Christy

Catherine Marshall
Narrated by Kelly Martin
501 pages

The year is 1912.  Christy is a young, ambitious woman from Asheville, NC who has decided to teach in a mission school in the impoverished Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.  This experience tests her faith and character.  At first she is overwhelmed by the ignorance and dirt of the mountain people.  However, Alice Henderson and David Grantland are there to help her find her place.  With their help, she grows to love the mountain people and make an impact on her students.

I loved the TV show when I was younger, and I loved this book.  I was a little surprised by the end, but I loved it.  This audiobook is also narrated by the same actress who played her in the TV series, so the voice was already familiar to me as that of Christy.  I felt some of her accents were overdone, and sometimes it was difficult to tell her voices apart, but I enjoyed it overall.

The Fiddler

by Beverly Lewis
326 pages

Amelia is an up-and-coming classical violinist straining under the weight of her father's expectations.  To seek some relief from the pressure, she has taken up a secret hobby as a country fiddle player.  On the way home from a fiddle contest, she drives into an unexpected rainstorm where she encounters a lone Amish man with similar troubles.  Michael is a 25-year-old Amish man who has yet to make the decision to join the Amish church.  He has sought out higher education and works as a draftsman, and he is struggling between his father's expectations and his own desire to pursue life outside the Amish church. Amelia and Michael influence each other to seek out what they really want in life, and a bit of romance sparks along the way.

I liked this novel, but it's a quick read that is fairly predictable.  Unlike most of Lewis's series, the conflict was resolved within one book.  Since the issues were all resolved within this novel, I'm not exactly sure what Lewis is going to do with the next novels in this series.  However, I was quite pleased that I didn't have to wait a year for my happy ending.

Cape Refuge

by Terri Blackstock
382 pages

Cape Refuge, a Georgia island, has always been a safe place for the broken and downtrodden.  Many people come to Hanover House to start a new life, including many convicted felons.  Thelma and Wayne Owens have dedicated their lives to the Hanover House ministry and helping those who are broken and downtrodden.  When they are found murdered, the whole community is shocked, especially their daughters Morgan and Blair.  Morgan's husband is soon arrested when the police discover that he is the owner of the murder weapon, though there are serious doubts about his guilt, especially since Hanover House is currently housing other potential suspects.  Blair, who is also the town librarian, and Police Chief Cade work to solve the murders and make Cape Refuge safe again.

I now understand Terri Blackstock's popularity.  This novel is definitely a page-turner.  I do have a few quibbles about her portrayal of public records all being easily accessible in electronic databases, but other than that, it was a good novel.  Christian mystery is definitely a good choice for people who don't like the coarse language of regular mystery novels.  However, Blackstock's characters weren't all squeaky clean like you see in some Christian fiction novels, either.  I liked her engaging writing style and will probably read more of her novels in the future.

A Bright Tomorrow

by Gilbert Morris
312 pages

This first novel in the American Century series follows the three oldest Stuart children, Amos, Lylah, and Owen, as they leave home and enter the world.  The Stuarts grew up on a farm in the Arkansas Ozarks, near Mountain View, during the end of the nineteenth century.  Their mother is a devout, born-again Christian, but their father is not.  The oldest Stuart children must make their own decisions about God as they head out into the world and make a name for themselves.

For the most part, this was an enjoyable read.  Morris painted a very interesting picture of life at the beginning of the twentieth century.  This appears to be a well-researched novel with plenty of historical detail.  However, some of the events in this novel are implausible.  Amos's story, in particular, seems very unrealistic.  I just don't buy that one man, with little education and money, could be involved in so many different historic events and be so friendly with a president.  I understand what Morris was trying to do--paint a picture of the historical events and the political tension of this period.  I just don't think he should have tried to do it with one character.  This book was interesting, but I don't feel compelled to read the next book in the series.

"Faith" by Michelle Larks

292 pages

Life is good for Monet and Marcus Caldwell . Both have jobs they love: Marcus as a detective for the Chicago Police Department and Monet as a nurse in the neonatal unit of an inner city hospital. Their marriage is great and they're both active in their church and committed to God. The only thing missing from their life is a child. Doctors have been unable to explain why Monet has been unable to conceive, but she believes that God will bless them with a child someday. Suddenly, everything changes after Monet is brutally raped. Although she heals physically and makes big strides toward emotional recovery, Marcus agonizes over the pain his wife went through and his longing for revenge on the rapist, who remains at large. Then things get even more complicated: Monet learns that she's having a baby. She is thrilled and feels assured that the baby is Marcus', and vows to love it even if it is the rapist's offspring. Marcus, on the other hand, is appalled by the news and orders his wife to terminate the pregnancy. When Monet refuses, turmoil takes over the Caldwell household.

I don't read much Christian fiction because I think it can be cheesy, but I enjoyed this book. The characters and their struggles felt very real to me instead of all "everything is part of God's plan so nothing bothers me." The ending is predictable, but there were enough surprises throughout the story to keep me interested. I recommend this for anyone who wants to get a feel for the Christian fiction genre without going through too much preaching.

The Moon in the Mango Tree

by Pamela Binnings Ewen, 470 p.

Leaving her love of opera behind, Barbara travels to Siam as a mission doctor's wife in 1920. As Barbara struggles to find a place in her new community, she moves further from the ideals that brought her family there in the first place. She finds herself constantly at odds with the other missionaries, her surroundings, and even her own faith. A series of jolting events send Barbara back to Philadelphia, where she immerses herself in the modern flapper culture. When her husband is offered a teaching position at a Siamese medical university, she finds herself once again in Siam, although this time in the luxurious ex-pat community of Bangkok. But the riches and splendor still leave something empty deep in her heart. Barbara flees to Paris and Rome, leaving behind her husband in hopes of reigniting her opera career. As she finds herself further away from the life she fled, an old acquaintance shows her the way back to her family and happiness.

Based on her grandmother's diary and letters, Barbara Binnings Ewen tells a wonderful story that is hard to put down. I normally am not a fan of inspiration fiction, but this story is balanced and accessible.

Save the Date by Jenny B Jones

2011/320 pgs

About the Book: Lucy Wiltshire has her dream job running a non-profit home for girls who have aged out of the foster care system but still need help getting on their feet. But her investors have been pulling out and the city wants to take over her building and build a parking lot.

Alex Sinclair is a former football player who is now running for congress. He has money, but his money, good looks and charm aren’t enough to buy him a seat in congress. So his campaign manager suggests a plan-he get engaged. After a paparazzi snapped a photo of Alex and Lucy talking at a benefit, the tabloids seem to think they’re a real couple.

Alex has money, Lucy needs money. So they decide to fake a relationship and engagement to help Alex’s campaign and save Lucy’s girls home. But will their fake relationship turn into a real one?

Sarah Teenlibrarian Says: I read Jenny's blog regularly and I'm always impressed with how her books read the same way she writes her blog (and the same way she is in real in life!) Her books reflect her sense of humor and are full of laughs and pop culture references.

Save the Date is a cute romantic comedy and even though it's fairly predictable, it's still fun to read. Lucy is a SF/Fantasy nerd and she has a group of friends that meet monthly called "The Hobbits." Small details like this made Lucy an endearing character, although at times she was a bit frustrating with her lack of self-confidence. Alex is a charming, sweet and funny gentlemen and their relationship has a nice push and pull to it.

This is Christian fiction, so it does get a bit preachy. But overall it's a fun light read.

Tilly

By: Frank E Peretti 126 pp.

A young couple go to a funeral of a loved one. Once there, the woman, Kathy, cannot take her eyes away from one small, nearby gravestone that reads, "Tilly" and it has one date on it from nine years ago.

For some odd reason this gravestone has touched her heart but she is unable to figure out why. At several more visits to this gravestone, Kathy sees an older lady visiting this grave. She needs to figure out who is buried here so she talks to the lady. The information she receives is startling, yet comprehensionable.

Find out what when you read Tilly for yourself!