Love's First Bloom by Delia Parr

To protect her, a minister accused of murder sends his daughter, Ruth, into hiding with a false identity. As she tries to survive the blemish on her father's name, the lies weigh heavily upon her. Comforted by the love and acceptance of the young girl placed in her charge and the family who took her in, Ruth manages to hold onto a thread of hope and faith. When tragedy strikes and Ruth realizes that she may never be able to return home, she doesn't know who she can trust. With reporters trying to locate her, she lives with constant fear of discovery. One of those reporters, Jake, is trying to redeem himself and hides behind a false identity as well. As he gets to know Ruth, he faces a difficult choice.

More entertaining than challenging, this historical romance was an enjoyable read. Navigating the many complications surrounding the main characters kept the story fresh and intriguing. The characters were well-developed and likeable. Though I did keep waiting for the "truth will set you free" message, Jake and Ruth eventually knew the truth about each other. A little romance, a little mystery, and enough minor character revelations to lend itself to a stand-alone sequel, I would recommend this book.

In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Three college students, friends from the orphanage they grew up in, seek to find their place in a world on the brink of World War I. Libby, desiring to be taken seriously as a journalist, finds that proving herself as a writer in a man's world can be challenging. Pete, called to be a minister, struggles with a disability and bitterness toward the parents who gave him up. And Bennett battles jealousy in his desire to belong. As these three friends try to find their way, they begin to discover who they are and what they believe about God, each other, and themselves.

I enjoyed watching these characters grow and develop in their love, confidence, and faith. The first two or three chapters moved a bit slowly, but the story was compelling enough to encourage this reader to continue. Sawyer presented the struggles of faith, friendship, ambition, family, and belonging in ways that may speak to many of us as we battle within ourselves - old man versus new.

It is a story primed for a sequel, as not all was resolved. This reader will certainly be reading it when it becomes available.

Complacency

It's easy, especially in this country, to become complacent, satisfied, in our faith. Satisfied to live out each day as the one before, we stagnate. We stop looking for the miracle, stop seeking His face, stop growing in our faith. But we are to live life abundantly! So, fall on your face! Search Him out today. Expect miracles. God is so much more than we can even comprehend. Let's not stop trying to know Him more.

66 Love Letters by Dr. Larry Crabb

Have you ever read your Bible and wondered what it has to do with you? Have you ever struggled with the God of the Bible? If so, you are not alone.

In 66 Love Letters: A Conversation with God that Invites You Into His Story, Dr. Larry Crabb takes an honest approach to the Bible, often asking the hard questions. "Presented as a dialogue between one man and God" (book sleeve), Dr. Crabb uses an easy-to-read, conversational style to summarize of each book of the Bible. It delves heavily into application. How does this book impact me? What should I be getting out of this book?

This is a book that makes you think and rethink your relationship with God. It gives you a better understanding of the role of the Church. And it helps you see Christ in every book of the Bible.

With an available free study guide from the author's website, this book lends itself to personal or group study and would be best used over time, as a supplement to reading through the Bible. Having said that, it is enjoyable enough and holds enough truths that it is sometimes hard to put down. My advice? Enjoy it, but use it as a jumping off place to go back and search the Scriptures for yourself, perhaps seeing them in a new light.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to buy several to give away. Five stars.

A complimentary review copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers with no expectation of a positive review.

Masquerade by Nancy Moser

Lottie, a wealthy, spoiled, young Englishwoman and her ladies maid, Dora, sail across the ocean so Lottie can marry American wealth. As they near their destination, Lottie determines not to marry the American and comes up with a deceptive scheme designed to make both girls happy. They switched places. Once their plan is set in motion, the girls encounter one complication after another, as they try to pull off their charade. When their plan begins to unravel and the truth rises to the surface, the girls discover who they really are and what is really important in life.

Well written, enjoyable, and historically accurate, Nancy Moser has written another great novel. The description is a bit heavy and therefore slows the pace of the book, but the reader does walk away with a better picture of late 19th century America - the conditions that greeted the immigrants who came to America for a better life, the lifestyle and fashion of high society, the marked division of the social classes, and the expected roles of women. All in all, a good read.

The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews, Illustrated by Philip Hurst

The Boy Who Changed the World is a children's book with a message. It tells the true stories of four boys, Norman, Henry, George, and Moses, each of whom changed the world. And it tells how Norman was influenced by Henry, who was influenced by George, who was influenced by Moses.

I enjoyed this book tremendously, although I read it to my daughter with tears in my eyes. The book demonstrates "the butterfly effect" for children, showing them how their ideas and actions affect others. Beautifully written and illustrated, this story is engaging enough to capture the attention of my four-year-old and has a message applicable to all of us. What you do matters. You are important. God has a purpose for your life. You can be the boy (or girl) who changed the world.

A complimentary review copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers with no expectation of a positive review.

Book Review: Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Heartless, the debut novel by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, is an engaging story of a young princess, competing suitors, and the strange and magical world she lives in. A world filled with myth and magic, faeries and dragons, good and evil. A world where anything is possible and all is not as it seems.

Despite a slow start, Heartless is filled with memorable characters, witty dialogue, and so many twists and turns that the unexpected is the norm. With generous use of foreshadowing, the author encourages the reader's curiosity. The writing seemed a bit stilted at first, but quickly settled into a smooth read.

This was not the best novel I've read recently, but enjoyable nonetheless. Enjoyable enough that I plan to read future books by this author. I believe she has a lot of promise, especially for the young adult reader, and I expect her name to become well-known within Christian fantasy circles.