Novels Now

Tom Pawlik
417 pages

Connor Hayden had a heart attack two months ago. His heart stopped beating and during that time he had a near-death experience. He spent time in a place called Interworld which is a place that is a passage between this life and the next. During his time in Interworld he encountered other people: Helen, Howard, Mitch, and Devon. Valley of the Shadow is primarily about Connor’s interactions with Howard, Mitch, and Devon.
Mitch is trapped in Interworld but he doesn’t know it . Devon was revived but he didn’t return alone. <insert spooky music here>

Seriously, Valley of the Shadow was a page-turner from the get-go. It was one of those books that I really  didn’t want to put down. Interworld is a really creepy place. The reader is presented with just enough mystery that you keep reading to find out that extra little tidbit. The only problem is that once that mystery is solved you’re immediately faced with another. It took great restraint to put the book down and go to sleep when I needed to.

I highly recommend Valley of the Shadow. There’s a blurb on the front cover that says, “Fans of Dean Koontz and Ted Dekker will appreciate Pawlik’s debut novel, Vanish.“- Library Journal.

I can tell you that I am a big fan of one of these authors. The other, not so much. However, I am a fan of Tom Pawlik’s. If you love edge-of-your-seat fiction with out gore, check out this series. (5/5)

Bonnie Grove

368 pages

“You said you were still working on forgiving him.” I’d thought about his statement many times since. It made me realize that perhaps forgiveness wasn’t a singular event, but a progression, or better, a dance that took some figuring before you could perform the steps. -Talking to the Dead, page 305

Kate’s husband Kevin has just died. She’s barely gotten through the funeral when she starts hearing his voice. With her memory filled with holes and no one she feels she can trust, Kate begins to doubt her sanity. As Kate tries to figure out exactly why Kevin is talking to her, life begins spiraling further out of control. Finally, after having a mental meltdown, Kate is forced to deal with the return of her memory and many other issues.

Talking to the Dead is one of those books that is hard to classify. While it is Christian Fiction with a message of faith, it is not preachy. Kate is funny, vulnerable and human but man, is she surrounded by a bunch of stinkers. Everyone who should be there for her lets her down. But Kate finds support in a quirky support group filled with a bunch of frail, vulnerable people just like herself. She also meets Jack, a pastor, but a different sort of pastor and through his example of unconditional love and acceptance, she comes to understand her need for God. Then she begins on the road to healing.

I enjoyed Talking to the Dead very much. It has a little bit of everything: romance, suspense, humor and there were even a few times when Kate’s pain was so intense that a lump formed in my throat. I wanted to comfort her because no one else was. I highly recommend this one if you enjoy clean, faith-based, fiction. (5/5)

Carrie Ryan
320 pages

I’m not usually a fan of zombies but I have seen this one pop up on a few of the blogs that I read frequently. The zombies weren’t what reeled me in initially. It was the fact that this is dystopian fiction.

I often wonder why I enjoy dystopian fiction so much. I think it has to do with the fact that it makes this world look a lot less crazy to me once I have wrapped up a novel such as The Hunger Games or The Forest of Hands and Teeth where their world is just a nightmare. Makes my world tame by comparison.

Even though this story doesn’t unfold quickly, I was drawn in from the beginning. Mary’s world is dark and scary because of the zombies but for some reason The Sisterhood and the life in the village are what really captured my interest. It kept me hooked until it started to be more about what Mary wanted and less about the society. Then I started to have a hard time relating. I was really rooting for Mary to follow her dreams…until she stopped caring about what it cost the people around her. Then Mary went from losing my interest to getting on my nerves.

Even though I was having a hard time, I wanted to finish the story for several reasons. I wanted to find out how it was resolved(It wasn’t. At least not the way I was hoping it would be.) I think the author is a talented writer and I enjoyed her writing very much. I just didn’t like the direction Mary’s character took. However, that’s a personal preference sort of thing and I would definitely try something else by Carrie Ryan.

If you like zombies and dystopia….you should give The Forest of Hands and Teeth a shot. (2.5/5)

Paul Harris
321 pages

Danny Kellerman is a British journalist. In the year 2000 he is sent on assignment to cover the war in Sierra Leone. He winds up in Freetown where he meets a woman, named Maria Tirado, who changes his life. She is a foreign aid worker who tirelessly helps the orphans and boy soldiers of the bloody conflict. Maria and Danny become romantically involved but Danny leaves Sierra Leone and Maria stays, refusing to leave the children behind. He goes back to London and carries on with his life until four years later when he receives a note from Maria asking him for help. He quickly finds out that he is already too late. Maria has died under suspicious circumstances in a roadside robbery. As he investigates her death Danny uncovers a huge web of secrets. However, as the answers to his questions begin to unfold, Danny finds that telling the truth can carry a heavy cost.

The Secret Keeper is a story that is hard to classify. On one hand it’s a mystery/thriller, on the other it is very enlightening with regard to the political situation and events surrounding war-torn Sierra Leone. While I possess regrettably limited knowledge of the events of the war, the author served as a war correspondent in that area and this book is detailed and reflects his experience.

The mystery/thriller aspect of the story was handled very deftly as well. I don’t like to figure out the ending of a book but sometimes you can just see it so clearly spelled out in black and white that you can’t help but know. Not so with The Secret Keeper. I was kept guessing right up until the end where the truth is revealed.

I found Danny hard to like in the beginning because I felt like he was wallowing a bit in self pity but as you move through the story with him, you begin to realize that he is a man shaped both by the events in Sierra Leone and by his life before.

If you enjoy political intrigue, learning about government and conflict in other countries through the eyes of a journalist or if you just love a good thriller then I can recommend The Secret Keeper without reservation. I would caution that there is war violence . (4.5/5)

Jackina Stark

304 pages

Audrey Eaton is a widow. She kisses her husband Tom goodnight and later awakens to find he has not come to bed. She gets up and finds that he has passed away quite unexpectedly in the middle of the night. Overcome by grief at the loss of her husband, Audrey shuts down. She basically disengages from her life and gives up participating in all the things she loves. She stops listening to music, reading, and really conversing with the people around her. In short, she is just going through the motions.

Fifteen months later, Audrey begins recording her thoughts in a journal and an idea begins to take root. She will take a road trip with no specific destination or time frame planned. After informing her children and their families what she is doing, Audrey packs her bags, her laptop, her husband Tom’s bible,and she takes off. When she begins reading Tom’s bible and comes across his notes in the book of John, she begins the true journey that will heal her heart.

Tender Grace is a story of the deepest pain we face in life and of the tender graces that God uses to show that we do not walk alone. Audrey becomes a widow after having retired young to travel and spend time with her husband after their children are grown. She is at a complete loss and trapped in the desire to have her old life back. She has much of her life ahead yet ahead of her and she realizes that it has been so long since she has been grateful for what’s around her. Her need to come to grips with her loss and move on are beautifully written and Audrey seems real. I read this book almost entirely with a lump in my throat.

I highly recommend this one and will definitely look for more by Jackina Stark. (5/5)

Colleen Gleason
353 pages

The Bleeding Dusk is the third book in The Gardella Vampire Chronicles. I have enjoyed this series so much that I have actually delayed reading them. I am so not ready for this series to end but I just bought the last book in the series, As Shadows Fade, this past weekend. Now I am not sure I will be able to wait any longer. It is total comfort and escapism for me. Historical Fiction…Vampire Fiction…perfect fusion.
In this installment we find Victoria still in Rome. She is in mourning for her beloved Aunt Eustacia as well as her husband. She must step into her aunt’s role as the leader of the Venators and lead them on in their quest to fight the evil vampires. She barely has time to adjust to her new role and recover from her recent losses when sinister events begin swirling during Rome’s Carnivale.

This is pure fun for me and even though I am not normally a big fan of the romance genre, I love this series. Victoria, Max and Sebastian continue to be likable characters for me as well as Wayren and the rest of the Venator family. I hope to have time to devour the last two books in the series next week. I am dying to know who Victoria chooses. I know who I’d choose.(5/5)

Hillary Jordan
336 pages

It’s hard to say that I loved a book that deals with such tough subject matter as prejudice, hatred, and violence but when the author is so skilled in evoking emotion, you gotta love it.

When Laura McAllen’s husband Henry drops the bombshell on her that they are leaving her city home and all of her family behind and moving to the Mississippi Delta in a week, I was angry at his lack of consideration for her feelings and sympathetic to Laura and her difficulty in adapting. I’m not sure I could go from having a shower in my home to bathing once a week and then having it be such a chore that it is turned into something that must be done rather than an enjoyment.

The profiles of the racism and prejudice are difficult but they are moving. It’s a sad journey back into our past where these events took place but, as with other painful historical facts, it is necessary to revisit them to keep the memories alive so that the learning continues.

I was really drawn in by Mudbound, much more than I expected to be. I would recommend this to lovers of historical and/or southern fiction. There are also WWII elements to this story but they are played out to a lesser extent. (4.5/5)

Lisa McMann
248 pages

Janie Hannagan is back in Lisa McMann’s sequel to Wake which I reviewed last month. There is reportedly a sexual predator at Fieldridge High and Janie and Cabe are assigned to figure out who it is. Janie is also given some more information about her role as a dream catcher and what the future holds for her.

I was so excited to get this book from the library last weekend. I enjoyed Wake very much and had heard reports that Fade was even better. It’s definitely darker. Part of that is because of the nature of the crime that Janie and Cabe are trying to solve(Janie is the bait, YIKES!) and part because the future in store for Janie is dark.

I found this to be a page turner just like Wake. However, the sexual predator aspect as well as the use of date rape drugs was a bit disturbing. I can understand that stuff like this actually does happen though. I didn’t feel it was glamorized at all and I can see it as helping kids understand what’s out there.

Janie’s gift has some strings attached to it which we learn about toward the end of the book. There’s no real resolution to this aspect so, of course, I am hooked and now waiting for the next book, Gone, which comes out in 2010.

Even though I enjoyed Fade, I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Wake. I am not sure if it’s because Fade is darker or if it’s because I was just really into the different idea of the storyline in the beginning. I still liked it a lot though and would recommend it to lovers of YA. I am definitely looking forward to the next book. (4/5)

Lisa McMann
210 pages

Janie Hanagan has problems. Her mom is a drunk and it really seems that she couldn’t care less what Janie does.  She also has a secret. She gets sucked into other people’s dreams if they fall asleep near her.

Janie is determined to make a better life for herself. She works all the hours she can get at a nursing home and she studies hard because she wants to go to college. But being considered “white trash” by your peers and the secret of being a dream catcher don’t exactly make life easy. Then Janie meets Cabel Strumheller and life gets really complicated.

I saw this book at the bookstore last weekend when I was browsing the YA section. Lately, I have just really been in the mood for some pure escapism and this seemed to fit the bill. I’m glad I chose this one. It reminded me a bit of A Nightmare on Elm Street without the gore. Anyone who knows me knows that, as a rule, I hate horror flicks. However, I loved the premise of dreams and the boogey man. It worked really well for this book only on a much tamer level. Still, I found it to be a fast-paced page-turner that kept my interest right up until the end.  I didn’t really have a guess as to where the story was going and I like that. I did find it hard to suspend disbelief in a couple of places but to say where would risk spoiling the plot for others.

Overall, I really enjoyed Wake. If you’re looking for a quick read and you enjoy YA fiction, you can’t go wrong with this one. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Fade, as soon as my library gets a copy. I’ve heard it’s even better than this one. (4.5/5)

Daniel Suarez
448 pages

Daemon as it applies to Computer Science is defined by dictionary.com as:

A program or process that sits idly in the background until it is invoked to perform its task.

And that’s exactly what this Daemon does. It sits idly in the background until computer genius Matthew Sobol dies of brain cancer. Upon his death and subsequent obituary notice, his Daemon is unleashed on the world in a bloody, twisting, turning path of suspense and intrigue.

This story took off from the first page and it kept me guessing. I’d say it kept me guessing up until the end, except there really was no end. The sequel, Freedom, is due out in 2010.

There is a lot of technology talk and gamer-speak involved in the book but I didn’t find that it hindered my enjoyment of the book. In most cases, the context of the story gave me a general idea of the meaning. The rest my gamer-nerd son filled in for me.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot because it would be easy to accidentally give a spoiler. If you like technology, suspense, and intrigue then I can recommend Daemon. (4/5)

Suzanne Collins

374 pages

In a future North America, now called Panem, Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12. There Katniss hunts to feed her family and to trade and sell for other necessities.

Once a year a lottery is held to choose two teens, one boy and one girl, between the ages of 12 and 18 to fight in The Hunger Games. Katniss winds up representing her district and she knows that she will be forced to fight to the death.

I have been seeing a lot of buzz around this book on the blogs and since I tend to really enjoy both survival stories and futuristic societies, I was thrilled to find out that there was no wait for this at the library. Either I beat the buzz to my branch or I am way behind it, I’m not sure which.

Katniss is a real survivor. She steps up and takes over the responsibility of feeding her mother and sister when her father is killed, she doesn’t like owing anyone anything, she faces her lot in The Hunger Games with grit and determination and she is as smart as anything when it comes to outfoxing her opponents. She is tough, abrupt, and almost mean at times and that’s to the people she likes.

Coming off of a sickness-induced reading slump, this was the perfect book to get me jump-started. Once I picked it up, I didn’t want to put it down. It’s violent and disturbing but I expected that once I knew it was about a death match and the circumstances which changed North America into Panem.

My only complaint is that I wish we would have seen more about the government. I kept wondering if I was seeing clues to a revolt or things not being what they seemed as I read. I guess I will have to wait for a sequel.

There’s also a sort of a love triangle going on here but, again, we will have to wait for the next book to see any resolution on that front.

I thought the names were a little lame but I really enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to the next one.(4.5/5)

Mike Dellosso
301 pages

Scream begins with Mark Stone talking on his cell phone with a friend, Jeff. The call is interrupted by what sounds like screaming and wailing on the line. It is heard by both parties but they just assume that it’s some type of interference. Then Mark hears the obvious sounds of a car accident and he is unable to raise Jeff on the phone. He makes his way to where Jeff was driving and finds that he was killed in a fiery crash.

Mark is shaken by the memory of the screams that he has heard and the fact that they happened right before his friend was killed but when the circumstances repeat themselves two more times in fairly rapid succession, Mark begins to understand what the screaming is about. He is being given a warning. He hears the screams when people are about to die.

Raised in a harsh and legalistic home, Mark hasn’t given much thought to his faith or what happens to a person after death since he left home. However, when he hears the screams while talking on the phone with his estranged wife, it all becomes very personal.

I have to admit that I was not sure that I would like this book. I haven’t typically liked some of the titles that I have read that have been “Christian Thrillers.” I’m not sure if it’s because of the genre or if I just didn’t click with the particular author.

Scream is a thriller in that it deals with both the supernatural and a real-world menace. On the one hand, there is the threat and the warning of the screams and on the other hand, there is a crazy man called The Judge who is abducting women. It’s suspenseful, it’s thought-provoking, I enjoyed the writing style and it kept me turning the pages.

While I typically prefer to point people to God’s mercy and grace when examining matters of faith, there is another side to the Gospel and it is clearly presented in Scream. Mike Dellosso did a wonderful job wrapping it in an engaging story. (4/5)

Footnote: I think it’s worth noting that this author is currently dealing with colon cancer and has written about it in the preface of Scream. I found his words eloquent and wanted to share an exerpt:

Now I think about death all the time. Cancer has a way of doing that, of reminding you of the frailty of your existence, the brevity of life. Of reminding you that we’re all just walking on a thing sheet of ice that can crack or break at any moment.

But thinking about death is a good thing. The wise king Solomon wrote, “We must all die, and everyone living should think about this. (See Ecclesiastes 7:2) Good advice. Thinking about death forces us to think about life, something most of us don’t do nearly enough. And thinking about life forces us to think about how we’re living our life, something all of us should do a lot more of. - Scream, preface pgs ix, x

Susan Meissner

305 pages

You are the girl in between. You are young like Mercy, a writer like Mercy and the sole daughter like Mercy. And you’ve lived a life of privilege like me. You’ve seen its every side, just like I have, and you are the heir to an accomplished man’s legacy, as I was. You, like me, will always have choices to make because of it.- The Shape of Mercy, pg 298

Lauren Durough has always had money. Since she has grown up with wealth and privilege, she decides that when she goes off to college she wants to make her own money. To do this she takes a job transcribing a diary for retired librarian Abigail Boyles. The diary belonged to a distant cousin of Abigail named Mercy Hayworth, who was caught up in the events of the Salem witch trials.
Lauren is immediately captivated by Mercy’s story and she begins to see the world around her differently. As “the middle girl” between the history of Mercy and the past and present of Abigail she has a unique understanding of both points of view and both ladies have much to teach her as well.

When I first began reading this book, I somehow expected Abigail to be a crotchety old lady. She is not ornery or mean. She is just reserved because she is used to being taken advantage of and she is haunted by many things from her past. She is still a very likable character.

Lauren was not at all what I expected either. I thought she would be spoiled and self-centered since that is usually the lesson given to us in stories about people of privilege. She’s not. Lauren marches to the beat of her own drummer. She is a bookish introvert(a girl after my own heart) and doesn’t really follow her family’s expectations. She is also a very likable character.

The story of Mercy is tender and heartbreaking from the beginning because we understand where it will inevitably end. However, before it’s all over Lauren, Abigail and the reader will learn lessons about forgiveness, misjudging others, sacrifice, and love.

I preferred the Salem portions of the book to the present day portions but that’s just how it always works out for me. Both portions were equally well-written. This is a poignant story that I highly recommend for lovers of historical fiction. (4/5)

Julie Klassen

304 pages

Lillian Haswell works with her father in his apothecary shop. She has a wonderful memory and things seem to come much easier for her than they do for Francis Baylor, her father’s apprentice. Lilly doesn’t particularly like working there though and when she is offered the chance to go to London by her wealthy aunt and uncle, she is thrilled. She  has hopes of finding a husband, being educated and perhaps tracking down the mother who abandoned the family some years before.

Just as she begins to fit in with London society, Lilly is forced to return home when she receives a note that her father is “not quite himself.” She must once again take up her position at Haswell’s Apothecary. However, her father’s illness puts Lilly in a precarious position. Women are not allowed to be apothecaries and there is a doctor in town who would like nothing more than to see Haswell’s close its doors.

The Apothecary’s Daughter is a moving story which covers a large amount of territory. Through Lilly’s character we experience life as a person of trade, life in a small English village,  life in London society and some history of the apothecary profession.

We experience the ridiculousness of all of the social jockeying to attain a “good match.” As with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, I understood why this was so important for women of that time. Without a good match they were powerless.  And Lilly does enjoy the hustle and bustle of the London social scene. She enjoys the people she meets and as she begins to turn heads and rub elbows with the upper crust, she begins to envision herself as the wife of a gentleman.

But then reality comes crashing in and she must return to Bedsley Prior to help her father and like all of us, Lilly learns the best lessons in the trials of life. She learns about faith, family, friends,  health and home. This Christian novel is beautifully written. Lilly’s faith is natural and is a part of her life which never makes that aspect of the story feel forced.

I did not want to put The Apothecary’s Daughter down. I loved the characters, the settings and the history. There are even some elements of suspense. At one point in the story there are several different men interested in gaining Lilly’s favor and the author does a really good job at not tipping her hand as to who wins her heart.

I loved this book and look forward to reading Lady of Milkweed Manor, also by Julie Klassen, very soon. (5/5)

Michael Lee West
291 pages

Renata DeChavannes is going through a rough time. Her mother and stepfather recently died in a plane crash, her director-boyfriend is in Ireland directing a film when the tabloids report of his alleged affair with a young starlet, and her difficult relationship with her father isn’t getting better any time soon.

The relationship between her parents and the eventual end of their marriage has always been a mystery to Renata and she decides the time has come for answers. Fueled by a letter written by her mother and with her father unwilling to communicate, Renata heads to Point Clear, Alabama to talk with her paternal grandmother, Honora DeChavannes and her former nanny, Gladys Boudreaux. There, surrounded by the familiar, Renata begins to get the answers to her questions.

I don’t believe that my description of what happens in this novel is fair because it doesn’t convey the humor and warmth that is shared between Honora, Gladys, Renata, and Honora’s next-door neighbor and best friend Isabella D’Agostino McGeehee, which is truly the delight of this book. Honora is the matriarch of her family. She loves her son Louie but recognizes his faults and maintains a strong relationship with her former daughter-in-law, Shelby. Gladys is protective and loyal to Shelby, Renata, and Honora, and Isabella is the character who brings on the laugh out loud moments with her frank speech, man-chasing and randomly drugging food and drinks at the parties.

Another strength is the descriptions of Point Clear and the surrounding areas. They are very warm and inviting and felt familiar even though I have never been there.

Despite the fact that I enjoyed this book quite a bit, I did have few problems with it. There are a lot of different things going on and it can sometimes be a little hard to keep things straight. Also, while I felt the book had a satisfying conclusion, I felt like the ending was a bit rushed.

There is a bit of graphic content but it’s a fairly small amount and this book is truly fun and humorous. I recommend it if you enjoy reading southern fiction. (3.5/5)

Rebeca Seitz
311 pages

Joy Sinclair Lasky is one of four adopted daughters. She is the quiet list-maker of the bunch. Her sisters Meg, Kendra and Tandy have always been the standouts. Joy is the one who has everything planned out, in order and in control. When she and her husband, Scott, decide that they would like to start trying to conceive a child they find out that not everything falls under their control. Also, as an adopted child from China, Joy has the desire to visit the land of her birth and understand something of the culture where her biological mother lives.

There is also a lot more going on in Scrapping Plans.  The father of the girls, Jack Sinclair, has found a new lady love after having been a widower for ten years and all four daughters are struggling with how to adapt to the possibility of their father’s remarriage without dishonoring their mother’s memory.

Creative sister Kendra is about to get married and the family is deeply involved in helping her make her special day uniquely hers. Sisters Meg and Tandy are also struggling with a few issues of their own.

Scrapping Plans is book number four in the Sisters, Ink series. The series is named after the sisters love of scrapbooking.  I haven’t read any of the first three and I am not a scrapbooker. I did feel like I was missing some of the back story. However, I didn’t feel like it was a real hindrance. I was able to get a lot of the cues from the current story line. I’m sure I would have gotten more out of it if I’d started with number one but this was an enjoyable read. If you enjoy scrapbooking or chick-lit then you will enjoy this book. (3/5)

Cassie Johnson has been married for 15 years to Peck Johnson. After discovering she was pregnant at the end of her summer romance with Peck, Cassie is forced to give up her dreams of attending college, is disowned and cut off from her preacher father and her beloved mountain home, and she is left with little choice but to marry Peck and move to his home in the low country. Their marriage has been rocky and Cassie has never been able to get over the loss of her dreams or the fact that her father never let her back into his life and died without knowing his grandchild.

The book is set in the summer of 1970. Cassie is about to go to the mountains to spend time with her mother as she always does. However, this time she is unsure if she is coming back. Peck, the new fire chief of the Garden City Beach Fire Department, can’t really take the time off work to chase her. The area is in the midst of a drought and fires are threatening the area. Besides, Peck knows he loves Cassie and that he needs to give her the time to figure things out.

The Fireman’s Wife is a beautiful story that is about shades of gray. It’s about hearing both sides of the story and being able to understand both points of view. Both Cassie and Peck are sympathethic characters so I didn’t really end up taking sides.

Cassie has mourned all of her losses for fifteen years and has never truly engaged in her life with Peck. Peck loves his wife and daughter tremendously. He just doesn’t know how to give Cassie whatever is missing from her life and feels he needs to let her go to figure it out.

The descriptions of the both of the landscapes in this story are beautiful. Whether describing Cassie’s beautiful and lush mountain home or Peck’s dry and drought-stricken low country marsh, the word pictures are vivid.

I loved this book. I thought it was poignant and gripping. In fact, I would have devoured it if I would’ve had the free time.

I would highly recommend this story to anyone who loves reading about relationships. Just make sure you have your tissues handy. (4.5/5)

Kirk Curnutt
329 pages

What had being the parent of a murdered child taught her? Nothing-nothing except the inexhaustiblility of her own anger, anger at constantly being reminded of what she’d lived through, what she’d always be living through, and most of all anger at the presumption that she should be over it, that she should have proved that life goes on, if not for her sake then for the sake of those around her. That was never the hard part, Sis thought. Life went on anyway, whether you wanted it to or not. The hard part was being left behind to breathe out the ghost of the one who’d gone on. - Breathing Out the Ghost, pg 49

A young boy named A.J. St. Claire has gone missing and his father, Colin, is on a self-destructive trek up and down the interstate searching for his son.

Robert Heim is a private investigator who has become too involved. So involved that he has lost his investigator’s license and is near losing his family. Still, he lays it all on the line one final time to help rescue Colin from the inevitable train wreck that is coming.

Sis Pruitt is the pillar of her family. She’s a farmer’s wife and mother of two small children. She also lost her daughter to a murderer several years ago. She heads up a support group for the parents of murdered children and she sits with others who are dealing with loss even at great cost to herself emotionally. She has tried to help others and move on but her grief remains raw

These three paths converge in a small town in Indiana. Another young boy is missing and his disappearance sparks a cascade of events that opens old wounds and leaves them all grappling with emotions and struggling for answers.

Breathing Out the Ghost is not a light or easy read. It’s a complex story that deals some very dark issues: the death of a child, missing children, grief, anger, mental illness, suicide, drug abuse, sexual perversion, marital problems, and abandonment. It deals with them in a very frank way and it doesn’t pull any punches.

However, Kirk Curnutt’s writing is clear and beautiful. Colin’s desperation to do something in the face of the loss of his son is palpable. Heim’s inability to prevent himself from jumping in to the fire with Colin again, even in the face of what it could cost him, is both admirable and frustrating. Sis Pruitt’s struggle over the loss of her daughter and to keep her memory alive, even so many years later, is heart-wrenching.

An added bonus of this book for me is that I am very familiar with several areas where the story takes place and I could envision them as I read.

This is a dark and emotional story and it’s never a comfortable read but I highly recommend it. (4.5/5)

James Howard Kunstler
317 pages

I picked up World Made by Hand because I saw it mentioned somewhere (can’t remember where, sorry) and it sounded interesting. I was vaguely aware that it involves some social commentary but I didn’t want to get involved in it too much and risk learning so much that I spoiled the book for myself. The main reason it grabbed my interest is because it’s post-apocalyptic/speculative fiction.

In a former life Robert Earle was a software developer. Then one summer life changed. Bombs hit L.A. and Washington D.C., the electricity only comes on sporadically. Oil, gas and other supplies are unavailable. Epidemic illness sweeps the country, millions die and the population is drastically reduced. Trade and news from overseas becomes non-existent. It’s difficult to find out what’s going on in the next town, never mind the next state. The weather has also gone gone wacky either from environmental causes or from the bombs. No one is sure which.

Throw in a strange religious sect and a group of thugs who choose to live in a trailer park outside of town rather than work cooperatively with the townspeople and you have an interesting story.

I didn’t think that this book was heavy-handed. I noticed a lot of common sense stuff like:

1. Oil is a finite resource.
2. If bombs went off near large metropolis, people living nearby would be devastated
3. It’s a good idea to have the skills necessary to take care of your family. Gardening, baking, canning.
4. Epidemics can still happen even in this modern age of medicine.

I liked this book okay. Not as much as I thought I would but I still enjoyed reading it. There was a really weird section involving the religious sect that left me scratching my head. I just didn’t understand what was going on. Still, there are some interesting thoughts on how different segments of society might react to a lack of judicial system, limited supplies etc. that are worth pondering.

Think The Road by Cormac McCarthy only lighter and with a little of the Little House on the Prairie pioneering spirit thrown in and you have an idea of who would enjoy this book. (3/5)

Lynn Austin
428 pages

The circumstances of life have dealt a tough blow to the Carlson sisters. First, their beloved mother dies. Next, their father dies under circumstances that ruin life for them in their Swedish village. Their uncle and his family come to live with them but rather than helping the situation it only creates new problems as their brother Nils, unable to get along with their uncle, abandons both the family farm and his sisters. The girls want to hold on to their only home but oldest sister Elin carries a dark secret. She decides that the only thing she can do to escape the stigma they carry in the village is to escape to America. So she writes to her mother’s favorite brother who lives in Chicago and asks him the help arrange for their passage. He obliges but once the sisters arrive in America they find that their new beginning is filled with hard work and deprivation. All the girls want is to feel loved and to have a home of their own but they have many miles to go and many lessons to learn before they will find one.

One of the things that makes Lynn Austin one of my favorite authors is her ability to write characters whose lives mirror real life no matter what time period she is writing from. This book takes place in the late 1800’s but you still find flawed characters dealing with issues that still plague us. Hunger, poverty, neglect, poor choices, etc.

She also has the ability to present the message of Christ without making it feel forced. It flows with the circumstances in the lives of the characters and like it would in real life. The characters in this story are not happy-go-lucky. They are angry with God for their circumstances and His apparent lack of care for their pain and we are present as they work their way through their grief.

My one complaint would be that I felt like the dialogue was strained in a few places. I still enjoyed this one a lot though and I would recommend it to readers of Christian Fiction and Historical Fiction. (4/5)