Seeking with all Yur Heart

Title:  Winchester 1887 Author:  William W. Johnstone & J. A. Johnstone Pages:  352 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Pinnacle My rating is 5 stars. The story of the Winchester continues with the family named James Mann and the rifle given to him by his uncle which we read about in the previous novel Winchester 1886.  Here we see the young man called Jimmy leave during the night with his Winchester and the badge his uncle bequeathed to him in his pocket.  Now, in the light of day, his father sets out to bring him home after becoming aware of Jimmy’s absence. What he father encounters reveals his past before he got married and settled down. All Jimmy wants to do is to be like his uncle James and become a law man.  From the moment he leaves his home danger lurks around every corner.  Jimmy, though single-minded, is definitely a green horn which is quite evident when he hops a train and runs smack dab into trouble!  From here on out the adventure begins, but so does the danger when Jimmy unkn…

Title:  Undaunted Hope #3 (Beacons of Hope series) Author:  Jody Hedlund Pages:  384 Year:  2016 Publisher:  Bethany My rating is 5 stars. This series began with the novel titled Love Unexpected followed by Hearts Made Whole and now the third installment the subject of this review.  When I completed the novel, I knew that to really appreciate the conclusion it would be helpful to readers to read the first two books in the series. I would be hard-pressed to say I loved one book more than another as each brings out elements of faith with some romance.  In the Undaunted Hope novel, there is tension in the small Upper Peninsula town in Michigan as one man holds people under his thumb via fear.  The villain is Percival who runs the mines, the mining store, and the inhabitants of the town except for the two brothers who attend to the lighthouse.  Michael and Alex run the lighthouse until the winter locks the town in its fierce winter storms when no steamer can get to them; it is then the t…

Title:  The Peacock Throne Author:  Lisa Karon Richardson Pages:  336 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Lion Fiction Anthony Danbury receives a shock upon waking up one morning; his father has been murdered.  A letter is found hidden in one of Anthony’s boots from his father with an almost unbelievable tale.  Anthony vows justice for his father’s murder and will stop at nothing to accomplish it.  The new Lord Danbury, Anthony upon the death of his father, decides on an elaborate plan to lure out his father’s killer.  Along the way, he joins forces with Marcus Harting, a British spy, and Miss Lydia Garrett, an unacknowledged granddaughter of an earl. Lydia Garrett is working in a rundown coffee house owned by her father’s cousin, who has been acting as her guardian.  She discovers her cousin’s dead body.  Her cousin served on the same ship as Anthony’s father about forty years ago.  Is there a connection between the murders?  What are the chances that both men would be murdered on the same day …

Title:  Abby’s Crossing Author:  Darryl Harris Pages:  288 Year:  2016 Publisher:  Covenant My rating is 4 1/2 stars. Abby’s Crossing is a tale about a Mormon community during the Civil War years.  In the community, a young widow named Abby is the adopted mother of a little Shoshone boy.  She became a member of their tribe after her husband was killed by Indians.  Abby originally had planned on marrying an older man from the same community, but a twist in the plans begins with a near drowning. On top of these disasters, Abby is pursued by a man with nefarious intentions on his mind even after he is severely wounded from a prior beating.  Tied into the plot is a mother who has lost her husband and two sons in the Civil War and decides to send her only remaining son west so that she won’t lose him in the war as well.  Scooter is a man who owns a freighting business, bringing much needed supplies from the East to the West to the Mormon community and the gold fields. While many of the cha…

Title:  Hannah’s Choice (Journey to Pleasant Prairie #1) Author:  Jan Drexler Pages:  400 Year:  2016 Publisher:  Revell My rating is 4 stars. Hannah’s Choice is a riveting story of an Amish family named Yoder who find they are becoming a part of a smaller community.  Neighbors are no longer part of the Amish community but Quaker, Mennonite and Brethren to name a few.  The year is 1842 and slaves are coming north to escape their masters though some are captured and returned back to the south by bounty hunters. The Yoders are approached to move to new land where a bigger Amish community is starting along with more land available at low prices.  Hannah is the oldest and she tends to carry more on her shoulders, especially when her mother gets depressed and is unable to function or care for her other children.  Hannah’s heart is torn between two suitors, one who is Mennonite but she has known since they were children while the other is a young man new to the area. Throughout the book I w…

Title:  Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings (Christ Centered Exposition) Author:  Tony Merida Pages:  228 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Holman Reference My rating is 5 stars. Why did I want to read a commentary on 1 & 2 Kings in the Old Testament?  What drew me was the
“Exalting Jesus” part of the title.  Many Christians dwell in the New Testament without reading, studying or knowing what riches are revealed in the Old Testament.   However, I thank God that He has led me to the Old Testament many times so as to reveal the truths that aren’t quickly seen with just a perusal of that portion of the Bible. Usually I read the sections listed before reading a commentary; however, this time I wanted to challenge myself by listening to the Word.  Really listening to it and not casually hearing.  The commentary is not a verse by verse exposition, but a section by section commentary that I believe will draw many readers.  There aren’t notations about the original language or that it is written for…

Title:  Where She Belongs (Misty Willow #1) Author:  Johnnie Alexander Pages:  368 Year:  2016 Publisher:  Revell My rating is 5+ stars. All I can say is “I didn’t see this coming!”  There was more than romance in this story, such as history, legacy, faith, mystery and so much more!  I cannot even imagine what the next book in the series coming in the fall of 2016 will be like.  There are many options in the plot line the author can take readers.  The tale opens up with a young man named AJ leasing a part of some land including a home he never wanted in the first place.  When he first meets Shelby, all she can manage to do is keep her long held deeply felt feelings of anger towards his family contained.  Yes, a family feud that has gone on for decades, destroying many lives for decades with rippling effects that continue to the present. AJ and Shelby go to the lawyer’s office to sign the paperwork.  The lawyer, Robert, is related to Shelby and he knows more than he is willing to tell…

Title:  Veiled at Midnight (Twilight of the British Raj #3) Author:  Christine Lindsay Pages:  278 Year:  2014 Publisher:  WhiteFire My rating is 5+ stars. Here is the final book of the trilogy, which is by far the best of the best!  We are introduced to India, her people, politics, religious sects, and flavors of food and more that excite the heart.  When I started reading the book a couple of hours ago, part of me was sad because it was the last novel of the series.  I enjoyed the constant adventure and action, friendships forming, hearts mended and lives redeemed. The story in this novel takes place a little over a decade from the events in the first book, Shadowed by Silk.  The main focus is on Cam who is now a young man.  He returns to India and longs to express his long-held feelings for Hadassah whom he met at the orphanage years before when they were but wee ones.  Cam has served in British Intelligence and has been keeping his broken heart and alcoholic problems a secret.  O…

Title:  Captured by Moonlight (Twilight of the British Raj #2) Author:  Christine Lindsay Pages:  274 Year:  2013 Publisher:  Whitefire My rating is 5+ stars. The main character of the novel is Laine Harkness a nurse in the British service who finds herself being reassigned after breaking a previous warning and being hunted by the authorities.  There are also peeks into the lives of fictional people we meet in book one, Shadowed in Silk.  Whether you know anything of the events in India regarding British rule or not, you’ll find yourself magnetically drawn to these books. The Word of God is spread liberally throughout the story along with interesting interactions between believers and those who practice Hinduism.  The author really has done her homework in telling us a complete tale that encompasses the spiritual, political, historical, and flavor of a culture that is unique.  In corresponding with the author, I learned she put in over 300 hours of research before writing the first b…

Title:  Shadowed in Silk Author:  Christine Lindsay Pages:  276 Year:  2011 Publisher:  WhiteFire Publishing My rating is 5+ stars. There are many writers who share with readers tales of wonder, awe, heartache and hope.  Some authors even include a deep thread of God, faith, hope and a host of other believing themes throughout a fictional tale.  Here we are confronted with a very unique work that speaks of historical events and people along with imaginary ones with a bold theme of redemption from the first to the last page. The story takes place in India during a time of rebellion against British rule and of many faiths existing together.  A collision between various tribes bound together to fight against the British in their land will keep you up reading for hours.  The various twists, turns of intrigue, spies, social outcasts, and the wall between the Indians and British with so many unspoken rules about keeping themselves separate from the people of India was very interesting to r…

Title:  Thin Ice (Men of Valor #2) Author:  Irene Hannon Pages:  394 Year:  2016 Publisher:  Revell Lance MacGregor is a rookie FBI agent assigned his first case.  He has joined the FBI after retiring from the Special Forces.  His first case is a possible kidnapping of a woman named Ginny Reed.  The woman’s sister, Christy Reed, received a letter from her sister dated two months after her death.  Then she receives another and another.  Lance must investigate to find out if this is in fact a kidnapping or a cruel hoax.  He also has moved to the same town as his older brother Mac, so he is adjusting to a new city, a new job and his first case.  He has strayed from his relationship with God, but with Christy’s encouragement renews his faith.  He also learns of a very serious accident involving his younger brother and rushes to the hospital 900 miles away where he has been transferred.  Lance and Christy immediately feel a spark between them, but agree they must keep things professional …

Title:  Double Play Author:  Ranee S. Clark Pages:  208 Year:  2016 Publisher:  Covenant Communications, Inc. David Savage will soon be graduating from college and has a choice to make for his future…professional football or baseball?  His best friend Anthony is getting married soon, so he knows his future is going to change no matter what profession he chooses.  His best friend’s ex-girlfriend Sophie has made it her mission to win him back, so David tries to keep her from succeeding in this mission.  As David and Sophie spend more time together, he discovers that there is more to the shallow Sophie he has known for two years.  She is much more than fashion and makeup. Sophie Pope is going to college and working for her mother, who is in the wedding planning business.  Sophie has always had a great fashion sense and been able to pick out the right clothes for various body types to make the person look their best.  However, does this focus make her appear shallow to others?  Sophie wa…

Title:  I Hope You Dance Author:  Beth Moran Pages:  384 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Lion Fiction My rating is 4 stars. I Hope You Dance is a story where characters are not perfect, and there was a mysterious feeling in the air as I read the book.  The Hendersons are a fictional family that definitely has very lifelike qualities and four sisters each having their own quirks.  The parents have been married almost 50 years though right now they have hit a very rough patch in the marital journey.  The youngest daughter, Ruth, was a teenage mom who lived with her partner until he was killed in a car accident.  Now Ruth along with her daughter Maggie have to return to her parents’ home because Ruth’s partner left no money, will, or insurance and a huge amount of debt. As I progressed further into the novel set in England, I was wondering where or if the gospel message would be a part of the book.  What I loved most was that the people who belonged to a local congregation were very unique.  The…

Title:  Captive (DVD) Studio:  Paramount Year:  2015 My rating is 4 stars. This movie is based on a true story that can be read about in the book Captive:  The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero.  In 2005, Ashley Smith and Brian Nichols are about to meet in a dramatic and life- changing way.  Brian Nichols is set to appear in a courtroom to face criminal charges when he accosts the sheriff guarding him, steals her weapon and then proceeds to take the lives of four people and escapes.  Brian then steals various vehicles to avoid capture.  When he captures Ashley outside her apartment, he then proceeds to keep her there with him for hours.  During that time, she reads a book given to her called, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, which originally she had trashed after leaving a meeting for those trying to break free of living on drugs. I read the book first which helped fill in some of the gaps not shown in the movie.  When seeing the movie, please don’t allow young children…

Title:  The Imitation of Christ (Classic Devotions in Today’s Language) Author:  Thomas A. Kempis; edited by James N. Watson Pages:  288 Year:  2016 Publisher:  Worthy Inspired My rating is 5 stars. Thomas A. Kempis wrote a very serious and compelling even convicting devotional to use in personal quiet time with the Lord.  I looked up some information on Thomas A. Kempis who was a very intelligent and serious man who sought God.  I also learned that this devotional has been the second highest seller of books right behind the Bible.  Not only that, this writing has been around for centuries plus it is in several languages.  When many other works have long since disappeared, why has The Imitation of Christ not only continued to be around but is still being demanded by readers all over the globe? While it is true that it isn’t inspired and without error like the Bible, I can say I now understand the draw to many people.  Originally written in Latin this new edition is in today’s languag…

Title:  Daughter of Liberty (The American Patriot Series #1) Author:  J. M. Hochstetler Pages:  432 Year:  2012 Publisher:  Sheaf House My rating is 5 stars. I found this series quite by accident when searching for books of interest on Amazon.  Now I am so glad to have read book one as there are five others in the series published thus far, though Amazon is out of stock on some of the books.  I think these wonderful faith-filled historical stories have caught the attention of readers as they so richly deserve to be noticed and shared! I could tell right away the author knew her subject well and then set to write novels that remind us of where liberty was birthed along with the cost; however, that is not all.  It is also the faith of the leaders and followers that caused them to put all of what they owned even their lives on the line.  Readers will enjoy the suspense and mystery involved in trying to figure out just who is spying on both rebels and British troops.  I loved some of th…

Title:  Centralia Author:  Mike Dellosso                                                                                 Pages:  386 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Tyndale House What would you do if you woke up one morning and realized that your world was not what you thought it was?  How would you feel if you found out that your memories were untrustworthy?  In Mike Dellosso’s Centralia, Peter Ryan can’t find out where his wife and daughter are, and he is told that they died in a car accident two months prior; however, Peter finds a hidden note from his eight-year-old daughter that says she and her mother went to Centralia.  Memories start to surface, and before he knows it, Peter Ryan finds himself the target of sinister agents of a secret government organization.  He fights for his life and starts to discover that his life is not what it seems as he pursues the truth and his family while being pursued by ruthless men who want to keep him from discovering who he really is. Mike Dellosso…

Title:  Your Heart’s Desire Author:  Melody Carlson Pages:  192 Year:  2016 Publisher:  Center Street My rating is 5 stars. I fell in love with this author’s books when I read Love Gently Falling.  In her latest offering, the scene opens with a young widow at a train station getting ready with her young son to embark on a new adventure shortly after WWII concludes.  Caroline seeks to start fresh and not be known by others as a young widow providing for her son. Caroline’s sister lives in California with her two children and husband who works as a driver for a chocolate manufacturer.  Caroline is able to live in the house of her sister Marjorie in the finished basement, though when she arrives Caroline sees how much work is to be done to make the space livable for her and her son Joe.  Caroline’s biggest challenge is to redo her whole wardrobe now that she no longer lives in Minnesota and having to make due with her current outfits. I really enjoyed the romance that blossoms for this …

Title:  A Dash of Daring (Taste of Romance #3) Author:  Elizabeth Maddrey Pages:  226 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Janotima Books My rating is 5 stars. In the final novel, we enjoy the growing friendship and blooming romance of Zack and Amy.  What makes this book unique is the ethnicity differences that keep Amy wondering If Zack could really love her as she has seen some bad examples of ethnic marriages in her extended family.  Through the other prior novels, A Splash of Substance and A Pinch of Promise, hints have been dropped about Amy and Zack’s friendship. Amy’s parents are really some special people in the tale, but I will leave you to discover that for yourselves.  One truth that really comes across more than once is that no matter who one marries, marriage is hard work and both have to be committed totally for it to be successful.  The setting is in the inner city of Washington D. C.  Another theme is how the teachers wonder at times if they are making a difference in their stude…

Title:  A Pinch of Promise (Taste of Romance #2) Author:  Elizabeth Maddrey Pages:  242 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Janotima Books My rating is 5 stars. The first book in the Taste of Romance series is A Splash of Substance where we meet three young men Jackson, Zach and Ben.  Each of them has a different job, and different tastes; yet, they share a solid faith in Jesus Christ.  Besides having their faith in common they each also have the desire to wed a strong Christian woman but are waiting on God to show them who He has for each of them. In A Splash of Substance, we read about Jackson’s unique job situation along with its challenges plus how he meets Paige who is a chef.  A Pinch of Promise focuses on Ben who needs to have surgery for a torn ACL followed up by weeks of physical therapy.  When Ben comes in to the physical therapy office, he is sees a face that seems similar to a woman from his past.  Their journey of getting to know one another again begins and is filled with tension a…

Title:  A Splash of Substance (A Taste of Romance Book #1) Author:  Elizabeth Maddrey Pages:  278 Year:  2015 Publisher:   Janotima Books My rating is 4 stars. A Splash of Substance has two sequels; the first is titled A Pinch of Promise which focuses on Jackson’s roommate named Bed.  The third book is A Dash of Daring whose main character is Zach Wilson who is the other roommate of Jackson’s in the Washington, D. C. area.  The first novel starts with introducing the audience to the two main characters along with their jobs.  The lead female is Paige who is attempting to start a catering business from the ground up with food that is quite unique.  Jackson is the lead male who is an aide to a senator in Washington. At first, I wasn’t quite sure I would like the tale, but the further along I went in the story the more I saw the depth to what the author was weaving together.  There is romance, care for what God has created, politics and above all listening for God’s voice.  I enjoyed fol…

Title:  A Refuge at Highland Hall (Edwardian Brides #3) Author:  Carrie Turansky Pages:  340 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Multnomah Books Penny Ramsey has left Highland Hall for London to help her sister take care of eight orphaned children that have come into their home and Kate is expecting her first child.  The children’s parents have either been killed in the war or have abandoned them.  Keeping the children occupied with the restrictions of war time is a challenge for Kate and Penny.  While in London, Kate’s physician husband Jon runs into an old friend who has been injured during pilot training.  Jon invites Alex Goodwin over for dinner and he entertains the family with stories of his training and life growing up in India.  Alex also hits if off with Penny.  Eventually, the bombings in London make it unsafe for the family to remain so they return to Highland Hall, which is located in the country.  Alex heals and returns to training and the war. Alex has poured his life into becoming…

Title:  A Pattern of Lies (Bess Crawford #7) Author:  Charles Todd Pages:  336 Year:  2015 Publisher:  William Morrow Bess Crawford finds herself still serving as a nurse during World War I with rumors of the war soon being over heard more and more often.  She has a few days leave and plans to spend it with her parents.  Her train is delayed at the station and she runs into a former patient, Mark Ashton, who lives nearby.  He is a soldier still on medical leave from his injuries.  While recuperating, his family becomes pariahs in their small town.  He invites Bess to stay overnight until her train arrives.  Bess finds herself the subject of the same persecution as Mark’s family. Bess sets out to find out what is at the root of the mean treatment this family is receiving.  She asks questions, but no one knows who started the rumors.  The villagers turn against the family readily enough with no proof and Bess wonders how this happened.  The one man who can perhaps help the Ashtons’ cau…

Title:  A Noble Masquerade (Hawthorne House Series) Author:  Kristi Ann Hunter Pages:  368 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Bethany My rating is 4 stars. One of the main reasons I requested to review the book was because Kristi Ann Hunter is a new author and I wanted to see what she brought to her audience.  The main female character, Lady Miranda, desired to break out of the societal constraints of her life, but kept that secret closely guarded until her brother’s new valet sends one of her letters to Duke Marshington.  The letters were Miranda’s way of releasing her pent up feelings and desires were she to write them in a journal. Miranda’s problem is that she is attracted to her brother’s valet, but then she receives a response from the Duke that was never expected!  There are Christian themes throughout the book, which I am glad to see in the novel as some publishers have not been publishing novels with any Christian themes even though they are clean.  Readers will love the fast-paced act…

Title:  Step by Step (Crisis Team) Author:  Candace Calvert Pages:  400 Year:  2016 Publisher:  Tyndale My rating is 5 stars. Whew!  What an exciting, suspenseful and heart-tugging ride as I read the story from start to finish.  I enjoyed Candace Calvert’s latest book plus I am excited to know another one will be coming out later in the fall of 2016!  Readers follow Taylor’s journey through her grief, her work as an ER nurse along with learning about God being in control. In the book is a reflection of how as humans we want life to go faster, especially when we are hurting without thinking that we might be missing God’s work.  The story is, I believe, factual in how burnout in any service job that requires such emotional giving is high.  Here we read of a crisis team that goes to walk alongside those who have experienced tragedy.  Readers will also learn how those who volunteer to be there to help others through hard times at all times of the day need to be cared for too. In the stor…

Title:  At Love’s Bidding Author:  Regina Jennings Pages:  352 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Bethany My rating is 5+ stars. What a wonderfully entertaining and heart-touching work of fiction!  There are several characters that bring a unique personality to the story which brings climatic moments for the reader.  First, there is a woman named Miranda who helps run the family auction house in Boston. What brings them together is a mistake at the auction house regarding a painting that now has disappeared. The small town in Missouri named Pine Gap where Miranda shows up with her grandfather whose health and state of mind seems to be in decline.  Wyatt is Isaac’s adopted brother and his families’ experiences are what bring a drastic change many times over in Wyatt’s life.  Isaac is the son of the parents who adopted Wyatt; unfortunately he was always compared to Wyatt in a way that made Isaac feel unloved. The town of Pine Gap holds a variety of characters that seek to help the people in the t…

Title:  A Thousand Shall Fall (Shenandoah Valley Saga #1) Author:  Andrea Boeshaar Pages:  278 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Kregel Publications This love story takes place toward the end of the Civil War in the year 1864 in the state of Virginia.  The two main characters are Carrie Ann Bell and Peyton Collier.  Peyton is an officer in the Union Army.  Carrie Ann is a journalist and server at the local town inn.  After her journalist father left to document the Civil War as a reporter, the family farm burned.  Carrie Ann as the oldest daughter is left to find lodging and food for her mentally disturbed mother, who has alienated most of the town, and her two younger sisters.  One morning Carrie Ann finds a note from her 15-year-old sister, Sarah Jane.  She has run away with a peddler who had been passing through.  Carrie Ann sets out to bring her wayward sister home, but finds herself caught in the middle of a fight between Confederate and Union forces. She is captured by the Union Army, ar…

Title:  The First Hostage (A J. B. Collins Novel #2) Author:  Joel Rosenberg Pages:  448 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Tyndale My rating is 5 stars. What occurs in this novel I learned from Joel Rosenberg’s recent blog post happens six seconds after the close of the first book in the series, The Third Target.  Before you begin either book plan on being glued to the action for hours because it is nonstop from start to finish.  In some ways the evil that nations were fighting against defied description.  The characters who fought to protect the innocent and leaders had actions, thoughts and decisions that were at times surprising. J. B. Collins is living through more experiences of hell than he ever has had on any major news assignments because every time he turns around his life is on the line.  Whether it is due to ISIS or other unknown assailants, J. B.’s level of frustration grows as he can’t reconcile faith in Jesus or his access to report the danger he witnesses firsthand.  Trying to i…

Title:  The Third Target (A J. B. Collins Novel) Author:  Joel Rosenberg Pages:  448 Year:  2015 Publisher:  Tyndale My rating is 5+ stars. I knew that before I read the latest Joel Rosenberg installment in the J. B. Collins series, The First Hostage, I had to reread The Third Target.  While it is true that part of the reason for doing so was due to the fact I read tons of books a year, it is equally true that the story inside this series is multilayered.  The action and tension in the book are unending while readers also try to figure out if there is someone on either side of those for good or evil who may not be who they appear to be at first glance. J. B. Collins is a journalist who has an insatiable thirst for adventure.  He is attempting to run away from facing his lack of a spiritual walk with the Lord.  J. B. learned a lot of his craft as a journalist in the Middle East at his grandfather’s knee.  Times now are more dangerous than ever and there are those who don’t want J. B. …