Book Thoughts - Nor Forsake by Julie Presley

Nor Forsake by Julie Presley
to be published June 17, 2016

Synopsis -

Libby Abbott leads a seemingly charmed life: she works from a beautiful home in a rich neighborhood as an aspiring author and has a handsome and successful husband who supports her dreams. But behind closed doors are the suspicions of infidelity, failed pregnancies, a writing career that's virtually non-existent, and a heart that is so far from God, she's not sure she knows the way back. When Libby's short story and headshot land on the desk of literary agent, Jason Randall, he is intrigued by the grace with which she handles her characters and her stunning smile. He's convinced that she's his next best-selling author. Publishing is the last thing on Libby's mind, but Jason's eagerness to see her succeed pushes her in a direction she never thought she'd travel again -towards the God of her youth, who dares her to embrace life amidst all of the chaos.

My thoughts -

I'm just going to be honest - Christian romance as a genre is not my jam. The storylines are so predictable - the main characters so sweet and pure I need a trip to the dentist - and the romance? Well, let's just say it's generally as sterile as a bottle of hand sanitizer. Like I said.....not my jam.

So imagine how thrilled I am to discover an author who write romance novels with real romance - like, the kind the gives a girl more than a few butterflies in her stomach - with characters I actually LIKE, stories that surprise me as I turn the pages - and in the Christian genre??? It's almost unbelievable - and yet, it's completely real.

Nor Forsake is the second novel I've read by Julie Presley, and with it she has cemented her spot as my favorite Christian fiction writer. Libby is an absolute delight of a character - warm, funny, smart, but with just enough insecurity and sass to make her feel real and authentic. I am already a sucker for a good novel set in the literary/publishing world, and Nor Forsake adds the romance of New York City as a backdrop for Libby's story. And the romance - yep, it has heat, which is sadly missing in so many Christian romance novels, but it's still a book you don't have to feel bad about recommending to your mom, or your 16-year-old daughter.

I'm such a fan of this author. Her books feel like a breath of fresh air, a cozy blanket on a chilly evening, a good conversation with a trusted friend. I cannot recommend her work enough.

Finished - 5/12/16

Source - review copy from the author - thank you!
MPAA rating - PG-13 for romantic situations 

My rating - 5/5

Pre-order Nor Forsake here!  (Seriously, it's only $4.99 - you almost can't go wrong.)

Thinking maybe $4.99 is too much for an untested author?? Grab a FREE copy of Julie's first novel, Stones of Remembrance, at her website!!   (Wait for the box to pop up to snag your copy...)

Book Thoughts - The First Gardener by Denise Hildreth Jones

The First Gardener by Denise Hildreth Jones
published 2011
419 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

Jeremiah Williams has been tending the gardens of the Tennessee governor's mansion for over twenty-five years. And like most first families who have come and gone, this one has stolen his heart. Mackenzie and her husband, Governor Gray London, have struggled for ten years to have a child and are now enjoying a sweet season of life--anticipating the coming reelection and sending their precious daughter, Maddie, off to kindergarten--when a tragedy tears their world apart. As the entire state mourns, Mackenzie falls into a grief that threatens to swallow her whole. Though his heart is also broken, Jeremiah realizes that his gift of gardening is about far more than pulling weeds and planting flowers. It's about tending hearts as well. As he uses the tools that have been placed in his hands, he gently begins to cultivate the hard soil of Mackenzie's heart, hoping to help her realize what it took him years to discover. A Southern tale of loss, love, and living, The First Gardner reminds us that all of life is a gift, but our heart is the most valuable gift of all

My thoughts-

Oh, this was just a lovely book. From the very start, as the author sets the stage in Jeremiah's voice, I fell in love with this wise old man and the gardens and family he tends. As I grew to know more and more about Mack and Gray, I quickly found a connection with them, and ached with their grief when tragedy struck. Jones' cast of characters is warm and full of life, and while some of the secondary characters seemed a little one-dimensional, her main players are satisfyingly rounded, with faults and graces in equal measure.

This wasn't always an easy book to read, however. The tragedy that strikes Mack and Gray is one I always find difficult to read about, and Jones gives her readers the task of experiencing that tragedy fully with Mackenzie. It was often painful, but never felt maudlin, and I thought the author did an excellent job of writing such a heart-wrenching subject.

One of the problems I often have with Christian fiction is the way faith is incorporated into the story - and by that, I mean it isn't. It seems the author has a specific "lesson" or "agenda" they wish to impart, and so at various time throughout the novel, their characters give little mini-sermons about whatever topic the author has chosen to write about. I find this irritating both from a reader's perspective - why must you bring the story to a halt just to throw that in? - and from a Christian perspective - do you really think I'm dense enough that you have to literally spoon-feed me your views on faith? I was impressed with the way Jones wove the faith elements of her story into the narrative. While it is certainly a novel with things to say about trust and forgiveness and relying on God, those elements seemed to spring organically from the flow of the story - they seemed to be the things these characters would naturally say. I think if more Christian fiction authors would be able to write like this, their books would find a much wider audience.

I enjoyed this novel very much. I thought it was a sensitive and realistic look at the way a family would cope with a great tragedy, and in the end it left me feeling hopeful and refreshed. If you are on the fence about Christian fiction, I would start with this title. Definitely recommended.

Finished - 5/23/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - PG for some scary events
My rating - 9/10

Sunday Shorts

I was a judge for the INSPY's! I got to read some very good Christian fiction - here are my thoughts on what I read....

Promise Me This by Cathy Gohlke
published 2012


Synopsis from publisher -

Michael Dunnagan was never supposed to sail on the Titanic, nor would he have survived if not for the courage of Owen Allen. Determined to carry out his promise to care for Owen's relatives in America and his younger sister, Annie, in England, Michael works hard to strengthen the family's New Jersey garden and landscaping business.Annie Allen doesn't care what Michael promised Owen. She only knows that her brother is gone--like their mother and father--and the grief is enough to swallow her whole. As Annie struggles to navigate life without Owen, Michael reaches out to her through letters. In time, as Annie begins to lay aside her anger that Michael lived when Owen did not, a tentative friendship takes root and blossoms into something neither expected. Just as Michael saves enough money to bring Annie to America, WWI erupts in Europe. When Annie's letters mysteriously stop, Michael risks everything to fulfill his promise--and find the woman he's grown to love--before she's lost forever.

My thoughts -

This novel had lovely writing and it's foray into WWI was quite interesting. I found the character of Annie to be a bit annoying at times, and the plot was slow at first, but picked up as the relationship between Michael and Annie developed. The romance was fairly predictable - nothing new or earthshattering there - but the Christian elements of forgiveness and acceptance of undeserved love would be applicable to those of any faith. A somewhat standard but still entertaining read.

Finished - 5/19/13

Source - South side library

MPAA rating - PG for mild war violence

My rating - 7/10

The Messenger by Siri Mitchell
published 2012
374 pages

Synopsis from publisher -


Hannah Sunderland felt content in her embrace of the Quaker faith...until her twin brother ran off and joined the army and ended up captured and in jail. Suddenly Hannah's world turns on end. She longs to bring her brother some measure of comfort in the squalid, frigid prison where he remains. But the Quakers believe they are not to take sides, not to take up arms. Can she sit by and do nothing while he suffers?

Jeremiah Jones has an enormous task before him. Responsibility for a spy ring is now his, and he desperately needs access to the men in prison, whom they are seeking to free. A possible solution is to garner a pass for Hannah. But while she is fine to the eye, she holds only disdain for him--and agreeing would mean disobeying those she loves and abandoning a bedrock of her faith.

My thoughts -

This novel was fine, but it had so many of the elements of what I think of as a traditional Christian romance that I didn't find it to be particularly inspiring. I wasn't drawn to either of the main characters, and they plot twists were easily predictable. It was well written, for what it was, but I think Christian fiction needs to do better than this if it wants to garner a wider audience.

Finished - 5/29/13
Source - review copy from publisher - thank you!
MPAA rating - G - this is a highly sanitized war!
My rating - 6/10

Stardust by Carla Stewart
published 5/31/12
300 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

Shortly after burying her unfaithful husband, Georgia Peyton unexpectedly inherits the derelict Stardust motel from a distant relative. Despite doubts from the community and the aunt who raised her, she is determined to breathe new life into it. But the guests who arrive aren't what Georgia expects: Her gin-loving mother-in-law; her dead husband's mistress; an attractive but down-on-his-luck drifter who's tired of the endless road; and an aging Vaudeville entertainer with a disturbing link to Georgia's past.
Can Georgia find the courage to forgive those who've betrayed her, the grace to shelter those who need her, and the moxy to face the future? And will her dream of a new life under the flickering neon of the STARDUST ever come true?

My thoughts -

This is very much a work of Southern fiction - it drips from every page like honey. I don't think I could make novels like this my main source of literature, but as a change it was nice. Setting the story during a polio outbreak made for interesting reading, and Stewart does a fine job with characters and plot. Recommended for light summer reading.

Finished - 5/31/13
Source - review copy from publisher - thank you!
MPAA rating - PG
My rating - 7/10

Into the Free by Julie Cantrell
published 2/31/12
368 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

In Depression-era Mississippi, Millie Reynolds longs to escape the madness that marks her world. With an abusive father and a "nothing mama," she struggles to find a place where she really belongs.

For answers, Millie turns to the Gypsies who caravan through town each spring. The travelers lead Millie to a key that unlocks generations of shocking family secrets. When tragedy strikes, the mysterious contents of the box give Millie the tools she needs to break her family's longstanding cycle of madness and abuse.

Through it all, Millie experiences the thrill of first love while fighting to trust the God she believes has abandoned her. With the power of forgiveness, can Millie finally make her way into the free?

My thoughts -

This was quite good. Millie was an immediately captivating heroine, and Cantrell really nailed her struggles to break free from her past even while searching to discover it. The "christian" portion of the novel was subtle and blended seamlessly into the story - I think readers who don't normally enjoy a "religious" novel might not even realize they are reading one. There were a few places that felt rushed, or possible under-developed, but overall this was a highly entertaining read that certainly tugged at my heartstrings. I will definitely look for more by this talented author. Recommended.

Finished - 6/4/13
Source - review copy from publisher
MPAA Rating - PG-13 for violence and adult situations
My rating - 8/10