TITLE:  Entrusted

AUTHOR:  Julie Arduini

DATE:  2014

PUBLISHER:  Write Integrity Press

STARS:  *****

Jenna Anderson, sassy city-girl, plows--literally--into Adirondack village, Speculator Falls with a busted GPS. She gets a warning from the sheriff but has ideas for the senior center to prove she belongs in town as their director. Town councilman Ben Regan is as broken as the flower box Jenna demolished. He’s grieving and wants to shut down the center before there’s too much change and heartbreak. They work on community projects and build a slow relationship, but the council needs to vote on the senior center’s future. Can Jenna show Ben both her and the center are worth trusting?

The author’s first person, present tense style of writing challenged me at first, but by the third or fourth paragraph, the power of the story drew me into Speculator Falls and the wonderful, sometimes quirky citizens there. I loved getting to know Jenna, Ben, Howard, and the other residents of Speculator Falls. Jenna’s drive to succeed in the place she feels God has called her, in spite of her fears of failure and rejection, spoke to my heart. In fact, all these characters are so well drawn, I’m sure I would recognize them if I could visit that homey small town. They will remain in my heart for a long time.

Entrusted is a well-written story with wonderful characters, a setting that makes me want to visit, and a storyline that tugs at the heart. For these reasons, I give Entrusted and its author five stars.

 

TITLE:  The Patmos Deception

AUTHOR:  Davis Bunn

DATE:  2014

PUBLISHER:  Bethany House

STARS:  ****

An Ancient Island Holds an Ancient Secret . . . 

Nick Hennessy, a young Texas journalist yearning for his big break, finds himself in Europe--his assignment, to investigate the alarming disappearance of invaluable Grecian antiquities. Nick has the credentials--and cover ID--to unearth the truth. And he knows just the researcher to help him... 

Carey Mathers, fresh from her studies in forensic archeology, has accepted a job with the prestigious Athens Institute for Antiquities--a dream come true, really, particularly when the Greek isle of Patmos, where the Apostle John received his vision of the Apocalypse, was a particular focus of her research. 

Dimitri Rubinos, for whom the Greek islands represent his life, holds on by his fingernails to the family charter boat business. But his country's economic chaos isn't the only thing that has turned his world on its head.

This story’s tension grabbed me right from the beginning, with Carey Mathers’ hope-fueled journey to Greece stalled by the economic crisis there – and possibly more. When Nick Hennessy re-enters her life, hope flares once more, only to become confused by the attentions of Dimitri Rubinos, the Greek hunk whose help they need. The characters are multi-layered and intriguing, and the storyline seems pulled from possible headlines. The plot excited me and kept me reading – right up to the terribly unsatisfactory end.

Because of that, what I’d expected to be a five-star rating became four stars. I don’t want to reveal too much, but I am of the opinion that a writer enters into an unwritten contract with his reader to wrap up the plot of the story by that story’s end, at least for the main characters and the main plot. When this does not happen, it leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth and fewer stars to award.

Therefore, I give The Patmos Deception four stars. Bethany House gave me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Lights from the Christmas tree reflected on my piano’s glossy surface as I opened my new music book, a gift from our church, to one of my favorite Christmas carols, “Silent Night.” My husband wanted to watch the news on TV, so I plugged in the headphones that directed sound from the electronic instrument to my ears only.

This arrangement of “Silent Night” began simply with the soothing melody. Silent night, holy night; All is calm, all is bright…”

I played on, following the written score as it added harmonies, point and counterpoint, when the newscast behind me seeped into my awareness. Some poor soul had been found nearly frozen to death. War erupted in two more areas, details to follow. Financial gurus predicted hardships in the New Year. On and on, bad news assaulted my ears even as my fingers played.

Silent night, holy night; Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

The contrast jarred me, and then I realized this painted a true picture of the world Jesus came to so long ago. Wars, brutality, tragedy were just as prevalent then as now. The world needed – and still needs – redemption, and that only comes through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

Redeeming grace is God’s gift to us. Hardships and trauma still surround us and affect us, but because Jesus gave up Heaven’s glory to live in our mess, we have hope. What a wonderful reason to celebrate!

The music continued, and joy brought tears to my eyes as I played.

Silent night, Holy night; Shepherds quake at the sight

Glories stream from heaven above

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!

Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born.


Merry Christmas to you and yours.

TITLE:  Charisse

AUTHOR:  Fay Lamb

DATE:  2014

PUBLISHER:  Pix-n-Pens

STARS:  *****

Charisse Wellman's husband has been gone a year, and she's about to lose the only home her son, V.J., has ever known. She's quit law school, but the money just isn't there. Her only option is to work as a law clerk for her ex-friend, Gideon Tabor. The only problem: Gideon is the judge who let her husband's killer go free, and Gideon doesn't know the connection.

Gideon Tabor can't believe that the woman interviewing for the job is the girl he loved in high school. Charisse is hesitant about accepting his job offer, and when she does, Gideon makes every attempt to apologize for his relationship-ending blunder in high school. Charisse accepts his apology, but she keeps him at a distance. When Gideon learns that Charisse's anger actually stems from his release of the man who ran down her husband, he tries to explain, but Charisse doesn't want Gideon's excuses or the love he has to offer. She wants her husband's killer to pay.

I love this book. Charisse and young V.J. come to vivid life through the author’s skilled writing. From the first paragraphs I cared about her predicament and her son’s stark grief. When Judge Gideon Tabor is introduced, it’s easy to picture the football quarterback turned successful lawyer. More handsome than any guy has a right to be, with the bonus of a soft side. The relationship between Charisse, VJ and Gideon tugs at the heart as they struggle through present and past disappointments and dreams. Misunderstandings become huge barriers, as they can in real life. But faith also plays an important role in this story, and that brings hope.

With its well-written, heart-warming message of forgiveness and second chances, Charisse readily earns five stars. Highly recommended.

Vulnerable: adj. Exposed to being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally (Concise Oxford Dictionary).

Doesn’t sound very appealing, does it?  Sure scares me.

Maybe that’s why it took me so long (well past mid-life) to begin to share the thoughts of my heart. Putting words on paper or typing them into a computer feels safe – until they escape or are pushed “out there.” To the public, where strangers can read, criticize, or even condemn. Frightening.

I’m not a brave person. By nature I’m quite timid, something God has been working on for many years.

So last month when my dear friend and pastor’s wife, Linda Reeve, asked me if I’d be the speaker for Emmanuel Baptist’s Christmas Ladies’ Tea, My initial reaction was, “Are you sure?” I’d never done any public speaking before.

She assured me that she believed I was the one, and a sense of wonder and the feeling that this was from God seeped into my soul. A few days later I agreed, even though I knew that on my own, I would surely fail.

Fear served me well this time, though, because it prompted me to ask everyone I knew for prayer. And they prayed.

One reason for my nervousness is that sometimes when stress hits, my vocal cords spasm, and that prompts a coughing fit. I could picture that happening as I stood onstage – not a pretty sight.

The Ladies’ Tea at Emmanuel is so popular, it’s held on two nights, and both were sold out. The first night went well in spite of nerves, but the second night, just as the program began, my throat twitched. I began to cough and had to leave the room. Even as I walked past table after table of ladies, I could feel the power of their prayers. A few moments later, my throat eased and I was able to go back in. When it was time for me to share my heart, the words flowed smoothly.

And that sharing of my heart, the talk I’d been so nervous to give, made me extra vulnerable to all those women. They could have ridiculed or criticized me, but to my knowledge, no one did.

Instead, my vulnerability touched many to share their hearts with me. When one dear lady shared her story and asked me to pray for her and her family, my eyes filled. What a privilege!

For this is the blessing of opening our hearts, in spite of our fears, as only open hearts can connect.