Lisa Samson's Embrace Me ~ Reviewed

Embrace Me
Lisa Samson
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 4, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595542108

Book Description:

Biting and gentle, hard-edged and hopeful...a beautiful fable of love and power, hiding and seeking, woundedness and redemption.When a "lizard woman," a self-mutilating preacher, a tattooed monk, and a sleazy lobbyist find themselves in the same North Carolina town one winter, their lives are edging precariously close to disaster...and improbably close to grace.

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE

My review:


Lisa Samson has crafted a novel that will likely thrill her fans. Not only because Samson shows her immense talent with words in Embrace Me. But because Samson revisits some characters from previous novels. I was pleasantly surprised to find out some characters that I grew to love are doing well -- thriving even. But those folks aren't the focus of the story.

A character study unlike any I've ever read, Embrace Me, showcases wounded characters over the span of a decade or so. Drew emotionally drowns in his selfishness and then attempts to purge the selfishness out of his system one cigarette at a time. Eventually his outside scars will mirror his inner ones. Valentine, has become a cynical and wounded heart encased in a reptilian mask. In an attempt to survive she sells peeks of her damaged face at a carnival side-show. Billed as Lizard Woman, she flaunts her pain, but becomes a prisoner as she will only go out in the darkest moments of the night. A smattering of additional characters like Lella, the sweet, selfless "human cocoon" who gives Valentine a reason to go on living, Gus, a modern day monk, Blaize, the woman who takes Valentine and Lella in, add richness and even more depth to the novel.

The story span begins with Drew's meltdown in 2002 and Valentine's arrival in the late fall of 2008 and the unfolding of details regarding a very, very small world and a very involved, very big God.

I will say that some readers might struggle with the subject matter. Samson doesn't paint false pictures. Her characters are very real, and often not pretty. They resemble real life churches and families, those who don't hide their dysfunction under glossy "church face" glitz and glitter anyway. Rough subjects and rough behavior fill Embrace Me. One of the reviewers I work with struggled with writing a review and with finding the point, so unless you like digging into characters and are unconcerned about plots that leave breathing room, you might want to look over several reviews before buying Embrace Me. But if you like Christian fiction that pushes the envelope and makes you think and get lost in the lives of broken people...I recommend it.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Pam Davis' Sydney Clair's Season of Change ~ Reviewed

Sydney Clair’s Season of Change
A Friendship Story
Girls ‘n Grace Collection
By Pam Davis
Published by Authentic Publishing
[ISBN-13] 978-1-934068-50-2

Back cover:

Sydney Clair Wilcox is a determined, curious ten-year-old trying to keep up with all the changes around her. The year is 1965 and Penny, her beloved big sister, is moving away to college. In the middle of the civil rights, women’s rights, and environmental movements, Sydney Claire’s world is changing. Discover how her heart is made ready for the next season of her life and how she prepares for a fragrant friendship that blooms.

Hi this is Caitie,
I’m going to tell you about a book called Sydney Clair’s Season of Change. This book was about a girl Sydney Clair. Her sister Penny went off to college and Sydney was going to miss her a lot. Did I mention that it’s in 1965? In 1965 there was the Civil Rights Movement.

Sydney can’t wait for her best friend, Vicky’s, party. She’s been talking about it for months. One day, at the library where her mom works, Sydney meets a girl named Patrice. No one was nice to her because of her skin color. On the first day of school Sydney wants to be friends with Patrice, but it’s hard. Her friend Vicky said if Sydney was friends with Patrice then she couldn’t be friends with Vicky and Anna. [Sydney’s white Friends].

It might have been hard for Sydney but the story was cool. It told us about good changes and bad changes. The good changes were standing up for what is right. The bad changes were the people who weren’t nice to the people who didn’t have white skin.

I LOVED this book. [Mom’s note, the word loved was said more like L-o-o-o-o-o-ved it].

I’m going to read Mesi soon and then I’ll tell you all about it.

Bye for now, Caitie.

Caitlin, the 9 year old daughter of Tiffany Colter, does book reviews on children’s books. You can see other reviews or contact her through Tiffany’s website.

Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedfords' The Penny ~ Reviewed

THE PENNY

By Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford

Published by : Faith Words

247 pages

ISBN# 978-0-446-69593-0

Back Cover:

Jenny Blake has no idea how her life will change in the summer of 1955. But the day she stoops to pick up a penny imbedded in the hot asphalt, she starts a chain of events that will transform her life and the lives of those around her. Jenny is swept into a friendship with Miss Shaw, the woman whose past is the biggest mystery along Grand Avenue, the woman who will change Jenny’s future forever. As Jenny and Miss Shaw work together at the local jewelry store, they form a friendship that dares both of them to confront secrets in their pasts – secrets that threaten to destroy them. And in the process, they discover that big decisions often don’t amount to much, but little decisions sometimes transform everything.

Review:

The 50’s; fun and care free images of girls in ponytails, poodle skirts, bobby socks and saddle shoes, and boys trained their hair into greased back duck tails, wearing rolled up t-shirt sleeves, and black leather jackets. The “Happy Days” with the Fonz; come to mind. The 50’s also had a dark side with images on TV of policemen fighting civil rights demonstrators, the challenge of integrating public schools,and racial tension. On another front scaring Americans even more Soviet Union and the US created the “H” Bomb. Many expected our world to blow up. Amongst scenes of “Happy Days” some really disturbing stuff was going on in the world Jenny Blake lived in. Until the day she bend down to pick up a penny. Her life would never be the same.

“You know what I think? I think that you picking up that penny was more than part of a random chain of events. I think God was giving you a message. I think he wants you to know that he’s watching over you all the time.” Miss Shaw says to Jenny who is having a really hard time believing that one. If Miss Shaw only knew what her life was really like she wouldn’t be saying these things to her.

Jenny had her doubts about the penny and about God. Things were starting to look different but how could she trust herself or anyone else for that matter? There was too much pain in her life; she couldn’t get close to anyone right now. When a thought came to Jenny. She was desperate to talk to someone or bust; maybe she could be friends with Aurelia Crockett; a negro girl at Harris School. Crazy thought she knew but somehow it seemed right. This girl would never ask to have a sleep over. A negro girl would never expect to be invited to a white girls house. This seemed like the perfect set up. Jenny wouldn’t be expected to let Aurelia get too close because of the racial situation they lived in. Her dad wouldn’t allow a friendship or anything else with Aurelia for that matter. Jenny would be able to keep her secrets safe and still have a friend. This could work . She just couldn’t let her dad find out.

Jenny’s sister is obsessed with Grace Kelly the movie star of the 50’s. Because of Jenny’s love for Grace Kelly I learned a great deal about the actress in this book. How she became a big movie star, what movies she was in and how she went on to marry Prince Rainer of Monaco. Every little girls dream in that day and age was to marry a Prince. One of Jenny’s friends says “With all the talk of Grace Kelly. It sounds like your sister Jean wants to life someone else’s life instead of her own.” How true that was. If only Jenny could do that too.

At age 14; Jenny finds the courage to stand up for things she really believes in . She steps out to do the right thing, counting the cost, no matter how scary things got. Jenny knew deep inside herself she was not alone. I remember doing that in my life as well and things were never the same. This book is definitely a story of hope, courage, and God’s redeeming love for us. It’s about the process and courage of giving God control over our lives. Giving control to no one else but Him. That’s when our world changes forever. It did for me. You will discover in this book as Jenny did it’s all about the little things in life that really matter. You’ll learn like she did how to smell the flowers and see with new eyes the beauty around you every day.

Reviewed by: Nora St. Laurent

Christine Lynxwiler's Along Came a Cowboy ~ Reviewed

ALONG CAME A COWBOY

By Christine Lynxwiler

Published by: Barbour Publisher

303 pages

ISBN# 978-1-59789-896-6

Back Cover:

From the outside looking in, local Chiropractor Dr. Rachel Donovan seems to have it together. She’s returned to her hometown of Shady Grove and runs a thriving Chiropractic practice. She’s been nominated as Shady Grove’s Citizen of the Year, and appointed to the committee planning the town’s major centennial celebration and rodeo. Unfortunately, on the inside everything is not as it appears.

The committee duties come with baggage – cute, cowboy baggage to be precise. Jack Westwood is the epitome of the stereotypical cowboy; rugged, handsome and bull-headed. While he makes everyone else swoon, Rachel is determined to not get involved any more than necessary. She knows his type – T- R-O-U-B-L-E.

Unfortunately, the fallout from a mistake that Rachel made fifteen years ago still echoes today threatening to ruin her sterling reputation and bring the whole façade tumbling around her. She thought she had buried it deep in her past, but while she’d moved on she never really moved past that summer. Even though she knows that God has forgiven her, she’s having a harder time forgiving herself.

Review:

Dr. Rachel Donovan has worked real hard to build a name for herself in Shady Grove’s a town where she grew up. The people of this town voted her Citizen of the Year because she loves them and they know it. She wants to make people proud of her but how can she do that when the past is not far behind. Always overshadowing her achievements. She was the responsible child growing up, always easy going and someone you could rely on until that one summer when her world was turned upside down. One bad choice, that’s all it took to be out cast and all alone. She thought she would never recover from that one decision.

Rachel cries out to God one night when she can’t juggle the past and the present any longer. She asks God to listen to her just like the other times over the years. Her pain was great! ” How many times I’ve asked You to take this whole thing away. What am I doing wrong?” She searches her heart; it’s willing but what was it? Realization hits her hard; she had to forgive herself. Sometimes that’s the hardest person to forgive. She had to Stop punishing herself for what happened but how?

One of Rachel’s close friends says to her one day …”Your past made you the amazing woman you are today. But you still need to embrace the future, free of shame and guilt.” Rachel wasn’t fooling anyone but herself. She asked the Lord again for help she couldn’t do this on her own.

Jack Westwood cowboy rodeo star the one person she has been avoiding since he has come to town. She wasn’t going to get tangled up with another cowboy; it wasn’t so great the last time. Rachel was determined to not let anyone close to her again but Jack Westwood is turning up every where she goes. She knows his kind but the more she runs into him she is finding out he is not like the cowboys she knows. He’s real and he’s not playing. “Sometimes the most amazing things are right in front of us, but we never see them.” Rachel’s heart starts to feel again but her head and pride say “ No.” Can Rachel allow God to mend her broken heart? Will she continue to punish herself and be left alone and miss the opportunity to love and be loved?

Will Rachel stop hiding and embrace the love many want to give her. Can she embrace the redeeming love that will change her from the inside out. God wants all of her past and present.

This was definitely a feel good book. I totally enjoyed Rachel and her friends lives. This is a story of healing, love and restoration. Treat yourself to a good time cowboy style!

Reviewed by: Nora St.Laurent

Virginia Smith's Sincerely, Mayla ~ Reviewed

Sincerely, Mayla
Virginia Smith
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications (March 30, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0825436923

Book Description:

Mayla Strong attempts to balance family, friends, love, and faith in this heartwarming and heartbreaking sequel to Just As I Am.


My Review:


Sincerely, Mayla is a sweet novel about inevitable collisions when comfortable, rutted paths intersect with God's roads.

Mayla, a wild child from a previous novel (Just As I Am) which I haven't read, has hit her spiritual stride as a spruced-up, redeemed version of herself. But God isn't done with her yet. Newly relieved of her job, Mayla sets out to fix controllable issues like her love life, and she finds herself detouring to mend some fences that keep her apart from her grandmother in Florida, and then veering into potholes left by friends in crisis.

Mayla has the time for an extended trip, but her emotions are a different story and her mini-vacation proves to be quite a trip when all the dust finally settles.

Mayla is a cute escapist read that ends up convicting those readers who have gotten a little too comfortable, or who think they've figured God out and don't really need His hand to be involved in life's microscopic details. Smith tells a fun tale with an engaging voice and equally engaging characters. She manages to cover a whole lot of heavy issues like homosexuality and abortion in this easily navigated novel. A great summer fluff with substance read. You won't need to read Just as I am to appreciate the story, but it may be fun to see just how far Mayla's come.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Athol Dickson's - Winter Haven ~ Reviewed

Winter Haven

Athol Dickson

Publisher: Bethany House (April 1, 2008)
ISBN-10: 0764201646
ISBN-13: 978-0764201646

Book Description:

"Eleven years ago, Vera Gamble's brother left their house never to be seen again. Until the day Vera gets a phone call that his body has been found...washed ashore in the tiny island town of Winter Haven, Maine. His only surviving kin, Vera travels north to claim the body..and finds herself tumbling into a tangled mystery. Her brother hasn't aged a day since last she saw him.

Determined to uncover what happened in those lost years, Vera soon discovers there are other secrets lurking in this isolated town. But Winter Haven's murky past now seems bound to come to light as one woman seeks the undeniable and flooding light of truth."

Reviewed by Gina Holmes

Dickson's Winter Haven has the thoughtful prose of a literary novel, the brooding damsel in distress of a Gothic novel, the intrigue of a mystery and a great romance to boot. What I noticed first was the writing itself which was so lovely, at times it distracted me from the story.

Athol writes from the point of view of a woman and manages to do this convincingly. He sets wonderful scenes, making me feel as though I were really on this island off Maine. I didn't realize until the conclusion just how complicated a plot he was weaving, but he pulls it off beautifully with an ending I can't imagine any reader will see coming.

Without giving a spoiler, I did feel one small plot line had a Scooby Doo sort of wrap up, but even that thread was fun to read. All in all, I think Dickson pulled off a very fine Gothic romantic mystery literary romance inspirational novel. How many writers can claim that?

This excellent book has something every reader can enjoy, no matter what genre they prefer.

Elizabeth Goddard's A Season of Love ~ Reviewed

Seasons of Love
Elizabeth Goddard
Mass Market Paperback: 170 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing Inc (2008)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-1597898997



Description: Riley O’Hare is tired of corporate ladder-climbing and ready to be rid of her ex-boyfriend. So when her brother dies, leaving her guardian of her two-year-old nephew, and her grandfather asks her to move back to the East Coast to help with the family farm, Riley leaves California forever.





Riley’s brother’s business partner, Zane Baldwyn, is in trouble. His company will never survive without his partner, unless Zane can find the answers to the mysteries left behind by John’s unexpected death. Riley seems to be the key, but she doesn’t know it yet. Could Zane ever be content to give up his ambitions and help Riley with the farm?





Review: I enjoyed this book. The mystery and suspense really drew me in, and I liked the main characters. They were very real and I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. I usually don’t like short novels, but this one was definitely worth reading. I highly recommend it.





Reviewed by: Melanie Dickerson