Gone South - Meg Moseley

Gone South by Meg Moseley.

About the book:

The charm of the South drew her back to her family’s roots. But when the town’s old resentments turn the sweet tea bitter, can Tish find a welcome anywhere?
 Leaving frosty Michigan for the Deep South was never a blip in the simple plans Tish McComb imagined for her life, dreams of marriage and family that were dashed five years earlier in a tragic accident. Now an opportunity to buy her great-great-great-grandparents’ Civil War era home beckons Tish to Noble, Alabama, a Southern town in every sense of the word. She wonders if God has given her a new dream— the old house filled with friends, her vintage percolator bubbling on the sideboard.
 When Tish discovers that McCombs aren’t welcome in town, she feels like a Yankee behind enemy lines. Only local antiques dealer George Zorbas seems willing to give her a chance. What’s a lonely outcast to do but take in Noble’s resident prodigal, Melanie Hamilton, and hope that the two can find some much needed acceptance in each other.
 Problem is, old habits die hard, and Mel is quite set in her destructive ways. With Melanie blocked from going home, Tish must try to manage her incorrigible houseguest as she attempts to prove her own worth in a town that seems to have forgotten that every sinner needs God-given mercy, love and forgiveness.

My review: 

Sorely dissapointed by this book. The cover is amazing! But the book was not. I got about half way through before quitting. I mean, the name Tish? Natrualizers? Late 30's? Mama's girl? Antiques?  Tish goes to Alabama to visit buy the home of her great-something granparents that they owned during the civil war, leaving snowy Michigan.  She's not welcomed in Alabama because of her last name.  I couldn't relate to any of the characters and thus didn't connect to them.  They seemed dull and boring.  Everything flowed so nicely and there was no excitement.  I don't recommend this book at all.  Except, maybe older ladies or lovers of antiques would like it. I don't know.  

Unfailing Love - Julie Lessman

 Unfailing Love is the first book in Julie Lessman's Isle of Hope series.

About this book:

She stole his heart.
He stole her peace.
Can hope steal their pain? 

At the age of eighteen, Lacey Carmichael was a wild girl bent on fun, promised to Jack Carmichael, a straight-and-narrow pastor’s kid bent on the seminary. When her father kicks her out of the house, she runs away from Isle of Hope, turning her back on everything she loves. Now, eight years later, she’s back as a woman of faith, hoping to make amends to the father she defied, the boyfriend she deserted, and the best friend she denied. Only the bridges she’s burned are still smoldering, kindled by an adulterous affair by Jack’s pastor father that damaged his son’s faith. But can a turning of tables—and hearts—lead the way back to “hope” for them all? 

My review: 

An amazing story of love and forgiveness between the characters and God and between themselves.  A firm reminder than sin, even if done in secret, always has consequences.  Also stressing the everpresent fact that God grants forgiveness and new life in Him.  And if we forgive those who trespass against us, there is hope for new life.  A life lived in hatred and bitterness is no life at all.  Another Biblical truth is also evidenced.  "For the wages of sin is death."  This is especially seen in the life of Adam, Jack's dad.  His pride ruined his life and God saw fit to take it to the extreme when Adam could not find it in his stubborn heart to repent.  In addition, he might as well just have killed his son, when his sins caught up with him.  Jack suddenly sees nothing in the Christian faith but hypocrisy and abandons it all together.

I loved this book so much and it even made it to my favorites list!  Lacey, the sweet giggling tomboy who's ridiculed by her father is taken in the roqdy crowd by her cousin Nicki.  She's dating Jack, a seminary student who she tempts to no end to go further than he wants to.  When she's kicked out of the house by an angry father, she runs away leaving her life behind her.  But now she's back, 8 years later.  She's come full circle - found God and forgiveness and she's forgiven the ones she's hurt most.  She's knows the hope forgiveness can give and she wants nothing more to return to the Isle of Hope to make amends and beg their forgiveness.  Jack, with his unforgiving nature and hurting heart, is taken off guard when Lacey returns, 8 years after she 'abandoned' him, her best friend, and the woman who was like a mother to her.  He was definitely my favorite character with all his competitiveness, love of fishing and teasing, and adorable unwanted jealousy which he tries to drive away by spending time with a flirt of a barbie nurse.  He's a player - but it's not what you think after a certain agreement he made with his twin sisters... He can't deny the deep bond between him and woman he was once going to marry.  But can he ever forgive her?  And she no longer wants him because he no longer believes in God.  Lacey needs someone with her faith and that someone might just be the hot young preacher - Chase.  After losing a bet during a game of basketball, Dr. Jack/Jock finds himself spending far too  much of his time associating with Christians in a church - even though it's mosting just a competitive game of volleyball.  And Chase might just turn out to be good for him...  Tess, Jack's mom is meanwhile at work on her hermit heart-surgeon neighbor, Lacey's dad and the husband of the woman who ran away with her own husband.  Tess is determined to bring him out of his bitterness and hatred of himself and others by bribing him with food for him and bacon for his dog, Beau.  In Ben's opinion, bribery is an outright sin, but it seems to work - until Lacey is conspiring with Tess over how to woo him back to the land of the living.  Lacey is determined to get everyones forgiveness for what she did to them, whether they want to give it or not.  Will Jack ever be able to forgive her?  Will her best friend Cat?  Will her father?  And will that hermit of a father of hers ever get his life back together?  What about Tess, that sometimes lonely mother with 3 of her kids already grown up?  Or Adam, who has long since disappeared?  And who can catch a bigger fish - Lacey or Jack - especially when they're betting?

Julie Lessman has written another masterpiece.  A book filled with the power of forgiveness, hope, good humor (especially when it comes to Jack's family's backyard lake), good-natured competition, fishing, plays on words, and plenty of romance.  Also, beware of plot twists.  The book is full of them!  But, then again, that's what makes a book so great.  The vivid description is another high point of this book.  Since when can an author make a reader see everything that happens without an overloading of the senses so that the action is gone?  Since now!  I have rarely seen description so amazingly executed!  The author's note at the end of the book added so much to the story.  It was a great way to end the book.  I cannot wait to read the story about Cat and Dr. Jack's other doctor friend.  The glimpses we see of him already are touching - him mooning of the pictures of Jack's sisters that are flaunted atop his desk (Jack tells him absolutely not) and his desire to have the barbie nurse, that has attached herself to Jack, as his girlfriend.  One thing I did not approve of, however, was the repeated use of 'freakin' throughout the book.  Language like that should not be in a Christian book and much less spoken by Christian people.  I encourage every one of you to read this book!

Even Now / Ever After - Karen Kingsbury

Even Now and Ever After are the two books in the Love Lost series by Karen Kingsbury.

About the books:

Sometimes hope for the future is found in the ashes of yesterday. EVEN NOW A young woman seeking answers to her heart's deepest questions. A man and woman driven apart by lies and years of separation...who have never forgotten each other. With hallmark tenderness and power, Karen Kingsbury weaves a tapestry of lives, losses, love, and faith-and the miracle of resurrection. EVER AFTER 2007 Christian Book of the Year Two couples torn apart - one by war between countries, and one by a war within. In this moving sequel to Even Now, Emily Anderson, now twenty, meets the man who changes everything for her: Army reservist Justin Baker. Their tender relationship, founded on a mutual faith in God and nurtured by their trust and love for each other, proves to be a shining inspiration to everyone they know, especially Emily's reunited birth parents. But Lauren and Shane still struggle to move past their opposing beliefs about war, politics, and faith. When tragedy strikes, can they set aside their opposing views so that love-God's love-might win, no matter how great the odds?

My review:

So so so sad. But so beautiful! Loved these books so much. Shane gets Lauren pregnant in their grade 12 year. They want to marry and start out in life on their own, but their parents won't let them. Their parents have 'plans' for their lives and don't believe that they really know what love is. They are seperated with no way to contact one another. Now their daughter Emily is 18 and determind to bring her parents back together. But after so many years apart, Shane and Lauren have grown in different directions. Shane is now an instructor for the US air force. Lauren is a photojournalist, condemning the war through her work in the middle east. If I say any more, the story will be spoiled. Just read the book! (and be prepared to cry)

Cold Shot - Dani Pettrey

Cold Shot is the first book in Dani Pettrey's new Chesapeake Valor series.

About the book: 

In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world--and friendships--crumbled.

Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet--until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern--a young social justice lawyer missing since spring--and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he'll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he--and those he cares about--are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.

My review:

Another amazing, complex-plotted suspense book from Dani Pettrey. The murder was very hard to solve! (like, I would have never known!) Dani always chooses one of the most least likely as the culprit.  But Griffin, Finley, and the rest manage to solve it, spending way too much time with each other in the mean time. It was a really cute romance, especially the ending. Finley has just brought so much happiness into Griffin's life. And there's so much room for more. Parker and Avery? Will Declan get the gal he loves? Because she's still in love with Luke, who's disappearance rocked their world years ago. This book is as amazing as every other Dani Pettrey book. Dani is an amazing write.  The characters in Cold Shot were so thouroughly developed that I felt like I'd always known them.  The humor, speech, and actions all contributed to characters that were quickly invested in.  The second book, Still Life, starring Parker and Avery is due to come out in January 2017.  Parker is my favorite character!  Highly recommended!  Those who love Lynette Eason or Dee Henderson will not be disappointed.

Raptor 6 - Ronie Kendig

 

'Raptor 6' is the first book is the Quiet Professionals trilogy by Ronie Kendig. 

About the book:

Captain Dean Watters keeps his mission and his team in the forefront of his laser-like focus. So when Dean’s mission and team are threatened, his Special Forces training kicks into high gear. Failing to stop hackers from stealing national security secrets from the military’s secure computers and networks isn’t an option. Zahrah Zarrick is a missionary teacher to Afghan children in Mazar-e Sharif. And a target. When Zahrah is captured because of her expertise in quantum cryptology, compromising the US military, Dean is forced to crack the lockbox around his heart—a move that might come at the highest cost.

My review:

Amazing cover, amazing hero, amazing heroine, amazing story!! One of the best military Christian Fiction books I've ever read. Dean is the head of the special-ops Raptor team and Zahrah is an American teacher constantly in danger. Zahrah has a strong faith in God that gives her the strength to continue such a dangerous job.  Dean's willingness to endure pain and torture and to put himself into dangerous situations for a woman he doesn't yet love is so sweet and sacrificial. Dean finds it very hard to love anyone and his call of duty to his country runs very deep, but will Zahrah finally break down the walls of his heart?  There are so many characters in this book that still need stories.  Falcon is already my favorite.  And talk about cliff-hangers!  I loved this book and encourage everyone to read it.