Book Review: The Loyal Heart (A Lone Star Hero's Love Story) by Shelley Shepard Gray

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

Description

Robert came to Galveston to fulfill his promise to a dying man and look after his widow. He didn’t expect to find love in the unlikeliest of places.

Robert Truax, former Second Lieutenant and Confederate officer in the Civil War, made a promise to his comrade Phillip Markham. If anything happened to Phillip, Robert would look after his beloved wife, Miranda. She was his life, his world, his everything.

This is an excellent Historical 
Christian Fiction read;
I loved it!

After the war, Robert is left to pick up the pieces and fulfill his pact. When he arrives at Miranda’s home in Galveston, Texas, things are worse than he imagined. Phillip’s name has been dragged through the mud, everyone in town believes him to be a traitor, and his widow is treated as an outcast. Even more disturbing is her emotional well-being. Miranda seems hopeless, lost, and so very alone.

Robert had thought his duty would be simple. He would help Miranda as quickly as possible in order to honor a promise. But the moment Robert laid eyes on her, his plans changed. He’s mesmerized by her beauty and yearns to help her in any way he can.

He makes it his duty to protect Miranda, turn her reputation around, and to find some way to help her smile again. But it doesn’t prove to be an easy task—Robert knows something about

Phillip that could shake Miranda to the core and alter her view of the man she thought she knew so well.

Acclaim For Shelley Shepard Gray

"Gray is a master at integrating rich details and historical accuracies to create an engaging tale that will take the reader back in time. Strong secondary characters are well integrated. It is a shame to see this series end."
                              -ROMANTIC TIMES 4-Star review of Whispers In the Reading Room

"Full of vivid descriptions and beautiful prose, Gray has a way of making readers feel like they are actually in Chicago during the World's Fair...the mystery surround the 'Slasher' keeps the reader engaged throughout."
                              -RT BOOK REVIEWS, 4-Star review of Deception On Sable Hill

My Personal Review

I loved this Historical Christian Fiction book surrounding the Civil War era. It is a believable story filled with interesting and extremely well developed characters. 

The Loyal Heart by Shelley Shepard Gray is the first book in a 2 volume series of the Lone Star Hero's Love Story. (The second book: An Uncommon Protector will be released 2/07/17.) The story begins with the conversation of some Confederate prisoners of war making a pact to always look out for one another. They are being held captive on Johnson's Island in Ohio, surrounded by Lake Erie and little availability to escape. The author does a fantastic job of describing their dismal outlook and the hopelessness that most surely would have been a part of their lives on a daily basis. Immediately, the reader is struck with a connection and desire to know what happens in the lives of these men.

The drama that unfolds upon the release of the soldiers is created quickly within the first few chapters and spins a web of talented writing filled with suspense, mystery, devotion and a bit of romance along the way. It is such a cliche...but in all sincerity...this one was hard to put down! The main character, Miranda Markham pulls at your heart strings as she navigates the waters of grief. The loyalty to his comrade Phillip, makes Robert Truax's character shine as well. The development of the house staff was so good, I could almost audibly hear their voices and see the expressions on their faces.

This book caused me to do some research of the Confederate States of America Officers' POW Camp located on Johnson's Island, Ohio. Additionally, I did a little digging into Galveston, Texas, both during and after the Civil War. When the storyline is so interesting that you want to do more study of the time period that is being dramatized, I think you can safely label it as a "good Historical Fiction" book. I also found myself learning a lot of new vocabulary words within this read. Gray does not sell her readers short and assume that the average adjectives will do, rather she ceases every opportunity to tap into the English language with a plethora of variety. I love that!

This is the first book written by Shelley Shepard Gray that I have had the privilege to read, but I will definitely be reading the next book in this series! I can't wait to see where she takes us! 

Thank you to Zondervan for this review copy of The Loyal Heart by Shelley Shepard Gray through the BookLookBlogger program. I was not required to write a favorable review, but simply to read the work in it's entirety and give my honest opinion. 

Book Review: Uneven Exchange by S.K. Derban

"Thus says the Lord to you; 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.'" 2 Chronicles 20:15


PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION

This is a great summer read!!
Grab some ice tea and curl up for some
action & suspense!

Like fire and ice, Alexandra Callet’s life runs hot and cold. At the age of thirty-three, Alexandra owns a stunning home and a successful interior design company. But she is in love with her business partner, Jake Taylor, and he doesn’t even seem to realize she’s a woman. She should be on top of the world, but instead she feels dragged down by the void in her heart. Hoping for answers, she decides a trip to Mexico might soothe her soul.

Jake Taylor only pretends to be a confirmed bachelor. Jake has been entranced by Alexandra’s determination and exotic beauty since the moment they met, but she has no idea how he feels. He considers confessing his love, but fears jeopardizing their friendship and business. He’s caught in a web of pretending he doesn’t care, and doesn’t see a way out of it. Alexandra is recruited for a dangerous mission. Following her trip to Mexico, her resemblance to a member of an assassin’s family leads Alexandra to be recruited by the DEA. Her training leaves her distracted, and her business begins to suffer. Jake notices her sudden change, and feels her slipping both personally and professionally beyond his reach. Should he finally take the chance…before it’s too late? After all, he has nothing to lose. However, when Alexandra returns to Mexico for her mission, things go terribly wrong. Will she be able find the strength to fight and escape the peaceful haven that has now become her prison? Or will Jake lose Alexandra forever....

My Personal Review

Uneven Exchange by S.K. Derban is the perfect combination of intrigue, suspense and romance...a perfect read for a weekend get-away!

This book captures the reader's attention from the first chapter and spins a tale of love, strength and perseverance from that point forward. The main character, Alexandra Callet is an independent business woman who, due to her resemblance to an assassin's sister, is asked by the Drug Enforcement Agency to help with a case. As the story unfolds, additional vibrant characters emerge to sufficiently entertain and engage the reader. The training that Alexandra goes through to go undercover is actually very informative, as I had no idea of the involvement behind the scenes of such an assignment. While I am sure this only touched the surface of what it would really be like to take on such work, there is enough detail to seem realistic and hold your attention.  

What I like most about this book is the continual line-up of interesting and unique characters with enough development of each one to feel a level of connection that goes beyond the surface. That is difficult to pull off in a short novel like this, but Derban does it. The sense of "what will happen next" is a dominating feeling throughout the read and therefore another excellent job by the author.

Finally, while this is not officially labeled a "Christian" genre book, the author has definitely utilized her platform to point to Christ through some of the thoughts and actions of the main characters. There are several times in the book where they pray, read the Bible and reference their reliance on Christ for strength and wisdom. It's not overbearing...just a hint of grace and wisdom poking through...I loved that.

Uneven Exchange by S.K. Derban is a wonderful book to throw in your suitcase and read on a weekend get-away or.....simply step outside into the shade of your own backyard and travel with the crew to Mexico! You will definitely enjoy this read!!

Book Review: Rian Field by Krista Wagner

Job 7:4 (NIV)
"When I lie down I say, 'When shall I arise?' But the night continues, and I am continually tossing until dawn."

Overview:

Mysterious...until the very end!

Rian Field is living her dream as a Marine Biologist, but when she is attacked by a shark, it triggers memories from the past and changes her understanding of her present world. After surviving the shark attack, Rian Field continues her work at the Institute, determined to continue living her routine life. But as she attempts to cope with her growing post-traumatic stress outbreaks, she is plagued both by memories of an earlier trauma and a sudden onslaught of mysterious and ominous events. She soon finds herself immersed in an inescapable danger as she suspects that her former assailant is still threatening her life--and it may be someone close to her; more disconcerting, though, is the growing certainty that the trauma is somehow connected to the shark attack, compelling Rian to uncover the truth of her past and discover who is after her.

My Personal Review:

Rian Field is the second novel written by Krista Wagner. Her first novel, Intent published by TouchPoint Press in August of 2014 is a suspenseful read with many surprising twists and turns that create a great adventure for the mystery thrill seeker. This latest work released in January 2016, by CreateSpace, a DBA of On-Demand Publishing, LLC fits into the same genre of fictional mystery & suspense.

What I loved most about Rian Field is that it teaches the reader about an increasingly prevalent disorder called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mayo Clinic defines it this way:

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

The main character, Rian Field, suffers with this illness from a previous event in her life. Throughout the story, the reader gets to tag along inside her thoughts. The narrative is done in such a way to allow the reader to endure the mayhem inside of Rian's head. The thinking and repetitive circling of paranoia, night terrors, physical symptoms and unrelenting emotional trauma from this disorder are communicated in an informative manner without feeling the sensation of reading a text book. In addition, there is enough intrigue to keep the reader guessing and confused as to where the action will go next and from whom it will be initiated.

The author has a skillful ability to bring a compassionate look at this dreadful phenomenon.

Throughout the work the main character undergoes some therapy for PTSD which sheds light on some of the techniques for treating the illness. In addition to the emotional treatment with counseling sessions and the physical attention to a medical model for stabilization, Wagner touches on the spiritual realm as well. The hidden treasure found unobtrusively towards the middle of this book is the prevailing message that prayer has the ultimate power to break chains of fear, confusion, guilt, mistrust and deceit. Don't miss out on that nugget of truth! 

Anytime a book is able to entertain, inform, keep the reader engaged and give hope, it gets a stamp of approval from me. If you have a special interest in PTSD or you love to devour a good suspense novel, you will definitely enjoy this work. My only recommendation is that you do not read this one at the beach!! 

Book Review: Hiding Places by Erin Healy

This book brings suspense and mystery
with each turn of the page!

        

Publisher's Description

The Harrison lodge is full of hiding places where young Kate can discover all the secrets no one wants her to know.

Eleven-year-old Kate keeps her knowledge to herself—one sister’s stash of marijuana, the other’s petty cash pilfering, her grandfather’s contraband candy bars. She protects her mother and Gran, too, screening out critical comments from the hotel suggestions box. But suddenly the stakes are raised; her grandfather’s best friend is murdered the day after Kate heard the two men arguing.

At the same time, far from the quiet mountain resort, a homeless man sees a robbery gone wrong . . . a gang member seeks revenge for the death of his son . . . and a boy chooses the worst time to wield spray paint on a store window. In a strange and spiraling sequence of events, their disparate worlds collide at Harrison Lodge.

Kate offers shelter to one of them, unaware of the terrible consequences to the family she loves. But people can hide in all kinds of ways, sometimes even in plain sight . . . and some secrets are just waiting to be exposed.

My Personal Review

Erin Healy writes supernatural suspense novels.

Hiding Places by Erin Healy is a fast paced suspense novel weaving a story of courage, devotion, love and hope. Another astonishing piece of work from this gifted author!

Hiding Places by Erin Healy combines the determination of a father to avenge his son's death, the battle of a struggling homeless man's inner turmoil to find belonging, and the strong willed determination of a young girl to do what families are supposed to do...protect one another.

I absolutely love this newly released book! Actually, that comes as no surprise, since Erin Healy is one of my favorite authors. However, there is good reason why she is on the top of my, "Christian Fiction Favorite Author" list. Her consistency is once again unveiled in her most recent publication of Hiding Places. If she isn't already there, Healy belongs on your "top Christian author" list too. Erin Healy Books always manage to successfully provide the top five things that are imperative in a Christian Fiction novel. Those five things are to: renew hope, entertain, inform, educate, and worship. Erin Healy delivers in every category with her latest book, Hiding Places.

The book begins with a level of apprehension and curiosity that only increases with each turn of the page. The characters are realistic and endearing, especially Great Grandma Pearl, who happens to be my beloved character, not only for her humor, but for her uncanny ability to understand the needs of her family and then respond to those needs in a beautiful way. The main character, Kate, is not without charm and likability as well, as she moves through the pages with simplicity and naivety. That leaves Charlie, Merridew, and Grandy, each with a lesson to teach the reader through their unique passions.

All of the characters represent a different age and unique stage of life. They come from varied levels of experience and the reader is fed some valuable information about gang mentality, life on the streets for a homeless person, struggles of an aging adult, what it's like to live life with regret for past decisions, and finally the gentle reminder of a child's perspective of our world. Hope is presented from several different angles and at various points throughout the book. As the story winds down, there is a feeling of inspiration to lead a life that takes into account how our actions will impact those around us.

Hiding Places by Erin Healy also includes discussion questions at the end of the book to assist the reader in gentle reflections about family and how we relate to one another. This book would be a fun choice for a "Book Club". Utilizing the questions provided would allow for deeper analysis of certain areas of the heart and it has the potential to unearth hidden hurts and thus bring them to the surface where they can be addressed. In conclusion, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good suspense novel, but be forewarned...there is a lot hidden beneath the surface! Enjoy!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson, a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc for this review copy of Hiding Places by Erin Healy provided through the BookLook Bloggers review program. I was not required to write a favorable review, but to simply to read the work in it's entirety. The opinions within this review are strictly my own.

Book Review: The Promises She Keeps by Erin Healy

A captivating read!

It's her destiny to die young. The man who loves her can't live with that.

Promise, a talented young singer with a terminal illness, is counting on fame to keep her memory alive after she dies. Porta is an aging sorceress and art collector in search of immortality.

When Promise inexplicably survives a series of freak accidents, Porta believes that she may hold the key to eternal life.

Enter Chase, an autistic artist who falls in love with Promise and fascinates her with his mysterious visions and drawings.

Soon, all are plunged into a confrontation over the mystery and the cost of something even greater than eternal life . . . eternal love.

My Personal Review:

The Promises She Keeps by Erin Healy is a beautifully written novel filled with suspense, courage, and intrigue.

The Promises She Keeps by Erin Healy is another incredible work! As with all of the novels I have read from this author thus far, this book manages to unravel a compassionate and mysterious story line in tandem with factual information that is applicable to our society. Through Erin's creative mind, she provides the reader with an in-depth look into the life of both a person suffering with cystic fibrosis and the challenges of living and relating to a person with Autism.

Erin Healy's sensitive writing and delicate handling of the challenges a person living with Autism deal with on daily basis sheds light into the diagnosis in a candid way. In addition, the main character suffers with a disabling diagnosis of cystic fibrosis and Healy also brings information to the reader about the reality of this illness. 

How author, Erin Healy manages to combine a believable fiction thriller with authentic characters living with modern day problems never ceases to amaze me. The Promises She Keeps merges hope, love, and perseverance all into one fast lane. It gracefully touches the fragile issue of our own mortality. This piece stirred within my soul a reflection of a purpose for life reaching far beyond myself; it revealed a focus to serve others and bring them the gift of connection through a simple smile and a kind word. I'm confident you will enjoy this read!

Book Review: INTENT by Krista Wagner

Loved this book!

Trying to deal with small town life and feeling that she has no real purpose, Raylee Johnson finds a new source of confidence when her former high school crush returns to town. When she begins to feel better about the direction her life is going, Raylee is thrust into a maze of doubt, uncertainty, murder, and deceit where the only thing she does know for sure is that her life is engulfed in lies.

My Personal Review

Intent by Krista Wagner is an excellent book. Buckle your seat belt and hang on tight as this novel twists and turns through suspense filled pages. I loved it!

Intent by Krista Wagner is a great read. The element of surprise and intrigue are utilized throughout this entire book. As the protagonist, Raylee Johnson, pushes through a seemingly monotonous dead end job and begins to reach the conclusion that her life is without meaning, she is catapulted into a maze of events that leave her reeling. The courage and strength that Raylee finds during this tumultuous and precarious period of her life unfold with dramatic flare.

The reader is led astray several times as the plot unravels down narrow paths of apprehensive action. Clues are scattered like finely sifted granules of sand across the grand canyon. As with any good mystery novel, the reader is never quite sure who's behind it all until the very end.

Wagner's ability to infuse the reader with hope and encouragement through a relationship with Christ is worked into the story in a clear manner without being intrusively overboard. There is not a "preachy" feel to this read, as the author takes advantage of her talent for subtlety and cohesively delivers sound Christian doctrine through some of the lives of the minor characters. This book is sure to help the reader effortlessly transfer some healthy prospective into their life.

If you enjoy reading a good mystery that has an element of reality without creating nightmares, I highly recommend that you read, Intent by Krista Wagner!

Book Review: Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen

This book is creatively mysterious!

It was supposed to be just another flight, another escape into a foreign place where she could forget her past, forget her attachments. Until Clara found herself seated next to an alluring boy named Elias Phinn—a boy who seems to know secrets she has barely been able to admit to herself for years.

When her carry-on bag is accidentally switched with Elias’s identical pack, Clara uses the luggage tag to track down her things. At that address she discovers there is not one Elias Phinn, but two: the odd, paranoid, artistic, and often angry Elias she met on the plane, who lives in an imaginary world of his own making called Salem; and the kind, sweet, and soon irresistible Elias who greets her at the door, and who has no recollection of ever meeting Clara at all. As she learns of Elias’s dissociative identity disorder, and finds herself quickly entangled in both of Elias’s lives, Clara makes a decision that could change all of them forever. She is going to find out what the Salem Elias knows about her past, and how, even if it means playing along with his otherworldly quest. And she is going to find a way to keep the gentle Elias she’s beginning to love from ever disappearing again.

My Personal Review

Both Of Me by Jonathan Friesen is a creatively mysterious and engaging book.  The characters are believable and the story-line brings an extremely realistic look at the very heartbreaking mental disorder tagged as a Dissociative Identity Disorder.  

Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen is my first book review that is classified in the Young Adult Fiction category.  I must confess that I have not read his previous books, but after reading this one, I certainly plan to in the very near future. Friesen's writing is so detailed and skillfully crafted, that I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to enjoy more of his work.  I chose to review this particular book, because I am a parent of YA's and would really like to know what's out there for them to read.  

So, here's my take on Both Of Me.  I loved it!  It has everything.  From an entertainment standpoint, it is very satisfying.  The characters are authentic and illicit the appropriate emotions within the reader as the story line progresses.  I literally laughed out loud several times with some of the fantastic imagery developed at various spots in the book. Izzy's character and her "guitar" combined with her reckless behavior conjured up all sorts of pictures in my head.  Clara's sensitivity is undeniable.  The depth of her thinking and constant analysis were endearing to me.  There is a chapter where Clara stands at the foot of the cross and empties her heart before God.  It was such a tender description as she poured out her guilt and shame.  It will have you searching your own heart for hidden hurts.  The main character, Elias, is anything but boring.  His dual personality had me confused and perplexed after a few pages of "The Other One".  It allowed me to feel as though I were actually inside of his chaotic mind.  Only a gifted writer can create such an experience for the reader.

Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen also has the "informative factor", as I like to call it.  That means that the reader learns something effortlessly and without intention.  In this particular case, the information being fed to the reader comes from the experiences of the character's lives.  Friesen does an amazing job to portray through the character of Elias, the disorganized thinking, tumultuous relationships, delusions, and challenges that a person with Dissociative Identity Disorder may face on a daily basis.  The inability to find a treatment for those suffering from this life altering mental illness is also concisely communicated within the book.  This is not the only lesson learned from reading Both of Me; there are plenty more.  There are also insights into family dynamics, the freedom of honesty, first love, and the importance of forgiveness. 

Both Of Me is a captivating read.  The subject matter is a little heavy, so I would suggest it for the over sixteen year old population.  I also think this book would make a fantastic suspense filled movie!  Perhaps because I am a "OA" (Older Adult) and not a "YA" (Younger Adult), I find the statement of Atticus to be profoundly true when he says, "It's a round world.  You live long enough, you see it, the coming round of things."  Great read!!

Thank you to Zondervan Publishing for this review copy of Both Of Me by Jonathan Friesen given to me through the BookLook Bloggers program.  I was not required to give a favorable review of this work, but only asked to read it in it's entirety and give my honest opinion. 

Book Review: Motherless by Erin Healy

2 Corinthians 12:9(MSG)  

My grace is enough;  it's all you need.  My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

                          Motherless by Erin Healy

A whispering voice at the back of my mind reminds me that I’ve been this way for some time. Dead, that is.

Motherless by Erin Healy
A five star graceful mystery!

The dead have a very broad view of the living, of actions performed out of sight, of thoughts believed to be private. I would know. Losing both parents is a trial no child should endure, and Marina and Dylan have endured enough. They deserve the one thing I could never give them: a mother’s love.

A mother’s love, and the truth.

My children have believed a lie about me for years and years. After all this time I can still feel their hurt in my heart. But the tether holding me to them is frayed from years of neglect . . . and I have to find a way to make my confession before it snaps.

But when the truth comes out, what other beasts will I unleash?

“Why do we lie to the children?” someone asked me once.

“To protect them,” I answered.

How terrible it is that they need protection from me.

My Personal Review

Motherless by Erin Healy is the suspense filled mystery of the year!  This book will engage the reader from start to finish as the interlocking characters twist their way through the pages.

Motherless by Erin Healy has earned the title "top favorite fiction read of the year" award on my list! This novel to be released  November 11, 2014 will have the reader shaking their head with intrigue as they forge ahead in rapid page turning succession (or swiping for those E-readers out there:).  As with her previous books, it is difficult to put Motherless down once you get started.

Now, before I continue, I must confess that I am admittedly an Erin Healy enthusiast.  I jumped aboard the "fan" wagon with her publication of the books:  Afloat and Stranger Things and I somewhat obsessively watch for her new releases to snatch them up. Why? Because Erin not only entertains the reader with her creative mind, but she also manages to simultaneously bring awareness to a culturally relevant subject matter.  The themes within her books are usually hot topic buttons that our society has tried to gently brush under the rug or items that we feel somewhat uncomfortable talking about.  

Motherless by Erin Healy manages to present the subject of mental illness through the life of one of the main characters with a respectful authenticity that is very believable.  The obstacles that an individual suffering with a mental health illness have placed before them are infinite and immense.  The responsibility that a family dealing with an afflicted loved one must bear is communicated throughout the book with inventiveness and truth.  The layers of guilt, shame and regret for past mistakes in the handling of the afflicted individuals behavior are also scrolled throughout the character's hearts and minds.   

As I began reading the first few chapters of the book, I quickly found myself (for my older readers out there) thinking of the movie, Ghost with Patrick Swayze.  The way in which the main character, Garrett is able to see the earthly happenings of his family and minimally convey his presence, despite their inability to make the connection is quite similar to the 1990 film.  As the book proceeds, there is a similarity to Charles Dickens' novella A Christmas Story released in 1893, wherein Ebenezer Scrooge finds himself reviewing his life with ghosts from the past.  In this classic, of course, Scrooge takes a tally of all of the negative choices he has made while he inhabited the earth and applies them upon his awakening.

Do not be confused by my comparisons, however, this is not a rewrite of a tried and true Christmas time classic.  This book is written for today's readers swirling through a wild current of mental health issues as lived out in the lives of several of the family members. Motherless by Erin Healy will take the reader on a compelling, rousing, and soul stirring journey.  The message of hope and the constant undercurrent that God's grace and mercy really are enough to cover our inequities is an undeniable communication throughout the book.  This work is a mysterious and complicated thriller that you won't want to miss!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc for this review copy of Motherless by Erin Healy.  The thoughts expressed within this review are strictly my own. I was not required to give a favorable review of this work;  I was only required to read the book in it's entirety and render a transparent opinion.