Review: When Night Comes

When Night Comes
By Dan Walsh
Bainbridge Press, 2014


Summary

Jack Turner comes back to Culpepper to give a series of lectures for his old history professor. Within days, he starts having bizarre experiences at night. Like he’s traveling back in time, experiencing the epic events in his lectures firsthand. He has no control over these experiences and can’t make them stop.

Joe Boyd thought he’d left big city crime back in Pittsburgh when he took a detective job in Culpepper, Georgia, a sleepy southern college town. His peaceful life ends when two students turn up dead in two weeks. The coroner is saying natural causes, but something doesn’t add up.

Rachel Cook, a teaching assistant at Culpepper, can’t believe Jack is back in her life again. She’s had a crush on him since she was fourteen, but Jack never knew. He instantly seems attracted to her, but she can tell…something is deeply troubling him.

Watching all this from a distance is Nigel Avery. He’s certain this experiment’s about to unravel. It’ll be his job to tie up all the loose ends when it does.


My thoughts

Although I knew that When Night Comes was a departure from the style for which Dan Walsh is known, I was eager to read this story because I enjoy his writing so much, and I was in no way disappointed.

Fans of Dan Walsh's previous novels will find When Night Comes very different. It's entertaining suspense. It's not Christian fiction, but rather fiction written by a Christian. It's written from a biblical worldview, but without the emotional and spiritual themes that run through his other novels. Sometimes reviewers subtract rating stars due to these factors, and I don't think that's fair, because When Night Comes is in a different class and therefore shouldn't be compared to them. Yet it's still the writing of Dan Walsh, a masterful storyteller, and that's a very good thing.

When Night Comes has elements of police procedurals, romance, and lots of just plain spine-tingling suspense. There's a strong military theme built around World War II events and conspiracies that I found fascinating. It's about greed, guilt, fear, and image generation through dreams that actually place you in the scene as an eyewitness - the Pearl Harbor attack, Doolittle raid on Tokyo, etc. And it makes you think about how far people will go in order to obtain wealth, hide guilt, and maintain their good reputation.

I'm probably not the best audience for this book, for while I enjoy a good murder mystery, I don't care for the scary stuff - and that's why I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed When Night Comes. I certainly won't ever think of dreams in quite the same way! But as a fan of police procedurals, I can say that Dan holds his own very well in the area of suspense. His writing is tight, the plot well developed, and the villains are totally without conscience. There's even a neat little twist at the end that I never saw coming.

Dan is gifted at writing suspense and I hope he gives us more in this genre - but it's the lovely stories for which he is best known that I will seek out most often. Highly recommended to all who enjoy suspense - and for those fans, 5 stars.

Dan Walsh

Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of several books, including The Dance and The Promise with Gary Smalley, as well as The Unfinished Gift, The Discovery, and The Reunion. He has won three Carol Awards, and two of his novels were finalists for RT Book Reviews Inspirational Book of the Year for 2011 and 2012. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Dan served as a pastor for twenty-five years. He lives with his wife in the Daytona Beach area, where he's busy researching and writing his next novel.

Meet Dan online at danwalshbooks.com, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Thank you to Dan Walsh for providing an electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My 2014 "Best of the Best" in Christian Fiction

Out of the 109 books I read last year, these are the "Best of the Best" - books that stood out to me in a variety of ways, such as their literary quality, emotional impact, relevance, or simply their enjoyment factor. Watch for several of these authors to be featured with giveaways in the next few weeks!

There's no way I could rank them according to preference, so I'm listing them in alphabetical order by the author's last name. All are highly recommended, but titles with an * beside them have the "very highly recommended" designation. You can click on each book's cover to see my reviews.

Please share some of your favorite reads from 2014. Your list probably looks quite different from mine, but have you read any of these?

Keepers of the Covenant
By Lynn Austin

Until I Found You
By Victoria Bylin

*The Butterfly and the Violin
By Kristy Cambron

The Hesitant Heiress
By Dawn Crandall

The Painted Table
By Suzanne Field

The Revealing
By Suzanne Woods Fisher

Love's Fortune
By Laura Frantz

A Woman of Fortune
By Kellie Coates Gilbert

*Saving Amelie
By Cathy Gohlke

The Sentinels of Andersonville
By Tracy Groot

*A Promise Kept
By Robin Lee Hatcher

Love Without End
By Robin Lee Hatcher

Dare to Love Again
By Julie Lessman

A Life Intercepted
By Charles Martin

Death Takes a Ride
By Lorena McCourtney

A Stillness of Chimes
By Meg Moseley

*Songs of the Shenandoah
By Michael K. Reynolds

In Perfect Time
By Sarah Sundin

Meant to Be Mine
By Becky Wade

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Author Spotlight + 2014 Favorite GIVEAWAY: Becky Wade

I have enjoyed everything Becky Wade has written and am honored that she would visit us this week. If you're a romance fan and haven't tried one of Becky's books, I promise you won't be disappointed. Her stories are filled with humor, lively banter, and great chemistry, as well as spiritual themes that are gently woven into the narrative. Please click on the title, Meant to Be Mine, to see my review.

Only a romantic like Becky could write such entertaining stories. And just from looking at Becky's photo, I suspect that she has a mischievous streak as well! From these words on Becky's blog, I believe almost everyone can relate to her in some way:  "These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband."

Now enjoy visiting with Becky and enter to win a copy of Meant to Be Mine at the end of this interview . . .


Q:  Please share briefly about yourself, Becky. Married with kids? Full-time or part-time writer?

        I'm a southern California girl who went to Texas for college, met a Texas boy there, married him, and now live in Texas.  We have three kids (ages 13, 11, 5).
        I'd classify myself as a part-time writer because my writing day ends at either 1:45 or 3, depending on when I have to pick my kids up from school.  However, during certain times of the year (like the two months before a deadline) writing can definitely feel like a full time plus overtime job!


Q:  It's obvious from your writing that you're a romantic at heart. How did your love affair with romance begin, Becky?

        In middle school, I discovered YA romances along the lines of the Sweet Valley High books.  I devoured them!  I remember being far more interested in the love storyline than in whatever external plotline might have been happening.
        From there, I graduated to romantic movies, TV shows, and full-length fiction for adults.  Romance has always been my 'cup of tea'.  I adore it and I adore writing about it.


Q:  When you have time to simply read for pleasure, do you favor another genre, or does romance still draw you?

Romance, all the way.  When I read another genre it's because: 1) I'm in need of a quick dose of something different to mix things up or 2) I've heard so much about a book that I've become intrigued and want to give it a try.

Q:  Tell us about the novel that we're featuring today, Meant to Be Mine. What is the inspiration behind it?

I've always enjoyed a classic romantic premise that we writers call "the secret baby".  (By secret, I mean a baby whose existence is hidden from his/her father.)  That idea, the secret baby idea, was the inspiration behind Meant to Be Mine.


Q:  Describe Meant to Be Mine in five words.

Romantic.  Funny.  Modern.  Fast-paced.  Emotional.


Q:  What will draw readers to Ty and Celia?

        I hope that readers will be drawn to Ty because he's charming and witty and generous and because, despite his mistakes, he's striving to be honorable.
        I hope readers will be drawn to Celia because she's a spunky single mom with a sense of humor and unswerving devotion to her child.


Q:  What faith elements did you weave into this story?

The book's theme is forgiveness.  Meant to Be Mine gave me a chance to  explore the awe-inspiring grace that God's extended to us as well as the joys and challenges we face when trying to forgive one another.


Q:  How would you describe your writing style, Becky?

Heartwarming and humorous.  I write about imperfect people who are nonetheless loved by a perfect God.  Thus, my books all have a strong faith storyline.  I strive to write authentic characters.  I like to laugh.  At least one of my two main characters is always ‘larger than life’ in some way.  My books are love stories.  My readers can count on a hunky hero who’s going to fall madly in love with the heroine.


Q:  What stories can we look forward to from you in the days ahead?

Meant to Be Mine is the second book in my Porter Family series.  Undeniably Yours was the first.  A Love Like Ours (which stars Jake Porter) will hit shelves in May.  And the final book in the series (about Dru Porter) will follow a year after.  I'm working on Dru's book now!


Q:  How can we support and/or pray for you?

        What a lovely question!  Thank you for asking, Carole.
        You can pray that God would meet me during my writing time and guide me to write the story that He intends.  I'd love prayer that God will continue to renew and refresh my love for my job (a necessity -- otherwise the writing can begin to feel like homework).  And, finally, like most working moms, I'm constantly trying to balance my work responsibilities with my family responsibilities.  I'd love God's wisdom with that.

Thank you so much for interviewing me here on your blog!  I really appreciate your support.  Warmly, Becky

____________________

Becky, I know it takes valuable time to do interviews like this, but you are very much appreciated. And readers, be sure to connect with Becky online at beckywade.com, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

GIVEAWAY

To enter the drawing for Meant to Be Mine, use the questions below for ideas and then express your feelings about romance stories. (No need to answer every question!)

Question:

Are you a romantic like Becky?

Do you prefer contemporary or historical - or both?

Full length or novella? Favorite authors?

What is it about a good romance that pulls you in?

Please remember that e-mail addresses are required for the drawing and be sure to leave them in a safe format - [at] and [dot]. If you're willing, it's also helpful to share about this giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter.

"Likes" on my Facebook page, ThePowerofWordsBookReviews, are greatly appreciated, as are followers on Google+, Pinterest, Twitter, and this blog.

• Contest ends at midnight PST on Sunday, January 11.
• Winner will be chosen by Random.org and contacted by e-mail. Respond within 48 hours of notification or another winner will be chosen.
• Eligibility: US residents

Shared at Friendship Friday and Booknificent Thursday.

Review: Rumspringa's Hope

Rumspringa's Hope
By Beth Shriver
The Spirit of the Amish, #1
Realms, 2014


Summary

The Spirit of the Amish series is about three young Amish women face overwhelming obstacles and must struggle to find out who they are and what they believe. Although each is dealing with her own unique situation, they all must discover how to follow their dreams and stay true to themselves, whether their journeys take them away from--or back to--their Amish communities.

In Rumspringa's Hope, Emma is torn between the affections of two men. Although promised to the widowed neighbor Zeb, Emma is considering leaving her Amish community to watch over her younger brother Mark when he leaves for Philadelphia to explore the outside world during his Rumspringa.

There, she reconnects with her former beau Caleb, who protects the Amish teens, introducing them to his life evangelizing and helping the homeless. Unbeknownst to Emma, Caleb is glad for the opportunity to spend time with her and hopes to win her back.

Struck by the power of evangelism and outreach, Emma begins to feel a draw to Caleb's way of life. When she doesn’t return home when she promised, Zeb goes to the city to find her, forcing Emma to choose in which of their two worlds she really belongs.


My thoughts

I've read a good bit of Amish fiction over the years - but if there's one thing I've learned thus far, it's that Amish fiction is not all the same. Some are comfortable, "feel good" reads, some are humorous, and others have a more serious tone with a focus on the struggles the Amish face. Beth Shriver's fiction tends to fall into this latter category and her books always give me cause for reflection. I found it hard to put down - not because of the fast action or suspense - but because of the depth of characterization and worldly struggles the Amish faced.

As the title suggests, Rumspringa's Hope focuses on that time when some Amish young people fulfill their desire to see what the world is like outside their protected conservative communities - to flirt with what the world has to offer. Beth treats their experience with realism and depth, giving the most insight I believe I've ever read in Amish fiction.

It was so easy to connect with Caleb and Emma, two Amish young people filled with a desire to evangelize. Caleb felt like an outcast in his community - "Ironic that he would feel the worst around people who were supposed to be the most accepting and Christlike." I loved the unlikely friendship that formed between Emma and Monique, as Emma came to realize that God might have had a different purpose in mind for her trip to Philly than what she originally believed.

I thought Beth did a great job showing the young peoples' desire for independence, sometimes openly rebelling in their efforts to break away, and contrasting that with the realities and struggles they faced as they try to figure out what they believe and where they belong. They were raised to be in, but not of, the world - yet the allure was sometimes too much. And isn't it the same way for us? Called to be a separate people, we are often drawn by the world's attraction until we look more and more like everyone around us.

I enjoy the difference Beth brings to her stories and look forward to continuing on in this series. Rumspringa's Hope is a story that fans of Amish fiction should enjoy.

Beth Shriver

Beth started writing after working as a social worker. She received a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska. She writes in a variety of genres in both fiction and non-fiction.

Meet Beth online at bethshriverwriter.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Thank you to Beth Shriver for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.