When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin

Enjoyment Score 3
This is the best book that I have read so far this year. On the cover of this book, just beneath the title is the line: "A novel of the heart". How true this statement is. This book is about the whole heart; the physical heart and the spiritual heart. The story begins with Annie, a precious 7 year old girl who is in need of a heart transplant. She is selling lemonade to try to raise money to help pay for the surgery. Enter Reese, a non-practicing surgeon who has been living like a hermit since his wife died. Reese is on the scene when Annie steps off the curb and gets hit by a speeding truck. From that moment on their hearts are intertwined. This story is about two hearts that need healing, one physical and one spiritual.

Faith Score 2
The faith of the main characters in this story is very real and genuine and very unique in some of the secondary characters.

Purpose Score 2
This is a story of hope for the broken hearted. It shows how God can mend both the physical and the spiritual heart.

Page-turner Score 3
I kept making myself put this book down, because I was reading it too fast and I didn't want it to end.

Tearjerker Score 2
Several scenes have the capability of producing both tears of sadness and joy.

I encourage you to read this book. You won't be disappointed.

When Crickets Cry By Charles Martin

My Life as a Doormat by Rene Gutteridge

Enjoyment Score 2
My Life as a Doormat is an enjoyable romantic comedy. Leah, the main character is the doormat. She hates conflict and goes to great lengths to avoid it. Leah's life is turned upside down, but she emerges from the rubble victorious.

Faith Score 1.5
The first part of this book deals little with Leah or any of the other characters' "faith" outside of the fact that going to church is mentioned. The faith practices of Leah and Cinco (Leah's total opposite) are more evident in the second half of the story.

Purpose Score 1.5
This book offers encouragement for anyone who has doormat tendencies. Overall, I found this to be a light, funny and entertaining book.

Page-turner Score 2

Tearjerker Score 1
No tears, but several laugh out loud moments.

So far I have not read a Rene Gutteridge novel that I did not enjoy. If you enjoyed her Boo Series you will like this book also.

My Life As a Doormat, Women of Faith Series #13 By Rene Gutteridge

River Rising by Athol Dickson

Enjoyment Score 3
A historical novel set in the 1920's in a small river community on the Mississippi River. The Reverend Hale Poser arrives searching for information about his past and things are forever changed. This book draws you in right from the start. Just when you think you know where the author is going with the storyline, he takes it in a different direction. Right up to the very end he keeps you guessing as to how it will all end.

Faith Score 2
Reverend Hale Poser is a man of genuine faith. The author shows us the trials, struggles and pitfalls that he must endure and overcome to grow that faith.

Purpose Score 3
A powerful and thought provoking novel that deals with racial divide in the community and the church. This story will open your eyes to the racial injustices of the past and the ones which remain today.

Page-turner Score 2

Tearjerker Score 1

I highly recommend that you read this book, you won't be disappointed.

River Rising By Athol Dickson

A Hilltop in Tuscany by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Enjoyment Score 2
A cute, although predictable modern-day romance. Meet Liz Davis; affluent, beautiful, self-assured, head of Davis Enterprises; a construction company started by her late father. Multiple events happen which throw Liz's life into a tail-spin. Liz ends up learning many lessons from her mother (whom she has rarely listened to about life issues in the past) about life, love and faith.

Faith Score 3
Faith is exhibited strongly in the lives of Liz's mother and several other characters. The gospel message is presented and several lives are changed throughout book.

Purpose Score 1.5
I give this book a 1.5 for the strong faith message presented during the story.

Page-turner Score 2

Tearjerker Score 1

A Hilltop in Tuscany By Stephanie Grace Whitson

Summer of the Midnight Sun by Tracie Peterson

Enjoyment Score 2
Summer of the Midnight Sun is the first book in Peterson's Alaskan Quest Series. It is a historical romance that takes place in the Alaskan territory in the early 1900's. There is a nice blend of mystery and suspense throughout and a cliff hanger ending.

Faith Score 3
Most of the main characters have a strong Christian faith which is exhibited throughout the book. One character does not believe in God and at time seems anti-God. There are several debates about God, faith and the concept of mercy.

Purpose Score 2
I am giving this book a purpose score of 2 because of the Christian values and principles woven throughout the storyline.

Page-turner Score 2

Tearjerker Score 1

Like I mentioned earlier this book ends with a major cliffhanger. I eagerly await the next book in this series.

Summer of the Midnight Sun, Alaskan Quest Series #1 By Tracie Peterson

Savannah Comes Undone by Denise Hildreth

Enjoyment Score 2
Savannah Comes Undone is a an enjoyable, laugh-out-loud book. This is the second book in the Savannah series. The first book Savannah From Savannah was good, but this is book is better. The book starts out with Savannah being mortified that her mother (former Miss Georgia United States of America) has chained herself to a monument of the ten commandments in the center of town. This is the catalyst that causes Savannah to examine and make some changes in her all too comfortable and pampered life. There is a delightful cast of quirky characters: Amber, the current Miss Savannah United States of America; Joshua, Savannah's good looking co-worker; Joy, an eccentric old lady who wears the same clothes every day and has a knack for appearing at just the precise moment Savannah needs words of wisdom; Paige, Savannah's best friend and Duke, the faithful canine companion.

Faith Score 2
The characters in this book exhibit an authentic Christian life. They actively practice what they preach.

Purpose Score 2
As I started reading this book, I thought it was going to fall in the category of being solely for entertainment. As I kept on reading, I discovered the author did have a defined purpose. This book is about knowing what you believe, why you believe it and then having the courage to stand up for what you believe.

Page-turner Score 2

Tearjerker Score 1
No tears; plenty of laughs.

If you like to read Christian chick-lit, I think you will enjoy this book. The third book in this series Savannah by the Sea is due out June 2006. I can't wait.

Savannah Comes Undone, Savannah Series #2 By Denise Hildreth

Slices of Life by Judy Baer

Enjoyment Score 1
A cute book about small town life at a bed and breakfast called Grace Chapel Inn located in Pennsylvania.

Faith Score 3

Purpose Score 2
I consider the strong faith displayed by the characters in this book to be the purpose.

Page-turner Score 2

Tearjerker Score 1

Book Review Scores

Below is a description of each review category. Each category is rated on a scale of 1-3. Each score is based solely on the opinion of the reviewer.

Enjoyment Score

The enjoyment score is a measure of how much I personally like a book. A 1,2 or 3 is an acceptable score. I read fiction books for enjoyment. If I am not enjoying or cannot get into a book, I usually don't finish it. I will not review any books that I do not read completely. Also, I do not want to use this site to berate any books. Many times I read great reviews for a book and then find that I don't enjoy it. As I've said in an earlier post, we all have different tastes and this site contains reviews of books that I like and enjoy.

1 A good book and I recommend it to readers.

2 A great book and I highly recommend it to readers.

3 A fantastic (exceptional, outstanding, terrific, etc.) book and I highly encourage you to read it.

The next two scoring categories are Faith and Purpose. Neither category has a good or a bad score associated with it. Both of these categories are to inform the reader about the content of the book.

Faith Score

There are many types of books labeled "Christian fiction." If you pick up a Christian fiction book, you know that the book will not contain crude language, graphic violence or explicit sex scenes. One thing that can vary widely in Christian fiction books is the amount of faith (I am using the term "faith" to include faith, christian principles, the gospel message, etc.) displayed in each book. I have read multiple articles and posts expounding on Christian fiction in general. I find that there are basically two schools of thought on this subject. You either like Christian fiction because of the faith displayed in a book or you don't like Christian fiction because of the faith that is displayed. The faith score is a measure of the faith found in each book. Personally, I like books with a high faith score and learn a lot about living the Christian life from them.

1 A good clean book with little or no faith prinicples found.

2 Faith principles are evident throughout the book but are not the main plot or focus of the storyline.

3 Faith principles are an integral part of the characters and/or plot; however, the faith or Christian principles may or may not be the purpose of the book.

Purpose Score

The Bible contains numerous parables and stories that Jesus used to help us understand various principles of the Christian life. This same principle is used by numerous Christian fiction authors who write not only for our entertainment but, for our education.

1 A book written primarily for entertainment.

2 A purpose/s is somewhat evident in the book.

3 The purpose/s of the book are clearly evident and often make a lasting impression on the reader.

The last two score categories are self explanatory.

Page-turner Score

1 A book that I read at a slow or slower than normal pace.

2 A book that I read at a normal pace.

3 A can't put down, have to find out what happens, read in a day book.

Tearjerker Score

1 No tissues required.

2 Produces an occasional tear, one or two tissues required.

3 A real tearjerker, keep the tissue box handy.

My Views on Reviews

I love to spend time on the web reading reviews of Christian fiction books. I have found several good blogs that regularly post reviews and I also frequent the web site Christian Fiction Review. Many reviews only give an overview of the book. I like when the reviewer lets me know if they did or didn't enjoy the book. Tim Frankovich at Christian Fiction Review gives an overview of the book and then highly recommends, recommends, mildly recommends or on rare occasion does not recommend each book.

Occasionally I find that I don't like books that others are raving about. It just goes to show you that God has made each of us different and has given us different tastes. I would have to say that my favorite books are contemporary fiction followed by romance. I like some historical books, but generally prefer a more modern setting. I also enjoy Christian chick-lit. This genre of books appears to be growing every day. Next on my list of what I like to read is suspense/mystery and biblical fiction. My least favorites are fantasy and science fiction books.

From now on my reviews are going to look a little different. I am going to score each book on several different factors. Each of the scores will be based on my personal opinion of each book. The most important score will be the enjoyment score. It will be followed by the faith score, purpose score, page-turner score and finally the tearjerker score.

Be sure to check out my next post for a detailed explanation of the scoring system I am going to use.

Amanda by Debra White Smith

Amanda is the fifth book in Debra White Smith's Austen series. This book is the retelling of Jane Austen's Emma. I found this book to be just as enjoyable as the first four books of this series. This book is a classic romance story. Almost from the beginning you think you know (and are hoping) how the story will end and that's o.k. because it's such an enjoyable journey with likeable characters.

Amanda, Austen Series #5 By Debra White Smith / Harvest House Publishers

A Vow to Cherish by Deborah Raney

The other day as I was reading Deborah Raney's site http://www.deborahraney.blogspot.com I discovered that her novel A Vow to Cherish is being reissued in an updated format around the first of June. I've never read the original version but have enjoyed several of her other novels so I decided to check and see if it was available at the public library. I was in luck.

A Vow to Cherish is a poignant love story that depicts a realistic illustration of living with Altzheimer's disease. This book is a quick can't put down read. Be prepared to shed a few tears and to examine your attitudes and beliefs regarding the true meaning of the marriage vows "to death do us part".

Review of The Beach House by Sally John

A real woman has a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, a hammer and a black lace bra. A real woman knows how to confront a friend without ruining a friendship. These are a couple of examples from Grandmere Babett's list on how to be a real woman that helped shape the lives of four childhood friends who spent many hours at her home while growing up.

These four friends rekindle their childhood friendship during a week long vacation. Oh, what a vacation it turns out to be. Unbeknownst to each other at the start of the week, each woman is struggling with a different life issue.

Jo is an Ob-gyn doctor, never married, former alcoholic who realized on her fortieth birthday that something is missing from her life. She orchestrated and planned the reunion.

Molly is married to a pastor and the mother of four children. Best words to describe her are: superwoman, hormonal and prayer warrior. Molly wants more from life than to just be a pastor's wife and mother.

Andie has two teenage children and is married to a philandering husband. Andie is scared and timid about everything in her life especially this vacation.

Char is best described as a Georgia peach. She calls everyone sugar and talks with a southern twang. She is married with two children. She is bored with her marriage and flirting with her next door neighbor.

Jo has arranged their accommodations through a third party and is a little surprised when they arrive at the beach house they have rented. It is a uniquely painted cottage scrunched between modern buildings on each side. In the book the women describe it as looking like a huge foot wearing a rumpled sock. Inside they find an eclectically decorated house that is warm and inviting.

There seems to be something special and familiar about this house and this reunion of friends. Is it because of the previous owner Faith Fontaine? Maybe it's because of the next door neighbor who keeps appearing unexpectedly and has this uncanny way of connecting with the women. There is also a street preacher (or maybe I should say beach preacher) who can look at you with eyes that seem to penetrate your soul. Maybe it's because the house is very reminiscent of Grandmere Babette's apartment years ago or it could be because of all the praying that Molly is doing. Possibly it's a combination of all the above.

Sally John uses these characters and this story to touch on a multitude of subjects. It's about friendships of women, being forty, hormones, change, self discovery, dreams destroyed, dreams renewed, faith, God's plan for your life and surrender to God's plan for your life. If you are forty, soon to be forty or have been forty I think you will identify with these women and their struggles and victories.

The Beach House is the first book in the Beach House Series. I can't wait to see who visits the Beach House next.

The Beach House, Beach House Series #1 By Sally John

Review of Bette by Lyn Cote

I've just finished reading Bette by Lyn Cote. This is the second book in The Women of Ivy Manor series. This is a historical romance that takes place during the World War II era. Bette is a young woman engaged to be married just as the war starts. The story revolves around Bette and the uncertain times that she is living in. This book held my attention and was a quick read.

With Love, Libby (Coming Home to Brewster Series) by Roxanne Henke

With Love, Libby is the fifth and final book in the Coming Home to Brewster Series. Roxanne Henke isn't just an author, she's a teacher. Each book in this series has a specific life lesson that we can all learn from.

The first book After Anne is about friendships of women and breast cancer. Finding Ruth is about finding contentment. Becoming Olivia deals with clinical depression. Always Jan teaches us about aging. The final book With Love, Libby is about purpose. I recommend that you read these books in order, each books builds on the one before.

With Love, Libby centers around the lives of three women. Olivia Marsden (Libby), Vicky Johnson and her daughter Angie. Libby and Vicky are struggling with many of the same issues in this book. Libby is a little older than Vicky. Libby's children are in college, Vicky's are in high school getting ready to go to college. Both have dreams for their children that don't always come true. Both are at a point where their day to day lives are pretty routine and boring.

Libby is a struggling author trying to get her first novel (After Anne) published. Her son brings home a girl who doesn't fit into Libby's mold of the perfect girl for her son. At the same time her daughter won't give the time of day to a boy who (in her mother's opinion) is the perfect match for her. Libby has to learn that God's timing and plans are often different and always better than hers.

Vicky has always lived in Brewster, got married at a young age and bought a small cafe there. She has big plans for her daughter to go to college and do all the things that she never had the opportunity to do. Her daughter Angie has plans of her own. Plans which shatter her mother's dreams, heart and their relationship.

Jeremiah 29:11 sums up this book and possibly the whole series. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This final book touches on the major events during the 10+ years time span of the Coming Home to Brewster series and shows how each event whether joyous or heartbreaking fits perfectly into God's plan for the characters in this series.

With Love, Libby, Coming Home to Brewster Series #5 By Roxanne Henke / Harvest House Publishers

My Review of Storm Surge by Rene Gutteridge

This is the third book in Rene Gutteridge's Storm Series. All three books revolve around storm chaser Mick Cline. This book has a little bit of everything in it; murder, arson, a death row inmate, the FBI, the bureau of ATF, a hurricane, romance and a last minute rescue. Rene takes all of these things and blends them together with just the perfect mix of mystery, suspense and romance.

If you've not read any of this series you'll find that the author did not write them in chronological order. As written they are The Splitting Storm, Storm Gathering and then Storm Surge. The chronological order is Storm Gathering, The Splitting Storm and then Storm Surge. It would be an interesting question to ask of the author why she chose to write them as she did.

A Little About Myself and This Blog

For starters this is my first attempt at blogging. I'm so excited that I've figured out how to place a list of favorite authors in my side bar. Not too bad for just starting out.

I am a born again Christian. I attend a 1500+ member Baptist church and am involved in the women's ministry, congregational nursing ministry and our church library.

In my free time I love to read and surf the web looking for info about more books to read. I choose to primarily read Christian books. Fiction is my love, but I have a goal to read more non-fiction books this year. I am currently reading two non-fiction books, Made to Count by Randy Singer and Bob Reccord and Believing God by Beth Moore. Both are very good and just what I need at this moment in my life.

Why do I choose to primarily read Christian Fiction?

I read Christian Fiction for several reasons.

My first reason is to be obedient to God's Word.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things. Philippiansns 4:8 (NIV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will-is his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

We don't live in a vacuum. Our minds must be fed and nourished on the right kind of materials for the Holy Spirit to bring about the renewal which allows us to be transformed rather than conformed to this world. The right kind of material includes things such as reading and studying the word of God, listening to sermons, Christian books, magazines, music, radio, prayer and the list goes on. We've all heard the saying garbage in equals garbage out. Our minds are just like that. If we fill our minds with garbage, ie.. crude language, sex, violence, sinful behavior, etc., the end result will be garbage out.

Second, is because of the spiritual truths and insights I receive from reading Christian Fiction books. God can speak through Christian Fiction authors as well as Christian Non-Fiction authors. Often a bible passage or general theme in the book will speak directly to an issue that I am facing or dealing with or it will reinforce a topic I have heard in bible study or a recent sermon. Not all, but many of these books deal with current, controversial and emotionally charged topics. Angela Hunt's site has a great list of books by topic. http://alifeinpages.blogspot.com/2006/01/christian-fiction-on-cutting-edge.html . I enjoy reading about these issues and seeing how they are dealt with from a Christian perspective.

My third reason is there are so many good Christian Fiction books available on the market that I don't have time to read anything else. As my favorite author list keeps growing I don't know how I'm going to find time to read all the great books that are out there.

Just finished "Even Now" by Karen Kingsbury

I have just finished reading Karen Kingsbury's latest book Even Now. Wow, what a good read!

Don't pick this book up and start reading unless you have plenty of time. Once you start reading this book dinner, housework, exercise or whatever will just have to wait because you won't be able to put it down. Tissues are also a necessity. I don't know about you, but I have probably cried more reading Karen Kingsbury's books than any other authors' books that I read and this book is no exception.

I was hooked from the very first page. This book deals with many issues: teenagers, teen pregnancy, parent/teen relationships, consequences of sex outside of marriage and how God can use all circumstances for good.

This is one of those books that you can't wait to finish and find out what happens, but then you're sad that the story has ended. I can't wait for Karen Kingsbury's next book, which I think is due out middle of March.

The next book in my stack is With Love, Libby by Roxanne Henke. I'll let you know what I think.

Happy reading to all!!