien begins to feel the terrible weight of the looming conflict and Nina fights to survive. As France falls to the Nazis, Julien struggles with doing what is right, even if it is not enough—and wonders whether or not he really can save Nina from almost certain death. Based on the true story of the town of Le Chambon—the only French town honored by Israel for rescuing Jews from the Holocaust—How Huge the Night is a compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens turning the pages as it teaches them about a fascinating period of history and inspires them to think more deeply about their everyday choices.
 


How Huge the Night is a WWII story of a little town in southern France and the people who live there. The authors (mother and daughter team) have lived in France and write this story from true events.

I quickly became engrossed in this book as I read about young people who find themselves caught up in a war that they know little about. There are different types of characters, such as Benjamin who is a German Jew seeking refuge; Julien, a native of France who wants to do the right thing but who comes to realize the depths of his sin and struggles with right and wrong; and Nina, a girl from Austria who, along with her brother, Gustav, is also seeking a place to escape the Nazis. All of these young people face trials that even the bravest adults would have trouble enduring.

Once again, I like how the gospel is woven throughout this book. One of the best passages in the book is:

"'Sin is for real, Julien. In you, in me, in Victor Bernard. We are bad people.' Grandpa was looking at him, his eyes deep with sorrow. Julien watched the wind whip the trees.

'Tell me what you believe about Jesus, Julien. What he did.'


'He...' His voice was a whisper. 'He died for our sins.'
'Do you believe that?'
Did he? Jesus died. Jesus died for what I've done.
'It's true.'


It's true.


'He meant to, Julien. Nobody made him do it. He did it for what he wanted the most - for you and me to be able to come to him. After what we've done. It was worth that to him. That's what he wants. Us. To welcome us back.'

There were times as I was reading that I didn't understand who was speaking or what the authors were talking about for several sentences. It slowed down my reading and confused me a little. And the plot was fully developed, even though I thought the ending was somewhat unsatisfying.

Most readers who are interested in WWII novels would probably like this book. I give How Huge the Night 4 out of 5 stars.

(I received this book from Kregel for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

Interview with Heather and Lydia Munn, authors of How Huge the Night:


1. What influence has living in France had on the writing of this book?

Heather: I grew up in France, from two years old to about seventeen. Up to ninth grade I went to French public school. The town I lived in was only about an hour’s drive from Le Chambon-sur-Lignon where the true story happened. So when I wrote about Julien living in a small French town, going to school there, and so on, it was almost like writing about my own childhood—except I had to keep asking my dad what it was like forty or fifty years earlier! But it’s more than just the school part—the love for the land that I hope comes through in the book is very much rooted in my childhood—that specific landscape, those hills with genêt bushes on them and pastures and stone farmhouses and little woods—and also the people, the French country people and their culture that’s very rooted in the land, that’s a side of France that Americans don’t get to see a lot, and I love it.

Lydia: When you live in a country for almost thirty years, you grow to love it and its people. I’m glad to be able to write something very positive about France, to counter the mostly negative opinions that I find when I visit the US. Living close to the area where the events happened also made it relatively easy to get a good sense of the context of the story. For instance, I used the actual home of friends of ours who lived in Le Chambon as the model for the Losiers’ home in Tanieux.

2. How much research was involved in writing about historical events? How did you know how much historical detail to provide?

Heather: This might be a really good question for Mom; she did almost all the research and my impression is that it was an enormous amount. She made a timeline that went week by week and included major events of the book, events of the war, the passing of repressive or anti-semitic laws by the Vichy government, everything relevant. I would call her up whenever I had a doubt about anything, or even to ask her “This happened on this date, but how soon would they know about it?” I did do some research of my own when I needed some particular detail about the war, especially when trying to get a feel for what it was like to be there at that time, how people were thinking—what people’s feelings were about the surrender, how people felt about Marshal Petain and the Vichy government right after it was set up, and whether and how much that changed when they started collaborating with the Nazis. I have always had a sort of fascination for World War II and its stories and what you can learn from them about good and evil.

Lydia: I have always felt that wartime is a fascinating period to study, though difficult at times, because war is so ugly. War brings out the worst in many people. But it brings out the best in others. And that best shines all the brighter for the very dark context in which you find it. My own interest in this period of French history came about because I wanted to tell the Le Chambon story. I read all the primary sources I could find, visited the town and talked with a few people who lived through the events. I also read all that I could about World War II as seen from the French viewpoint. Knowing the details of the Vichy government, the laws put in place, and so on, enabled us to put some of them into the book. We tried to put in details that Julien would have known about and, sometimes, worried over.

3. How Huge the Night is written for 14- to 17-year-olds, but your readership can certainly go beyond that. How did you get into the mind of a teenager to write this authentically, and yet manage to pen a book that would be of interest to all ages?

Lydia: Even though the main character is a fifteen-year-old, this book was, from the beginning, more than just his story. It’s the story of a family and of a town. The choices that these larger circles were making have an influence on Julien’s choices. There are earlier versions of the book in which some of the scenes were written from Mama’s viewpoint. These ended up being cut in the final version. But behind the story the reader senses Mama’s dread of war which stems from her experiences in World War I. And Papa’s sense of history and of what the invasion really means, as well as Pastor Alex’s clear sightedness—these all form a very real part of the story. I believe this larger picture is what appeals to older readers.

Heather: When I was writing my initial version (after Mom’s initial version) I wasn’t even necessarily writing it for teenagers. But of course the book was chiefly about a teenager, and I wanted him to be a real teenager. I think a real teenager confronted by hard realities is interesting to any age. I still remember very vividly being a teenager and I remember it as a time when everything was felt so deeply, everything had huge significance. You know, when a young child starts learning about the world around him, he sees everything with totally fresh eyes and so he really sees it; and the teenager or young adult is at the end of that journey, at the part where he learns for the first time the really hard realities of life. Pain, and war, and necessity, and death, and the fact that there is no guarantee in life that there will always be someone standing between you and the fear. Watching someone learn those things for the first time, really see their significance, is an awesome thing, in the old sense of the word. That’ll never be boring, and I think an adult to whom it is boring might’ve gone too far into adulthood.

4. What do you hope readers take away from reading How Huge the Night?

Heather: A lot of things. Maybe I shouldn’t say all of them in case I make it too obvious! I think one thing is the huge significance of our daily choices, and how heroism isn’t generally glorious or even clear-cut. The choices that people really made during World War II, the early years, the part I’m writing about, were mostly made in the dark. The usual stuff you see in books and movies—“Am I going to risk my life to save these people from certain death?”—that’s after 1943. In the early years nobody knew about the death camps, not in France anyhow, and under the Vichy government, especially, nobody knew what was going to happen to the Jews if they got arrested, or to themselves if they protected them—they just knew something might happen, and it might be something bad. So it was easy for a lot of people to think, “Oh, but they wouldn’t kill them or anything, right?” because they had enough to worry about already. There was a food shortage, life was hard. The people who did the right thing, a lot of it was just the daily choosing to keep their eyes open, seek out the truth, really take a look at the people in front of them and ask themselves how God was calling them to respond. Julien ends up doing some very good things, but they’re very hidden, not a lot of people are ever going to know about them. And the people who do the real, profound good in the world, that’s how they do it. In a confusing, terrible, messy situation they keep listening to God; and when they hear, they obey; and what they do changes things. But mostly, no one ever knows.

How Huge the Night (978-0-8254-3310-8, $14.99p) by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn is published by Kregel PublicationsMy thoughts on the book:

Book Review: The Fine Art of Insincerity by Angela Hunt

For the last few Sundays, my pastor has been preaching about speaking the truth to one another (Ephesians 4:25). He has emphasized how it is vital that we always speak the truth, no matter what. For our relationships to be healthy and all that God intends for them to be, we must put away all lies, misrepresentations, deceptions, etc.

This book by Angela Hunt "preaches" that message as well. The Fine Art of Insincerity is the story of three sisters who, over the course of three days, are confronted with the lies of their childhood and their marriages.

Here's how the author's website describes it:

"Three Southern sisters with nine marriages between them--and more looming on the horizon--travel to St. Simons Island to empty their late grandmother’s house. Ginger, the eldest, wonders if she’s the only one who hasn’t inherited what their family calls “the Grandma Gene”--the tendency to enjoy the casualness of courtship more than the intimacy of marriage. Could it be that her sisters are fated to serially marry, just like their seven-times wed grandmother, Lillian Irene Harper Winslow Goldstein Carey James Bobrinski Gordon George? It takes a “girls only” weekend, closing up Grandma’s memory-filled beach cottage for the last time, for the sisters to unpack their family baggage, examine their relationship DNA, and discover the true legacy their much-marrying grandmother left behind."

And an excerpt from the book:

(One of the husbands tells his wife) "I'm going to promise you something. You can be honest with me about anything, and I promise to love you through it. Tell me when you're glad, when you're mad, and when you're sad. Say you're annoyed at me; say you're miserable because of something I did. Let me know when I do something wonderful, so I can learn what makes you happy. Tell me anything, but be honest. As long as you are, I'll love you forever."

Honesty. How important it is for a life of integrity and genuine Christian unity. This book makes that clear.

The author reminded me of how I should be living a life of honesty. Also, how destructive it is to try to manipulate others to do what we think they should be doing. We cannot do that and love them at the same time. Love is patient and kind, never seeking its own way (I Cor. 13).

I also like the sayings (from the girls' grandmother) sprinkled thoughout the book. Here is one of my favorites:

"Grandma once told me that you can always tell if a woman is truly in love by the way she looks at her husband. If she smiles at him like a woman pulled over by a traffic cop, that's genuine love."

I really liked this one. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.


(I received this book from Glass Road Publications for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

You can go to the publisher's website to read the preface and first chapter of the book.

Author's Biography:

With nearly four million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is the bestselling author of more than one hundred books, including The Tale of Three Trees, Don’t Bet Against Me, The Note, and The Nativity Story. Hunt is one of the most sought-after collaborators in the publishing industry. Her nonfiction book Don’t Bet Against Me, written with Deanna Favre, spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Angela’s novel The Note was filmed as the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas movie for 2007 and proved to be the highest rated television movie in the channel’s history. She often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences, and she served as the keynote speaker at the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers’ national conference. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs. In 2001, one of her dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest dog in America.

Book Review: A Killer Among Us by Lynette Eason

When I was in college, I changed my major twice. But the third one is the one I would love to get a degree in: criminal justice. It is one of the most fascinating subjects to me. I have read many fiction and non-fiction books on crime, criminal psychology, and criminal investigation. I am intrigued by the workings of the human mind and what makes people do what they do, especially when it comes to criminal behavior.

So, I guess that's why one of my favorite fiction writers is Lynette Eason. She knows how to write novels that snag your interest right from the start. And her characters are likeable as well as ones you want to empathize with. I have enjoyed every one I have read.

A Killer Among Us is no exception. The story of three sisters and their partners (in work and in their personal lives) are interwoven in the series (although you could read one by itself without reading the others, I recommend reading all three). 

This particular book is about Kit Kenyon and her partner, Noah Lambert. Kit is a hostage negotiator, very good at what she does. But when she and Noah become involved in investigating a serial killer, their emotions threaten to get in the way of their duties to their jobs. And as more people become the killer's victims, Kit and Noah find themselves targets as well.

To give you an idea of how Mrs. Eason's books begin, here are the first few paragraphs of A Killer Among Us:

"You don't want to do this." Detective Kit Kenyon stared past the barrel of the gun and fixed her eyes on the man before her.

The forty-four-year-old blinked against the sweat dripping into his hazy green eyes. A thick tongue swept out against dry lips, and his gaze darted from her to the door to his wife, who sat on the floor under the window weeping softly.

Melanie, his twelve-year-old daughter, winced at the harsh hand ensnaring her long brown ponytail and never took her terrified gaze from Kit.

"Virgil?" Kit pushed gently. "Right now, you haven't hurt anyone. In fact, you've cooperated nicely." Except for the part where she'd asked him to end this peacefully.

But they were getting there.

Anyone who has liked the novels of Dee Henderson, Terri Blackstock, Irene Hannon and Brandilyn Collins will also want to read Lynette Eason's books. They are among the best in Christian romantic suspense.

I give A Killer Among Us 5 out of 5 stars. 

About the author:

Lynette Eason is the author of ten novels, including Too Close to Home, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). Lynette and her husband and their two children make their home in South Carolina.

(I received this book from Revell for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

Book Review: A Heart Divided by Kathleen Morgan

A Heart Divided by Kathleen Morgan
Series: Heart of the Rockies 1

ISBN: 978-0-8007-1884-8
Price: $14.99
Format: Paperback

Publication date: May 11, 2011
Publisher: Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Description from the publisher:

When fate brings them together, they must choose between family ties and love.


The Caldwells and Wainwrights have been feuding for decades. Still, Sarah Caldwell has misgivings when her father pressures her into distracting a ranch hand while he and her brothers rob the Wainwright place. When it becomes clear that hand is actually Cord Wainwright, heir of the Wainwright holdings, Sarah realizes things have gone too far.

As the feud boils over, Cord and Sarah make a most inconvenient discovery--they just might be falling in love. Can they betray their families to see where this attraction leads? Or will their families betray them?

Against the beautiful and wild backdrop of the Rocky Mountains in 1878 comes this sweeping saga of romance, betrayal, and forgiveness from beloved author Kathleen Morgan.

I have to admit, I did like this book. It seems that there was enough of a developed plot to keep my interest, even though it is a "prairie novel". I especially liked the character Nick, who is the "glue" that holds the family together and keeps them from making many stupid mistakes. He is a Christian man who remains joyful through a variety of difficult trials, yet is a believable character who actually reminds me of some people I know, people who have encouraged me in my walk with God. Here's just one small exerpt from the book that exempliflies the kind of man Nick is:

"Sarah's just not the sort of person to turn her back on those she loves, no matter how badly they've sinned (Nick said)." His mouth quirked. "Kind of like God's unending love for his errant children."

A great reminder! We all should have a person or persons like Nick in our lives.

If you like a good romance (and a little suspense), you would like this book.

I give A Heart Divided 4 out of 5 stars.

“Available May 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Kathleen Morgan is the award-winning author of many novels, including those in the bestselling Brides of Culdee Creek series. She lives in Colorado.

(I received this book from Revell for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

Book Review: How Huge the Night by Heather and Lydia Munn

How Huge the Night is a WWII story of a little town in southern France and the people who live there. The authors (mother and daughter team) have lived in France and write this story from true events.

I quickly became engrossed in this book as I read about young people who find themselves caught up in a war that they know little about. There are different types of characters, such as Benjamin who is a German Jew seeking refuge; Julien, a native of France who wants to do the right thing but who comes to realize the depths of his sin and struggles with right and wrong; and Nina, a girl from Austria who, along with her brother, Gustav, is also seeking a place to escape the Nazis. All of these young people face trials that even the bravest adults would have trouble enduring.

Once again, I like how the gospel is woven throughout this book. One of the best passages in the book is:

"'Sin is for real, Julien. In you, in me, in Victor Bernard. We are bad people.' Grandpa was looking at him, his eyes deep with sorrow. Julien watched the wind whip the trees.

'Tell me what you believe about Jesus, Julien. What he did.'

'He...' His voice was a whisper. 'He died for our sins.'

'Do you believe that?' 

Did he? Jesus died. Jesus died for what I've done.

'It's true.'

It's true.

'He meant to, Julien. Nobody made him do it. He did it for what he wanted the most - for you and me to be able to come to him. After what we've done. It was worth that to him. That's what he wants. Us. To welcome us back.'

There were times as I was reading that I didn't understand who was speaking or what the authors were talking about for several sentences. It slowed down my reading and confused me a little. And the plot was fully developed, even though I thought the ending was somewhat unsatisfying.

Most readers who are interested in WWII novels would probably like this book. I give How Huge the Night 4 out of 5 stars.

(I received this book from LitFuse for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

About the Munn's:

Heather Munn was born in Northern Ireland and grew up in southern France where her parents were missionaries like their parents before them. She has a BA in literature from Wheaton College and now lives in a Christian intentional community in rural Illinois, where she and her husband, Paul, host free spiritual retreats for the poor, especially those transitioning out of homelessness or addiction. When not writing or hosting, she works on the communal farm.

Lydia Munn, daughter of missionary parents, grew up in Brazil. She received a BA in literature from Wheaton College, and an MA in Bible from Columbia Graduate School of Bible and Missions. With her husband, Jim, she has worked in church planting and Bible teaching since 1983, notably in St. Etienne, near the small town in the central mountains of France which forms the background of How Huge the Night. The Munns now live in Grenoble, France.

Book Review: The DMZ by Jeanette Windle

I've always wondered what it would be like to be a missionary or the child of missionary parents. I would probably find it hard to adjust to a new culture, but it sounds like an experience I would enjoy, at least for a season. That's why I think I want to go on more mission trips as the kids get older. There's nothing more gratifying than going to a place where the gospel is eagerly received and the people grateful for the help you bring.

The DMZ is a book written by a  "missionary kid". Jeanette Windle grew up in the country of Colombia, where the story of the book occurs. I was intrigued when I read in her bio that "Jeanette's detailed writing is so realistic and carefully researched that government agencies have questioned her to determine if she has received classified information."

I learned a lot while reading this book. I had scant knowledge of the demilitarization zone in Colombia and FARC before reading this book. I had heard the names of some of the real-life characters, but reading The DMZ helped me in knowing more. And I was able to learn these things while still enjoying a good story. There were a few times I got bogged down in the "history lessons", but it did not keep me from wanting to finish. There was enough interesting plot to make me want to continue to the end.     

Julie, the main character of the book, is also a missionary kid. She leaves Colombia when she is just a teenager to live in a boarding school. Her parents are killed by guerillas and she is forced to move to America to complete her education. She spends the next seven years building up a bitterness toward the men who murdered her mother and father. When given a chance to return to Colombia as a reporter on a fact-finding peace mission, Julie decides to face her past and she returns to the village where she was raised. 

I won't give away any spoilers, but I will just tell you that the book gets more frightening as it progresses. However, there is a happy ending (at least for some) and a little romance thrown in as well. All in all, a great book.

I give The DMZ 4 out of 5 stars. (Probably the only reason I could not give it 5 stars is because of the length of the book, which is a whopping 512 pages. Took me a while to get through it!)

(I received this book from LitFuse for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)   

Book Review: The Deepest Waters by Dan Walsh

I was glad to get a copy of this book because I knew it would probably be good. I had read Walsh's previous book and reviewed it on this blog last year. I enjoyed The Homecoming, so when I heard about The Deepest Waters, I decided to read and review it.

The Deepest Waters is the story of John and Laura Foster, who become victims of a hurricane when the steamship they are traveling on sinks in the Atlantic. The year is 1857, and the couple is on their honeymoon when the storm strikes.

Laura is rescued along with the other women and children. She mourns the loss of her new husband and wonders how she can go on without him. But with the help of a gentle-hearted slave named Micah and his dog, Crabby, Laura learns of the love of her Heavenly Father and how He will never leave her, even in the midst of life's greatest tragedies. 

This author reminds me of writers such as Richard Paul Evans and Nicholas Sparks. It is the kind of prose that leaves the reader with a sense of the "rightness" (is that a word?) of all that is good in the world. I think we all need books like this at some time or another, especially when our lives seem so out of control.

I like how Mr. Walsh incorporates the gospel in his stories without being "preachy". Here is one especially good portion from The Deepest Waters:

(Micah said) "Jesus say, 'Whoever committeth sin is a slave of sin, and a slave does not abideth in the house forever, but a son do. They'fore, if the Son maketh you free, you be free indeed.' All at once it come to me...no man is free when his heart ain't free. All them massahs I have, and all the bad things they done to me...they may be free the way man see it, but not the way Jesus see it. 'Cause they ain't free in here." He pointed to his heart. "But if Jesus can make my heart free, can't no man make a slave of me. Maybe they can on this earth, the way man judge a thing. But one day, God will set everythin' right. 'Tween then and now, Jesus set my heart free from all the hate and fear and sadness inside. And...if the Son maketh you free, you be free indeed."

I can think of no better way of expressing the way of salvation.

There's lots of adventure as well as romance in this book. I recommend it to all who love a good, heartfelt story.

I give The Deepest Waters 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

(I received this book from Revell for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

“Available April 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Dan Walsh is the award-winning author of The Unfinished Gift, The Homecoming, and The Deepest Waters. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Dan served as a pastor for 25 years. He lives with his family in the Daytona Beach area, where he's busy researching and writing his next novel.

Feature Book: Prayers For Sale by Sandra Dallas

I discovered Sandra Dallas last year when I read her newest book Whiter Than Snow. I have since read two more: Tallgrass and Prayers For Sale.

I like Sandra's unique voice and the way she makes all her characters come alive. They remind me of people I know. Ms. Dallas is a talented writer who writes about issues to which we can all relate. I am looking forward to her next book which comes out on May 1 of this year.

Here is more about Prayers For Sale from the author's website:

Prayers For Sale, Sandra’s eighth novel, is an unforgettable tale of a friendship between two women, one with surprising twists and turns, and one that is ultimately a revelation of the finest parts of the human spirit. In 1936, Hennie Comfort, eighty-six, meets Nit Spindle, seventeen, just as the old woman learns she must leave the Colorado mountains that have been her home for seventy years. Nit has lost her baby, and Hennie takes the girl under her wing, telling her stories about mountain life, stories that are as much about Hennie as they are about the historic people of the high country. The harsh conditions of life that Hennie and Nit have suffered create an instant bond, and an unlikely friendship is formed, one in which the deepest of hardships are endured and the darkest memories are confessed.

And here is an exerpt from Prayers For Sale:

The old woman peered past the red geraniums in her deep front window at the figure lingering in the moon-white snow at the gate. In the gloom of the late winter afternoon, Hennie Comfort did not recognize the woman, who stood like a curious bird, her head cocked to one side as she looked at the fence, then the front door, and back at the fence again. Hennie watched, thinking it odd that anyone would wait there, mute as the snow itself. Why would a body stand in the cold when she could come inside by the stove?


Hennie had gone to the window to read her letter in the winter light, because the heavy snow had weighted down the wires, causing the electric to go out. It was too dark inside now to read, although Hennie knew the words wouldn’t be any different from what they were when she read the letter at the post office that morning.

For years, Mae had urged her to move out of the high country. This time, she’d made it plain that if Hennie insisted on another winter on the earth’s backbone, Mae would come to Middle Swan herself and pack up her mother and take her below, to Fort Madison on the eastern edge of Iowa. Mae was a loving daughter, but she was as stubborn as Hennie. “You can spend your summers in Middle Swan, Mom, but I insist that from now on, you live with us during the winters. What if you slipped on the ice and broke your leg? You could freeze to death before somebody found you.”

Mae was right, Hennie admitted to herself. If she fell, the snow would cover her up, and nobody would know where she was until she melted out in the spring. It was foolhardy for a person as old as she was to stay another winter on the Swan River. Besides, it was selfish of her to let Mae worry, and Hennie was always sensible of the feelings of others. But Lordy, she didn’t want to live on the Mississippi.

Hennie set the letter on the table and returned to the window to look at the woman, covered now in white flakes. She’d be frozen solid as a fence post if she didn’t move soon. So the old woman opened the door and walked into the snow in her stout shoes, her hands tucked into her sleeves. “Hello to you,” she called.

The stranger looked up, startled, a little frightened. She was a new-made woman, not much more than a girl, and Hennie had never seen her before. “Oh!” the stranger said, clasping and unclasping her bare hands, which despite the poor light, Hennie could see were red and chapped. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but I was wondering how much?”

“How much for what?”


“A prayer.” The girl tightened the triangle of plaid wool scarf that covered her head before she thrust her hands into the pockets of her thin coat.


Hennie was confused for a moment, and then realizing what had confounded the girl, she laughed. “That sign’s been there so long, I forget about it.”


“It says, Prayers For Sale. I’m asking how much do you charge, and is it more if you’re in need than if you’re wanting just a little favor? Do sinners pay more than the righteous? And what if the Lord doesn’t answer? Do you get your money back?” The girl asked all this in a rush, as if she didn’t want to forget any of the questions she had pondered as she stood frozen-still in the cold.


“That sign’s older than God’s old dog.”


“How come you to sell prayers?”


“I don’t.”


“The sign says so. I’ve seen it three times now. I came back because of it,” the girl persisted. “I can pay, if that’s what you’re thinking. I can pay.”


Hennie chuckled. “That sign’s a story. I’ll tell it to you if you’ll come inside.”


“I’ve got a nickel. Is that enough for a prayer?”


“Lordy, are you needing one? No money will buy a prayer, I tell you, but I’ll give you one for free, if you’re in need of it.” Hennie put her arms tight around herself to squeeze out the cold, for she had gone into the storm without her coat.


“I need it. I do.”


“Just you come inside then and tell me why.”


“I can’t. I’ve got to get home and fix Dick’s supper. But I’d be obliged to you if you’d say a prayer—a prayer for Sweet Baby Effie, sweet baby that was, that is. Maybe you could ask that wherever she is, she’s not taken with the cold—I never knew it to be so cold--but just any words will do.”


“I’ll ask it,” Hennie said, turning and gesturing toward the house, but the girl wouldn’t follow. Instead, she took a step backward.


“I thank you,” she said, carefully laying her nickel on the cross-piece of the fence. Then she turned and fled. Rubbing her arms now against the cold, Hennie watched until the little thing disappeared into the storm. Then she picked up the five-cent-piece and went inside, placing the coin in a mite box that she kept for Bonnie Harvey to take to church. Hennie herself didn’t attend services, hadn’t in a long time.


As she sat down in a kitchen chair, Hennie picked up the letter but instead of holding it up to the window to read again, she pondered the young girl. Something about her was familiar, although Hennie was sure she’d never seen her before. It might have been the way she said her words, which told Hennie she was from the South. Or perhaps it was because the girl was new in Middle Swan and appeared to be not a day older than Hennie herself when she’d arrived long years before.

Hennie looked out the window again, but there was no sign of the girl returning, no sign that she’d even been there, in fact. The old woman wondered why the girl wanted a prayer; she seemed to have a powerful desire for one. Well, Hennie knew the need for prayer in her life, and she would do what she could. So slowly, she knelt on her old knees beside the chair, clasped her hands together, and asked God to keep Sweet Baby Effie warm. Then she mumbled, “Now, Lord, there’s a girl, a poor girl, by the looks of her, that’s needing your help—and maybe mine, too. I’d like it right well if you could tell me what to do.” She paused and added, “And I’d be grateful if you’d find a way short of dying to keep me from moving in with Mae.”

I highly recommend Prayers For Sale. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Sandra Dallas is the author of eight novels, including Tallgrass and New Mercies. She is a former Denver bureau chief for Business Week magazine and lives in Denver, Colorado. For more on the author and her books, visit Sandra's website.

(I received this book from Authors on the Web. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)