Faking Grace By Tamara Leigh / Multnomah Struggling journalist Maizy Grace Stewart isn’t really a believer, but she manages to “fake it” in order to land a part-time job at a Christian publishing house. When the newspaper editor commissions her to write an undercover expose of her new employer, will her conversations with churchgoing colleagues lead to success—or second thoughts? 400 pages, softcover from Multnomah.

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I have decided to read through the books that are finalists for the 2009 Rita Award for “inspirational romance.” I have already read Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren and Love Stars with Elle by Rachel Hauck and The Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher. I decided that Faking Grace by Tamara Leigh would be my next read for the RITA finalist list.

I enjoyed this book and thought it was a nice read. I found it a touch melodramatic in parts (the lead character reads The Dumb Blonde’s Guide to Christianity being one example), but I actually felt that gave  more charm to the novel overall. Through this novel, Maizey Grace Stewart comes to find out what it is to seek a real relationship with God and what is is to be on the receiving end of true grace. Initially she believes that she can fake her faith with “Jesus junk” such as bumper stickers, a crown of thorns air freshner in her car, etc. This book reveals Maizey’s journey through faking and into realization that there is more to Christianity than cultural items.

A nice read with a great message. Recommended reading.

When Crickets Cry By Charles Martin / Thomas Nelson From Christy Award finalist Martin comes a work of “God-haunted” southern fiction sure to tug at your heartstrings! Travel to a sleepy town square in Georgia, where a 7-year-old child sells lemonade to raise funds for a heart transplant, an onlooker watches, and a speeding truck comes around the bend, changing bothe lives forever.

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The more I read by Charles Martin, the more of a fan of his work I become. This is the third novel I have read by him and, so far, it is my favorite. The whole time I was reading this book I was in a real Catch-22 situation. I wanted to keep reading to see what happened next, but yet I didn’t want to rush through the book as I wasn’t ever ready for it to end. This novel took me in from the first page and never let me go through its entirety.

This novel is beautifully and skillfully written. Charles Martin has a gift of writing and he uses his God-given talents to engage readers and create memorable and realistic characters. The way Martin writes, I always feel a familiarity with the surroundings and characters. As if I am reading about my own hometown and people I have met and care about already. I felt instantly drawn into this novel and its storylines and back-stories. As I said above, I didn’t want to put it down, but certainly didn’t want it to end.

I really don’t want to give away anything about any plot lines in this novel. Martin’s storytelling and detail weaving are remarkable. Anything I could say here might detract from that and I would rather leave it all intact for you all to read, savor and enjoy.

I whole heartedly recommend this novel. It’s one that shows depth of love, perseverance of faith and importance of character. Beautiful through and through!

Take One, Above The Line Series #1 By Karen Kingsbury / Zondervan In the high-powered world of filmmaking, two unknown producers struggle to make a name for themselves. They have done the impossible – raised enough money to independently produce a feature film with a message they hope will change the world. With millions of investors’ dollars on the line, everything starts to fall apart and they realize they may be in over their heads, a couple of Davids in a world of Hollywood Goliaths. Is it possible to keep things above the line, to beat the odds and make a movie unlike anything ever done before? Or, will they lose everything in the process?

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This book is the latest by Karen Kingsbury and is the first in her new Above the Line series. Take One was a very enjoyable read for me.  The characters are genuine and it is easy to relate to them. The storylines are very good with though provoking issues interwoven throughout each one. My only “problem” with this book is that it left me feeling very unfinished. Which, obviously,  is a good thing since this is just the beginning of the series and more books are to come. I’m already looking forward to the next installment, Take Two, which is due out in early June 2009.

Where the River Ends by Charles Martin is a beautifully written story of love that prevails through adversity, illness and death. It’s the love story of Doss Michaels and Abigail Grace Coleman who come together and marry despite coming from completely opposite cultural upbringings. Doss was raised in rural Georgia in a trailer park. Abbie is the daughter  of a powerful governor turned senator in South Carolina and is, in essence, Charleston royalty. Abbie and Doss inspire the best of one another and their bond in love is deep. Ten years into their marriage, Abbie’s cancer is discovered. Doss is beside her every harrowing step of the way through various treatments and trials. When doctors determine that no more can be done for Abbie, Doss agrees to take her down the river as she has requested of him. He helps her to complete her list of items that she has always wanted to do and they do these in their very own way.

Abbie’s trip down the river with Doss isn’t always a quiet, serene journey. There are difficulties and hardships along the way. The way Charles Martin ties together the trials of the journey with the beautiful moments they experience together is a poignant reminder of marriage and life. There might be some tough times along the way, but it’s always worth fighting for when it’s real and true. That’s the attitude I read from Doss all along. It would have been so easy for him to abandon the journey down the river. To give up and just rest. But, he pushes through to the end because he promised Abbie that he would do that. He loved her enough to fulfill his promise even when it nearly cost him everything.

The river trip also symbolizes Abbie’s journey from life into death. The various twists, turns, ups and downs intricately weave together just like her journey through life with cancer.

This is another amazing work by Charles Martin. His way with words is powerful. The depth of his characters is so real and touching. A beautiful novel all the way through. Highly recommended!

Here is a video with Charles Martin where he discusses the book. Worth watching!

I just finished reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. I usually read Christian fiction, but have wanted to read this book for awhile, so I finally did. This was a great read. I hated to finish the book in many ways. The story-telling was masterful, the character development was superb and the storylines all tied together flawlessly. Overall, I found this book to be incredible. There were some instances of crude language, violence and many sexual references. Those, to me, were just a part of the story that went along with the old west. A wonderful masterpiece of a novel!

Lonestar Sanctuary, Lonestar Series #1 By Colleen Coble / Thomas Nelson Fleeing a vengeful stalker and desperate to help her daughter, Betsy, speak again, Allie Siders finds a safe place for them at the Bluebird Ranch, a home for troubled children—and abused horses. Owner Elijah DeAngelo welcomes them, but foreman Rick Bailey is guarded. Can Allie and Rick put aside the past to save all they hold dear? 320 pages, softcover from Nelson.

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I liked this book. This was the second novel written by Colleen Coble that I have read and I enjoy her books already. I won’t say this one completely captivated me, but I enjoyed the building of the story-lines nonetheless. The depth of character in this novel is also well done. I’ll be looking forward to the next installment in this Lonestar series. A very good read!

Chasing Fireflies By Charles Martin / Thomas Nelson When paramedics find a malnourished 6-year-old boy near a burning car that holds a dead woman, they wonder who he is—and why he won’t talk! Chase, a small-town journalist, is assigned to cover the story and investigate the boy’s identity. But will his search unearth long-buried emotions about his own history? 320 pages, softcover from Nelson.

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Lately, I have been batting a thousand with my book selections. The trend continues because this novel was an incredible read for me. I absolutely loved this book!

I noticed it at my favorite local Christian book store. They have an area where they feature novels for $5 from time to time. This is something they do to get various books and authors some exposure. One of the sales ladies recommended this one, so I got it. As soon as I started reading, I was hooked. What an excellent read!

Charles Martin has an amazing way with writing. His depth of character is outstanding. The characters in this novel absolutely come to life. It is so easy to make connections to them and their stories. The way Martin weaves the past and present together is masterful. Throughout my reading of this novel, I was torn between not wanting to put it down and wanting to slow down to savor the stories within it.

I won’t give away anything more about the plot than the summary did above. I’ll just say that this is a WONDERFUL book. I give it a whole-hearted recommendation. I’ll be reading more of Charles Martin in the very near future!

Divine By Karen Kingsbury / Tyndale House A riveting tale of tragedy and redemption! The child of a drug-addicted mother, Mary Madison moves from a life of prostitution to juvenile detention. But her praying grandmother never stops interceding. When Mary is sent into community service at a mission center, she meets a very special man—and those prayers are answered dramatically! 400 pages, softcover from Tyndale.

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This is a book that really messed me up. And, when I say that, I mean it. This book got into my heart and head like no other book has in quite a long time. It really messed me up. It messed with my sleeping, my train of thought – you name it, this book got into it. That is because this is one powerful novel. It was a book that drew me in and kept me glued because the story is so emotionally powerful and the message is so strong and real. There are parts of this story book that are difficult to read. As Kingsbury points out in the prologue to this novel, it is difficult reading, but not graphic. There were a few times when I had to make myself shut the book for a little while so that I could regroup and keep reading. This is not a bad thing at all. Rather, it demonstrates the emotional depth in Kingsbury’s writing and the pull of the story.

This novel is a modern day telling of the story of Mary Magdalene. The lead character is Mary Madison, a prominent figure in modern day Washington, DC who has had to overcome some awful circumstances in her own life to get to where she is in her career and in her faith. The trials and sufferings Mary goes through are horrifying and disturbing, but Kingsbury’s writing style is careful and deliberate not to be graphic or violent. Readers get the general idea of what has happened to Mary without being exposed to anything gruesome. Eventually Mary finds her way back to faith and accepts salvation through the guidance of a special man in her life. Mary uses her story and her faith to reach out and help others in selfless acts of mercy and love. In this novel, she encounters a desperate young mother named Emma and through the telling of Mary’s own story, she reaches out to try to help rescue Emma from a life of drugs, abuse and self-hatred and share with her the salvation of Christ.

I can’t say enough that this book is incredibly powerful. Oftentimes in this life, I have asked “Why God?” as in why do such bad things happen, especially to innocent children? I will never have those answers here on this earth. I have absolute faith that God will bring everything back to good as only He can. This novel demonstrates that. This novel shows God’s unwavering faithfulness, even in the face of unthinkable evil. This novel also shows that even the most downtrodden amongst us can still be revived to full faithfulness by accepting the salvation of Christ.

I recommend this novel to everyone. It’s not light reading, but it’s a novel that I had a hard time putting down. It’s a novel that will touch hearts and open eyes to the beauty of God’s boundless love and salvation. If you ever get a chance, read this one. I would love to discuss more.

Like Dandelion Dust By Karen Kingsbury / Center Street In a quiet Florida town, life is idyllic for Jack and Molly Campbell and their 4-year-old son, Joey. But one day a phone call shatters their peace. A social worker reports that Joey’s biological father, newly released from prison, wants his son back. Can Jack devise a plan to circumvent a judge’s devastating decision? 256 pages, softcover from Warner Faith.

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This book was one of two that I checked out from our local library last week. I just started it on Sunday and I could hardly put it down after a couple of chapters. This is a book that captivated my heart and emotions. It’s a family drama that reveals so much about having faith. Specifically it shows just how strong the faith of a child can be.  A great read. I highly recommend it!