WorryFreeMom

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  (Ephesians 6:12)

I’ve always been fascinated by the world we can’t see–the supernatural world of angels and demons.  My first Frank Peretti novel had me glued to the pages, and others like Ted Dekker and Randy Alcorn have captured my attention since.  Angel Eyes, by Shannon Dittemore (check out her fun blog HERE), is one of the first novels I’ve read in a long time that comes close to the intensity of Peretti’s work.

Brielle is a young girl who has endured a horrible tragedy–her best friend has been murdered.  And, given the bruises Brielle has been noticing on her arms, her boyfriend, Marco seems to be the likely culprit.  In order to get some peace while she waits for the trial, Brielle leaves her dancing school in the city and returns to her home town of Stratus, her childhood friends, and regular high school.

However, despite the familiarity of home, Brielle is chilled, literally, as fear takes residence in her body.  That is, until she meets a new kid in school–Jake–whose body seems to literally radiate warmth.  Her friendship with Jake opens up a world she didn’t know existed, and she discovers that what she thought she knew of the ‘real’ world is really just a facade in comparison to the truth she finds in the Celestial realm.  Together, Brielle and Jake enter into a battle she never even knew existed.

Angel Eyes has adventure, danger, romance, spiritual depth, fantastic characters, and a great story line.  I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Broken Wings.

***I received a free copy of this book from BookSneeze in return for my honest review.

After her step-mother dies, Hannah Dandridge’s father takes her and her two baby siblings to Texas to escape the memories of his late wife.  A lawyer who works for the Confederacy, he is awarded the ranch of a family who left to fight for the Union in return for his services.  However, when Hannah’s father disappears on a trip back home and the last remaining member of that family, William Barnett,  returns to find his ranch occupied, sparks ensue.

In the midst of her worries about her father and the unwelcome attention of her father’s partner, Hannah struggles to determine what God wants for her life.  Throughout the book, she displays courage and faith, even the midst of terrible trials.  William Barnett, who is equally courageous, also relies on God to set things right.  Both can’t give up their home, but neither can they find it in their hearts to turn the other out.

Chasing the Sun is the first book in the Land of the Lone Star series by Tracie Peterson.  The characters are interesting and the story seems realistic–at least to my modern sensibilities.  Would a young woman on the frontier really go alone to help a band of [...] Continue Reading…

Bethany Quinn has her life all figured out.  She has everything she’s always dreamed of–a prestigious job as an architect, nice clothes, and a nice car.  She has wiped the tragedy of her childhood from her life and re-made herself into an independent woman who doesn’t need help from anyone–or from God.  In doing so, she has also severed the relationships with the people who mean the most to her–her Grandpa Dan and her best friend, Robin.

When her mother calls to ask Bethany to come home, she reluctantly travels back to the home she hasn’t seen in 10 years, where she finds that the connections she thought were severed are still there.  When her carefully planned life falls apart and she inherits her Grandpa’s farm, Bethany finds herself having to choose between the safety of her carefully constructed life and the scary reality of letting go and giving her life back to God.

Katie Ganshert tells Bethany’s story beautifully in Wildflowers from Winter, which is available May 8th.  Written from the perspectives of Bethany, her best friend Robin, and Robin’s brother-in-law, Evan, the story carefully unwraps the layers of each person’s heart.  The story delves into the choice that we [...] Continue Reading…

Last night, I put down a copy of The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot in disgust.  It is unbelievable what some people think is appropriate for young girls to read–and it reminded me that I need to be extra vigilant about what Megan picks up at the library because even titles that seem innocent enough sometimes aren’t.  Thankfully, authors like Nancy Rue are writing books that have engaging characters, fun plots, and, more importantly, a focus on God.  Here’s Lily is an updated version of the title of the same name published several years ago.

In Here’s Lily, readers meet the striking character of Lily, a 6th grader who is tall, fair, and has orange, curly hair.  Lily doesn’t have much confidence in herself, until she is chosen to attend a modeling school.  In her classes, Lily learns to have confidence and poise–and to be kind to others.  Lily brings her new knowledge back to school, where she forms a group of girls who are picked on and begins teaching them how to shine, as well.

Through it all, Lily’s parents encourage her to find out where God is in her modeling class.  Unfortunately, it takes a near tragedy to reveal [...] Continue Reading…

Have you ever felt unworthy?  Do you hear that little voice that says, “Who do you think you are?”  You know, the one that keeps you from stepping up and stepping out on faith?

Janet Davis, in My Own Worst Enemy:  how to stop holding yourself back, gives readers keys for defeating that critical inner voice and having the confidence to let your light shine.  Through sharing stories and examining Scripture, Davis encourages readers to recognize and face the inner critic who is holding them back from becoming the women God created them to be.

In chapters titled “The Unimagined Life,” “The Unworthy Life,” and “The Unlived Life,” Davis tells us about women just like us who have allowed that inner critic to dictate who they will be (or rather, who they won’t be!).  In the next section, the author encourages women to rediscover their identity, explore their creativity, and learn to shine. Finally, Davis gives readers several ways to let their light shine, from “Choosing to Say No” to “Saying Yes to God.”

Throughout the book, Davis challenges readers to think about how her points affect their own lives.  Stories of women, both in the Bible and today, help us to [...] Continue Reading…

Brush of Angel’s Wings, by Ruth Reid, is billed as a combination of Amish and angel fiction.  One reviewer compares Reid to Frank Peretti, which is why I decided to try this one out.  Unfortunately, while Brush of Angel’s Wings is a cute story, it didn’t quite measure up to my expectations.

Rachel Hartzler has given up on marriage and is doing her best to fill her dead brother’s shoes.  She figures that an Amish girl who likes to race buggies and can’t cook isn’t likely to find a husband anyway.  And then Jordan shows up and begins to take her place next to her father in the farm chores.  Despite the fact that he doesn’t want to be Amish and she doesn’t want to get married, the two find themselves drawn together. Jordan is drawn to the sense of community and the simple life of the Amish, and he pretends to like Rachel’s cooking.

In addition to their different personalities, Reid attempts to paint a picture of the spiritual influences on both Jordan and Rachel as they work to deal with the issues in their lives and with each other.  It is interesting to think about how the unseen may [...] Continue Reading…

I have to say that I am, in theory, a fan of Mary Connealy.  Her books feature strong women with minds of their own and tough men with tender hearts–both of whom love God.  Though the stories generally follow the same basic story line (unlikely match–attracted to each other–end up married), they each are unique in their own way.  And every single one of her books has captivated me–they make me laugh out loud and keep me glued to the story and, of course, point the reader towards a relationship with God.

I have noticed lately that the books are becoming a little heavy on the romance, though.  I love a good love story, especially one framed in historical fiction with a great adventure attached.  However, even if they are a far cry from even tame secular novels, I wouldn’t recommend that young girls read these books.

In Too Deep, the sequel to Out of Control (the story of the oldest Kincaid brother), is characteristic of Connealy’s writing.  The book, set in Rawhide, TX, after the Civil War, features three cowboy brothers–tough, great with guns, and protective of each other and their ladies, even if the youngest is a little bit [...] Continue Reading…

Many women today struggle with self-worth.  Krista is no different.  She never knew her father, and, all her life, all she’s wanted is her mother’s approval.  Now, her mother, who was once a vibrant woman with a talent for dancing, is in the final stages of Alzheimers disease and could die at any time.  Out of duty, Krista returns to her home town to be with her mother in her final days.  Mercy Come Morning, by Lisa Tawn Bergren, tells the story of Krista’s journey to forgiveness and peace.

Krista’s mother is housed in an unusual home for patients with this disease run by her old friend and first love, Dane.  The patients here are loved and allowed to wander–to enjoy the life they have left in safety.  This concept, in itself, caught my attention.

During her visit, uncovering an unusual journal that her mother kept allows Krista to revisit her memories, and she finds that perhaps she was not unloved after all.  Krista’s journey home helps her to discover a peace and rekindle a romance that she never thought possible.  It also gives her the opportunity to meet the mother she never knew.

I really enjoyed this book.  The story and [...] Continue Reading…

Eyes of Justice begins with the murder of one of the main characters of a series of murder mysteries written by Lis Wiehl and April Henry featuring the Triple Threat.  Cassidy, a reporter, Nicole, an FBI agent, and Allison, a federal prosecutor, have worked together on cases for 6 years.  So, when Cassidy is murdered in her home, Nicole and Allison determine to find the killer and bring him to justice.

Cassidy’s ex-boyfriend, a Portland police officer, is their first suspect.  Cassidy exposed him for his abusive behavior on the news, and they figure he would be angry enough to kill, especially when they find that Cassidy may have had evidence that he was covering up unethical practices.

But something just doesn’t add up.  And when Allison’s sister Lyndsey is shot in a bank robbery, she tells Allison before she dies that the shooter thought she was Allison.  With the help of an odd private detective, Ophelia, Nic and Allison finally figure out who the killer is.

The book has a lot of action and a believable story line for the most part.  However, when the girls get a clue that Cassidy’s ex-boyfriend was drugged by another man, they don’t follow up [...] Continue Reading…