Review: Glory Days

Glory Days
By Max Lucado
Thomas Nelson, 2015


Summary

The wilderness. Maybe you know it well.

The Israelites sure did. After all, they spent forty years wandering the desert. Victories were scarce. Progress was slow. They were free from Pharaoh but not free from fear. Saved but stuck.

Sounds a lot like midlife misery. Caught in a rut. Stalled out. Running on empty. Are you mired in the same?

You can name the day you became a Christian and escaped Egypt. But you can’t remember the last time you defeated a temptation or experienced an answered prayer. You’re fighting the same battles you fought the day you came to Christ. You’re out of Egypt, but Egypt’s not out of you. Isn’t the Christian life supposed to be better than this?

Jesus offers abundant joy. Yet you live with oppressive grief. The epistles speak of grace. You shoulder guilt. You are more than a conqueror yet are commonly conquered by temptation or weaknesses.

But there’s good news. With God’s help you can close the gap between the person you are and the person you want to be. Like Joshua and the Israelites, you can move from a wilderness existence into a promised inheritance.

This is God’s vision for your life. You, at full throttle. You, as you were intended. You, as victor over the Jerichos and giants. You, minus the stumbles, hurts, and hate. You and your Promised Land life.


My thoughts

Max Lucado is one of my favorite Bible teachers today, for he beautifully crafts emotional word pictures that make me think and then pick up my Bible to go deeper. His impactful style of writing is such that anyone can relate to it, from the new Christian to seasoned believers. While I've enjoyed all that I've read by Max so far, Glory Days just might be one of his best teaching resources as he carries us up close and personal through the book of Joshua.

I'm pretty familiar with the historical elements of Joshua, but never realized it contained so much essential insight for daily Christian living. For instance, I've always thought of the Christian's Promised Land as heaven, maybe because of hymns I grew up with, but Lucado puts forth that it is a spiritual reality - a spiritual reality that many Christians fail to experience because they're still wandering in the wilderness, enslaved by fear. And one of the most meaningful aspects of his writing is the wealth of Scriptures that he draws from.

What a powerful book! Each chapter focuses on a particular passage and theme from Joshua, and the book would work well for either personal or group Bible study. I've read Glory Days for review purposes, now I'm eager to begin again and go deeper, maybe even memorizing a few Scriptures that are especially meaningful to me. And since I already have so much highlighted, let me share just a few quotes . . .

• Jericho may be strong. But Jesus is stronger. Let him be your strength.
• Glory Days happen to the degree that we trust him.
• One stumble does not define or break a person. Though you failed, God's love does not.
• Landing in a pigpen stinks. But staying there is just plain stupid.
• Heeding God's Word is more critical than fighting God's war. Indeed, heeding God's Word is fighting God's war.
• Remember who you are; you are God's child. You've been bought by the most precious commodity in the history of the universe: the blood of Christ.

And the last lines of Glory Days beautifully sum up its message:

This is your inheritance: more victory than defeat,

more joy than sadness, more hope than despair.

These days are Glory Days.

I highly recommend Glory Days to all readers.

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More than 120 million readers have found comfort in the writings of Max Lucado. He ministers at the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and a sweet but misbehaving mutt, Andy.

Find out more about Glory Days by visiting the Litfuse landing page.

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

Review: Irish Meadows

Irish Meadows
By Susan Anne Mason
Courage to Dream, #1
Bethany House, 2015


Summary

Faced with an uncertain future, sometimes all you have left is the courage to dream.

Brianna and Colleen O’Leary know their Irish immigrant father expects them to marry well. Recently he’s put even more pressure on them, insinuating that the very future of their Long Island horse farm, Irish Meadows, rests in their ability to land prosperous husbands. Both girls, however, have different visions for their futures.

Brianna, a quiet girl with a quick mind, dreams of attending college. Vivacious Colleen, meanwhile, is happy to marry—as long as her father’s choice meets her exacting standards of the ideal groom. When former stable hand Gilbert Whelan returns from business school and distant relative Rylan Montgomery visits Long Island during his seminary training, the two men quickly complicate everyone’s plans.

As the farm slips ever closer to ruin, James O’Leary grows more desperate. It will take every ounce of courage for both sisters to avoid being pawns in their father’s machinations and instead follow their hearts. And even if they do, will they inevitably find their dreams too distant to reach?


My thoughts

Irish Meadows, book #1 of the Courage to Dream series, has such an appealing setting in the Long Island, New York, horse farm by the same name. The year is 1911 and the focus is on the James O'Leary clan, a family of Irish immigrants struggling to survive during a time when horse racing was banned in many states. Characters are well developed and filled with flaws to the extent that I didn't always like them, but that's what makes an enjoyable read for me. Susan Anne Mason's debut historical romance is a page turner and I look forward to more from her very soon.

The romances of two sisters unfold simultaneously with emotion, glimpses of humor, and great chemistry. Brianna and Gilbert had been childhood best friends, and their initial meeting in the stables upon his return home immediately had me engaged. But while I enjoyed their story, it was Colleen and Rylan who fascinated me most. A "happily ever after" ending seemed unlikely for both couples, so readers will be pleasantly surprised.

James O'Leary, Colleen and Brianna's dad, is a strong character with an almost overpowering impact on the lives of his family. Having survived the rough times that most Irish immigrants faced, he determined to use the most available financial assets he had in order to save the family farm, which just happened to be his children. Instead of cherishing Colleen and Brianna as blessings, he used them as pawns to better his finances. And while years earlier, James had opened up his heart and home to bring the orphaned Gil into his family, he now demands that he court the banker's daughter. I think the series title, Courage to Dream, beautifully comes in to play here as the characters seek to rise above the restrictions of their culture and times.

That the Catholic faith was important to the O'Leary family is something I would expect from this era, and I appreciated that aspect. We do see spiritual and emotional growth in the main characters, but Colleen's story is the most redemptive and I loved everything about it. God's orchestration of events and ability to transform is clearly seen - and even if some change happened a little quickly, that's okay with me because it made for great storytelling.

From the book's cover and description, I expected more of a family-saga type story with lots of historical detail, but the main focus of Irish Meadows is romance. Although that's not a bad thing, I would have loved to see slightly less emphasis on romance and more rich historical elements  because the Irish Meadows horse farm and 1911 era have so much to offer. Still a very enjoyable read for me and I eagerly await the story of the troubled older brother, Adam, in A Worthy Heart, coming January 2016.

Recommended to all who enjoy historical romance.

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Susan Anne Mason's debut historical novel, Irish Meadows, won the Fiction from the Heartland contest from the Mid-American Romance Authors Chapter of RWA. A member of ACFW, as well, she lives outside of Toronto, Ontario, with her husband and two children.

Find Susan online at susanannemason.com, Facebook, and Twitter. Also learn more at the Litfuse landing page.

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

Review: Through Waters Deep

Through Waters Deep
By Sarah Sundin
Waves of Freedom, #1
Revell, 2015


Summary

It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war.

Outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. Back on shore, Boston Navy Yard secretary Mary Stirling does her work quietly and efficiently, happy to be out of the limelight. Yet, despite her reserved nature, she never could back down from a challenge. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges---and dangers---await them.

Sarah Sundin takes readers to the tense months before the US entered WWII. Readers will encounter German U-boats and torpedoes, along with the explosive power of true love, in this hopeful and romantic story.


My thoughts

Through Waters Deep - spanning the months from March to December 7, 1941 and ending with the bombing of Pearl Harbor - is a treasure for historical fiction fans. Sarah's research is impeccable, but more than that, she has the ability to bring you right into the sights and emotions of that era. The writing flows, often with a lighthearted feel, yet there are some vividly-depicted situations that truly reflect wartime - sabotage, racial prejudice, unimaginable split-second decisions with lives on the line, made for the overall good. Historical detail is one of this story's strengths and while it took a while to capture my interest, I was fully engaged as the story unfolded. To get an even better feel for this story, visit Sarah's wonderful Pinterest page.

Mary and Jim are such good characters, so easy to like and connect with - yet I often wished I could physically reach out and shake some sense into them. Mary is almost paranoid in her desire to avoid anything that shines the spotlight on her, while Jim is easygoing, content to float along and let others chart his path. I loved the way their romance began as friendship and progressed realistically from there, but they manage to take the "miscommunication" theme to a new level. It was really good to see their spiritual and emotional growth.

A strong mystery element is woven throughout, which many reviewers describe as having a Nancy Drew feel. Although essential to the plot and very relevant to the times, this wasn't my favorite part, one reason being that I had a hard time keeping up with the suspects. But I loved watching Mary  become the "invisible secretary" and use her shorthand skills to record information. Until reading this story, I was unaware of how strong a conflict there was between those opposed to the war and those eager to join in.

Strong secondary characters contribute greatly to the story - Jim's friend Archer, for instance - and I believe we will see some of their stories as the series unfolds.  I didn't enjoy Through Waters Deep quite as much as Sarah's previous series, but am fully invested in the characters and look forward to the next book, which releases in the summer of 2016.

Recommended to fans of historical fiction, especially World War II settings.

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Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, In Perfect Time, and the Wings of Glory series. In 2014,On Distant Shores was a finalist for the Golden Scroll Awards from both AWSA and the Christian Authors Network. In 2011, Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on call as a hospital pharmacist. During WWII, her grandfather served as a pharmacist's mate (medic) in the Navy and her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.

Find Sarah online at www.sarahsundin.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Litfuse landing page:
http://litfusegroup.com/author/ssundin

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

Review: Among the Fair Magnolias

Among the Fair Magnolias
By Tamera Alexander, Shelley Gray, Dorothy Love, Elizabeth Musser
Thomas Nelson, 2015


Among the Fair Magnolias is a wonderfully entertaining and moving collection of stories. It's all about historical romance and being southern fiction is a bonus for me, but these character-driven stories rise above that genre with their compelling storylines set during a turbulent time in America's history from 1860-1878. There's no way I could pick a favorite because all are well written and compelling in their own way.

Among the Fair Magnolias . . . What an evocative title for these four novellas featuring Southern women with hidden depths! As a life-long resident of Georgia, I've always known of the magnolia blossom's association with the perseverance, dignity, and strength that Southern women possess - the ingrained ability to not just endure hardships, but to rise above them. And that is exactly what you will find here. I delight in recommending this novella collection with surprising depth.

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A Heart So True by Dorothy Love

Abigail knows all too well what is expected of her: to marry her distant cousin Charles and take her place in society. But her heart belongs to another. A terrible incident forces Abby to choose between love and duty.

Duty, politics, physical abuse and action that held my interest are just a few elements that we see in Dorothy's story. I loved revisiting the Pawleys Island, South Carolina, setting of Carolina Gold and even seeing a few familiar faces. A little more "together" time and relationship development for Abigail and Wade would have added a lot to this enjoyable story, though.

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To Mend a Dream by Tamera Alexander

Savannah Darby would do almost anything to revisit her family home. So when new owner, Aidan Bedford, a Boston attorney and former Union soldier, seeks to redecorate the house for his fiancée, Savannah jumps at the opportunity. But the clock is ticking. Can she find the box her father supposedly hid there during the war before her assignment is completed? And before she sees yet another battle lost on the home front. This time, one of the heart.

Savannah Darby was a memorable secondary character in To Win Her Favor and I'm so glad Tamera was able to feature her here. This is a beautiful and poignant story packed with intricacies skillfully woven together.  Everything about Savannah and Aidan is real and touching, with great chemistry between them. And the story beautifully illustrates God's quiet orchestration of our lives, expressed as they reflected on how often "He interlaced such painful parts of this earthly journey with such joyous ones, weaving them together with such skill and grace. And beauty."

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Love Beyond Limits by Elizabeth Musser

Emily has a secret: She’s in love with one of the freedmen on her family’s plantation. Meanwhile, another man declares his love for her. Emily realizes some things are not as they seem and secrets must be kept in order to keep those she loves safe.

This is the first story by Elizabeth Musser that I've read and let me just say that I will be searching for more immediately, for anyone who  can write such a moving and eye-opening story as this demands my attention. I loved the Georgia setting, although I learned a lot about my state's Reconstruction history that I'm not proud of. Elizabeth spins a poignant story that features themes of racial superiority and "taboo" relationships, making me realize that our world hasn't progressed all that much. And I had so much admiration for the lead characters, Emily and Thomas.

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An Outlaw’s Heart by Shelley Gray

When Russell Stark returns to Fort Worth, he’s determined to begin a new life. But when he arrives at his mother’s homestead, he discovers she’s very ill, and the woman he loved is still as beautiful and sweet as he remembered. With time running out, Russell must come to terms with both his future and his past.

Up until now, all I have read by Shelley Gray has been Amish fiction, but it's evident that her creative storytelling ability carries over to other genres as well. Russell Champion's story evolved from Shelley's previous historical series and I simply loved this flawed character, as well as Nora and others in the town. Poignant and touching, this story beautifully conveys forgiveness, change, and that we shouldn't always define people by their past - and that you really can go home!

Enjoy this clip as Dorothy, Tamera, Elizabeth and Shelley share about their stories . . .

        Tamera Alexander is the best-selling author of numerous books including “A Lasting Impression” and “The Inheritance.” Tamera is a two-time Christy Award winner, two-time RITA winner, and a recipient of the prestigious Library Journal Award.
        A native of west Tennessee, Dorothy Love makes her home in the Texas hill country with her husband and their golden retriever. An award-winning author of numerous young adult novels, Dorothy made her adult debut with the Hickory Ridge novels.
        Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), “The Protector,” recently made the New York Times best seller list.
        Elizabeth Musser, a native of Atlanta, Georgia now living in France, is a novelist who writes what she calls ‘entertainment with a soul.’ For over 25 years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in mission work with International Teams.

Find out more about Alexander, Gray, Love, Musser at http://www.thomasnelson.com/among-the-fair-magnolias.

The post Story Spotlight on ‘Among the Fair Magnolias’ appeared first on Litfuse Publicity Group.

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

Review: Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Crazy Little Thing Called Love
By Beth K. Vogt
Destination Weddings, #1
Howard Books, 2015


Summary

Wedding bells and storm clouds collide in the first engaging novel in a brand-new series about destination weddings, the power of love, and the possible mishaps and missteps that happen on a couple’s journey down the aisle to “I do.”

Paramedic Vanessa Hollister has put her adolescence behind her, including the unwanted label of being the new kid in town over and over again, thanks to her father’s military career. She’s overcome what her mother called “the biggest mistake of her life” and is planning an elegant destination wedding in Destin, Florida with her new fiancé. But will the reappearance of her first husband from her what-were-you-thinking teenage elopement disrupt her dream of an idyllic beach wedding?

As a professional storm chaser, Logan Hollister is used to taking risks. However, a reckless decision during the last tornado season has him questioning the future of his team, the Stormmeisters. Coming face to face with his ex-wife eight years after their divorce compels him to confront his greatest regret: losing Vanessa. Does their past give him the right to interfere with her future?

A fast-moving, powerful hurricane throws Vanessa and Logan together as they evacuate to a storm shelter along with other residents of the Florida Gulf Coast. Forced to spend time together, the pair battles unexpected renewed feelings for each other.

Vanessa and Logan are faced with a choice: Should they accept, once and for all, their teenage marital mistake? Or is God offering them a second chance at happily ever after?

My thoughts

Crazy Little Thing Called Love is the first book I've read by Beth K. Vogt and I enjoyed this story about relationships very much. If you look at the cover and figure this to be a fluffy romance, you would be wrong because there is surprising character depth and emotion. So many facets of this story appealed to me - a destination wedding in Destin, Florida...storm chasing...Hurricane Cressida...the rekindling of love...second chances. The Florida Panhandle setting is beautifully conveyed, and that's something I really enjoyed because this area has always been my family's favorite vacation spot. Beth is a strong writer and the conversational flow quickly captured and held my attention.

Logan and Vanessa are well-drawn characters, realistically flawed.  Born into a military family where frequent moves were the norm, Vanessa coped by erecting invisible walls to keep people at a distance and from caring too much.  Great at hello and goodbye, but everything in between, not so much. Having lost his grandmother as the result of a tornado, Logan became fascinated by the mystery of weather and pursued his dream by becoming a storm chaser. Past and present are woven together beautifully, with great detail being given to their romance ten years earlier.

Henderson Park Inn, Destin

I didn't always find Logan and Vanessa likable or easy to connect with, yet as the story progressed, I gained an appreciation for why they acted as they did. Their relationship in high school and college was essential to the story, but I wish there had been room for more development of the rekindling of their feelings, for that part didn't seem real to me. Also, Logan seemed to shoulder most of the responsibility for their breakup, with Vanessa reluctant to admit her contribution.

Yet, in spite of those few negatives, Crazy Little Thing Called Love is an entertaining story with strong spiritual messages that I appreciated - forgiveness, grace, second chances, commitment, and the importance of God in the marriage. I was touched by Vanessa's spiritual struggles - "Her prayers were stilted. Sometimes she felt as if she were only talking out loud to herself" - and how she turned to journaling as a way to draw closer to God.

There were several great secondary characters, two of my favorites being Mindy, Vanessa's friend from high school, and Max, one of Logan teammates. I really can't imagine someone wanting to chase tornadoes for a living, but loved Max's reason for choosing to join Logan's team:  "If I'm going to do something as outlandish as hunt down tornadoes, I'm gonna do it with somebody who knows he's not in charge of the universe. Someone who knows there's a God who is in control of our world and our lives."

Something else I especially enjoyed was Beth's use of quotations at the beginning of each chapter. Here are a couple of my favorites:

"It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person

a few scars." - Garrison Keillor

"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God

whose ways you may not understand at the time." 

- Oswald Chambers

Overall, I enjoyed Crazy Little Thing Called Love and definitely look forward to the next book in this series. Without giving anything away, let me just say that there is an extremely moving scene at the conclusion. Recommended.

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Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” A 2015 RITA® Finalist and a 2014 Carol Award finalist, Beth is a contemporary romance novelist with Howard Books. Her 2014 novel, "Somebody Like You," was one of Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Books of 2014. In 2015 she introduced her destination wedding series with both an e-novella, "Can’t Buy Me Love," (May) and a novel, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (June).

Find Beth online at www.bethvogt.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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