Book Review: Brides & Brothers by Anneka R. Walker

Brides & Brothers by Anneka R. Walker is a contemporary romance. Camille Kelly is in real danger of becoming an old maid—at least by Cherish, Montana, standards. She has all but given up on finding Mr. Right—until her broken laptop leads her to Aiden Peterson, a tall, dark, and handsome computer genius. Camille would never have believed her magic moment was right around the corner, but after two whirlwind weeks, she has a ring on her finger and has happily ever after in sight. However, she soon discovers Aiden is part of a daunting package deal. As the eldest of seven brothers, Aiden has never had a problem living under the same roof as his rambunctious siblings. When he falls for Camille, he is confident she’ll fit right into his family’s already bursting home. He thought wrong. Aiden and Camille’s storybook romance comes to a screeching halt when she discovers her new living situation. Not willing to submit to a life mothering a bunch of grown men, Camille has only one option: she embarks on a campaign to improve her new brothers-in-law and marry them off. And what better candidates for wives than her own best friends?

Brides & Brothers is a book I had a really hard time with, although I do recognize that fans of Christian romance and the musical 7 Brides for 7 Brothers will enjoy it much more than I. I did like that the attempt was made to deal with depression, anxiety, and some mental health issues. I thought most oft he characters were a little flat, only described enough to fit their necessary role. Furthermore, everything was tinted with the fundamentalist's idealized version of marriage with the wife as the caregiver, cleaner, cook, and pretty much everything else and with things very clearly along traditional gender lines. The idea that no one can be independent and happy alone or is incomplete without marriage was floated on the very first page and was pretty much a regular theme through the book. Look, I go to church every week and am happily married. However, I do not buy into the subservient wife or two halves of a whole ideology, and it often rubs me the wrong way.  This was certainly the case here. I just could not get past that to enjoy the read.Those that like those ideas and are looking for a book that does as well, will really enjoy this book.

Brides & Brothers is a book that will appeal to some fans of Christian romance, but it was very much not my cup of tea. 

Book Review: Meet My Best Friend by Shelia Walsh, Sarah Horne

Meet My Best Friend is a picturebook written by Shelia Walsh and illustrated Sarah Horne. The McDougal twins are excited to meet their new neighbor, Abby, who has just moved in next door. Poor Abby is sad that she had to leave her friends behind when she moved. To cheer her up, the twins lead Abby on a crazy hunt to meet their best friend, one that can go anywhere they go. But first Abby has to find it!

Meet My Best Friend starts off fairly well, with Abby trying to find her place in a new home and dealing with leaving behind her friends and everything familiar. The McDougal twins want to help her, and want to be friends. So far so good, with decent illustrations that are reminiscent of Dr. Suess and text. I like the idea so far, and it seems like it is going to be a sweet book. Then the twins take Abby on a wild game of hide and seek in search of their best friend. I like that they want to play with Abby and become her friend. That is good. Then the twins announce that their best friend is the bible. Silly me, I was expecting a pet or maybe even a tree or other more earthly answer. The bible is a book, an object. while I have loved and appreciated books, and escaped into them when the world is less than hospitable, it is not a friend. I would have had less of an issue if they had claimed God, Jesus, or any other religious figure rather than the bible. It just rubbed me the wrong way on several levels.

I was not paying attention when requesting the book, because I normally do not read religious fiction. Totally my fault for not looking, but I tend to get easily annoyed at books that push an agenda, any agenda, even one I might personally agree with. I am a practicing christian, but often find religious fiction to be too heavy handed to be realistic or enjoyable to read. This happened as soon as the twins announce that the bible is their best friend. I think this might be a good read in a Sunday School setting, or in a very religious household. I just found it over the top and a little unrealistic. For those that are looking for this style of book, I have discovered that this in the first in a series titled, The Bible Is My Best Friend.

Book Review: The Great Carp Escape by Irish Beth Maddock

The Great Carp Escape by Irish Beth Maddock is a picturebook. For siblings Beth and Paul, growing up on a lake is fun However, when they discover the scaly, moustached carp, they become afraid and avoid the area the carp frequent. When a flood brings about a life-or-death situation for the creepy looking carp, they need to overcome their apprehensions about the carp and help save them before it's too late.

The Great Carp Escape starts with a nice connection siblings Beth and Paul have with nature and the world around them. The pair play together well and with the world around them. quickly I discovered that this is a Christian picturebook as the children and their father mention the ugliness of the carp, and how God created it and still loves it despite its appearance. When the carp's lives are threaten the family works hard to save them and come to see past the appearance of the fish. I liked the message, but think that the quotation of scripture and pushing of the Christian theme will limit the audience. It is a message everyone could stand to learn and enjoy.  the illustrations were well matched with the story, but did not stand out as amazing or very interesting. They did their job, but did not add a whole lot to the book.

The Great Carp Escape is a nice Christian picturebook about respecting nature and all of God's creatures. I think works well for what it is, but does not stand out in a good or bad way.

Early Book Review: The Highlander's Bride by Amanda Forester

The Highlander's Bride is the first book in the Highland Trouble series by Amanda Forester. It is currently scheduled for release on September 1 2015. After years of fighting in France, Sir Gavin Patrick longs for his Scottish home and for an easier life off the battlefield. However, laden with a massive treasure to transport and Lady Marie Colette, a sharp-tongued French heiress, Gavin realizes that the real battle is only beginning. Colette expects a painless trip as Gavin transports her to her Highland fiancé, but their relationship takes an unexpected turn and more complication arrive at every turn.

The Highlander's Bride is a story of characters that are complicated and more than they seem. Colette has been trained to conceal her emotions and to be the perfect lady. She wants nothing more than to serve her people and to taste freedom. She is not thrilled with journeying to a foreign land to marry an older stranger, but knowing her family and people will be safer with her playing her part as a pawn makes her determined to go through with it. However, she does not want to leave her inheritance from her mother behind. Gavin is a practical man, and the amount of luggage Colette brings with her leaves the crew in danger of thieves and the English soldiers that are causing most of the trouble in the region. Adding an injured baby and a group of orphans to the mix, as well as danger at every turn, make the long journey from France to Scotland even more challenging. The attraction between the stoic Colette and the pragmatic but chivalrous Gavin is constant and they struggle against it, and themselves, while trying to be the best people they can. There is plenty of prayer and mention of doing the right thing, but it is true to character so it does not stand out as an awkward addition to the story like it often does in some stories. I fully expected some of the twists and turns, but they were so well done that I did not care. I fell in love with Colette and the orphans, and thought that Gavin was pretty much the perfect guy, almost too perfect.

The Highlander's Bride is  a wonderful example of historical romance with great characters. I enjoyed the people and their story. I might not be a big fan of religion in my romance, but the prayer and piety of the characters was so much a part of them that it did not jar me out of the story like it often can. It was well done all around. 

Early Book Review: The Sheep That No One Could Find by Anthony DeStefano, Richard Cowdrey

The Sheep That No One Could Find is a picturebook written by Anthony DeStefano and illustrated by Richard Cowdrey. This picturebook is based on the parable of the lost sheep and is currently scheduled for release on February 1 2014. This take on the old story offers more adventure than you might expect, and is best suited for children three years old and up. Richard Cowdrey's bright illustrations bring the tale of repentance and forgiveness is brought to life.

The Sheep That No One Could Find is a well illustrated story that follows one adventurous lamb that is eager to see the world well beyond his shepherd's pastures. During his big adventure the little lamb faces a hungry wolf, angry lion. and lying snake but in the end is saved by his dedicated shepherd. The story is an adventurous version of the parable, told from lost lamb's point of view. Young readers (or listeners) are likely to see a bit of their own desire to explore in the story, and the knowledge that the good shepherd will always come for them. While this is obviously a religious book, I think parents of a more secular bent can share this book with their children as well, noting that they will always love and care for their children just as the shepherd does.

The Sheep That No One Could Find is a good Christian picturebook that would be well suited for home and church libraries. I think the story will warm the hearts on many households, but the scripture based message is very much a part of the story, since it is a parable retelling, so those that are not of the Christian faith might find the message a bit over bearing. However, like most well done stories about love and hope, a heartfelt discussion about how much a parent loves a child could easily make this book more universal.

Early Book Review: Texas K-9 Unit Christmas by Shirlee McCoy and Terri Reed

Texas K-9 Unit Christmas is a pair of christian romance novellas; Holiday Hero by Shirlee McCoy and Rescuing Christmas by Terri Reed. A new edition of this pairing is scheduled to be released on November 5th 2013.

In Holiday Hero by Shirlee McCoy readers meet Emma Fairchild, who has returned to her childhood home in order to care for an ailing Aunt Bea. One night Emma is trying to paint and prep her new restaurant for its upcoming opening when she is attacked and left for dead. Emma's childhood friend, and current K-9 officer,  Lucas Harwood finds her and starts on a search for justice. Can  he get to the bottom of the attack, and perhaps find love along the way?

Holiday Hero was a cute story with some suspense. I enjoyed the reuniting of childhood friends, and first loves, becoming more. However the story did not stand out as fantastic for me. I liked Aunt Bea's character and the care that Emma has for her. I also liked Lucas for the most part. Emma was a decent character and I loved the danger and suspense that she faces, but for some reason I just could not connect to her. I think that it might have been because of my frame of mind while reading rather than any fault in the writing.

In Rescuing Christmas by Terri Reed, Lily Anderson is a K-9 dog trainer that has managed to escape a kidnapping but has a killer hot on her heels.  Jarrod Evans was supposed to be her student, but after a fateful meeting he has declared himself her bodyguard until the threat has been dealt with.  Now, more that just her life is at risk.

Rescuing Christmas was a novella that just struck me as a little too short. I wanted a little more about Lily and Jarrod. I know novellas are supposed to be short, and this is part of a longer series, but I felt like I wanted to know the characters better. I am fairly sure that these two characters, and several of the side characters, have significant background stories in the series, but since I have only read one or two books, I feel like I was missing some of the most interesting background and future details. My other annoyance is stemmed from the mystery, because there was no way for me to know who the big bad was. Every suspense or mystery should include a chance for the reader to actually solve the mystery, that is half the fun!

I did enjoy reading Texas K-9 Unit Christmas, and for the most part felt satisfied when it was over.  I would recommend it to readers that have enjoyed the other books in the series or the other writing from either of the authors. For readers (like myself) that typically avoid christian romance, I will say that the religious moments were very well done and very in character for the most part. There were a couple moments that I felt like I was being reminded that I had to add the term "Christian" to any discussion to the book, but for the most part it was natural. The mystery and suspense portion was very well done, aside from the moment of frustration I mentioned above, and there were some very high action moments that worked very well.

Audio Book Review: Fire Prophet (Son of Angels, Jonah Stone) by Jerel Law Narrated by Kelly Ryan Dolan

Fire Prophet is the second book in the Christian action Son of Angels, Jonah Stone series by Jerel Law. I do recommend reading (or listening to) this series in order. The first book in this series was Spirit Fighter. The series explores the idea of the children of angels, and their children discovering their heritage and fighting for the side of good against fallen angels here on earth. In Fire Prophet, the quarterlings, or individuals that are one-quarter angel; siblings Jonah, Eliza, and Jeremiah are attacked by fallen angels at school and discover that quarterlings are being targeted all over the world. The kids go into hiding and undergo special angel training to help them discover their own unique angelic gifts and harness the will of Elohim in order to do his will. In the process they meet other quarterlings, make friends and rivals, and have the task of sneaking out to rescue a kidnapped prophet, who just might hold the key to a battle between good and evil.

I listened to the audio book of Fire Prophet since I enjoyed Spirit Fighter, and had the electronic galley of the third book awaiting my attention. Kelly Ryan Dolan did a wonderful job with their narration, which can make a huge difference in any listener's enjoyment of the book. The action in this sequel is fast paced, with more scripture and faith based warfare then I remember from the first book. The character development of Jonah, Eliza, and Jeremiah is very well done, and I enjoyed the addition of the other quarterings to their unexpected adventures. They all face coming to grips with mortal danger, and with the idea that their faith and prayer are the best tools to protect themselves and destroy the evil around them.

I recommend Fire Prophet to those that read and enjoyed Spirit Fighter, and all those that want to read about all the magic and adventure you might find in other children's books with a deeply spiritual twist. While Spirit Fighter could really be enjoyed by those of any monotheist religion, Fire Prophet and the next book in the series Shadow Chaser are a little more Christian-centric. I have a copy of Shadow Chaser, and a review should follow shortly.