Stress Test

Recently I read Stress Test by Richard Mabry. It was the story of Dr. Matt Newman, whose life suddenly and drastically changed one day when he was kidnapped as he left work at the ER. He managed to escape, but then woke up in a hospital where he found himself accused of murder. The woman he thought would soon be his wife deliberately distanced herself from him, so as not to endanger her own career, leaving him to fend for himself as he struggled to prove his innocence. Dr. Newman hired Sandra Murray, a lawyer, to defend him and help him figure out who kidnapped him and why. Dr. Newman’s faith was tested repeatedly as he struggled with financial problems, feelings of desertion, and the many questions of why.

Stress Test was the first book I’d read by this author, but it will definitely not be the last. It was a book that I could not put down once I got into reading it. Rarely does a book come along that I will force myself to stay up late to finish. This was one of those books. I appreciated the suspenseful storyline, along with its lack of predictability. It reminded me that our lives as we know them can change in an instant. And, it emphasized how we can rely on God when everyone else fails us, as He is ultimately in control of everything. I agreed to read and honestly review this book as part of the BookSneeze Blogger program and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery with some law, medicine and a touch of romance thrown in. 

Matter of Trust

I just finished reading A Matter of Trust by Lis Wiehl. It is book one of a new mystery series about Mia Quinn. The book begins with a moment of horror for the main character, Prosecutor Mia Quinn, as she is on the telephone with Colleen, a friend and colleague, when she is suddenly shot and murdered. Mia is paired up with Detective Charlie Carlson to solve this murder, and to figure out if it is somehow connected to the previous murder of Stan, another colleague in the DA’s office. Mia is also investigating and prosecuting a case involving a teenager who committed suicide due to bullying by his peers. So, these two cases and their corresponding storylines occur at the same time throughout the book, although the main focus is on the murder of Colleen. In addition to her work life, Mia is dealing with issues in her personal life. She is recently widowed and facing huge debts, her teenage son is trying to fit in at school by participating in questionable activities, and her young daughter is experiencing unexplained night terrors.

Having read other Lis Wiehl books in the past (Triple Threat Series), this was honestly a bit of a disappointment. The book was okay, but I did not like it as well as her other books. The characters were fairly well-written, although I never really felt that invested in them and their stories. Perhaps if I had not read her other books, I may have felt differently. For me, this one definitely lacked the same level of suspense I felt when reading the Triple Threat books. It was a book that I could have set down and not finished, as I was not really intrigued and dying to find out who was guilty. I am willing to read book number two at some point, to give the series and the author another chance, but I won’t be in a big hurry. I received and read this book as part of the Booksneeze Blogger program. 

Beth Webb Hart's- Moon Over Edisto

Moon Over Edisto by Beth Webb Hart is the story of Julia, her sister Meg, and their mother Mary Ellen, who had their family torn apart years before when Marney, Julia’s best friend from college had an affair with her father, Charles Bennett. After divorcing Mary Ellen and leaving the girls, Charles married Marney and they had three children of their own.  Julia, Meg, and Mary Ellen all went their separate ways and tried to put the past behind them. But the family has never been the same, suffering for years, still feeling the betrayal of what had taken place. This story occurs after Charles has passed away, when circumstances reluctantly draw Julia back to Edisto, to face a past from which she had left so long ago. Julia is unprepared for how it affects her to be back home in South Carolina for a week.  She had been living life on a new path in Manhattan where she was engaged to be married. All of a sudden, her life grows more complicated than she could have ever expected, and her heart is torn in different directions. Now, she is faced with a major decision that will determine her future.

This was the first book I had read by this author, but it likely will not be the last. It was a slow start, as it was kind of challenging to keep track of the many characters. But, once I figured out the cast of characters, and got used to the story being told from various characters’ perspectives, the story moved along and I wanted to just keep reading. Besides Julia’s story, there were also secondary storylines involving Mary Ellen and Meg. The book was written in such a way that they all came together naturally and enhanced the overall story.  I will be honest in saying that this book had me crying in a few places, but crying in a good way. It touched my emotions as the characters sought and gave forgiveness, even in the seemingly most unforgiveable circumstances. Characters wrestled with the past and deeply embedded hurts, and then, in spite of it all, forgave with a sense of pure selflessness. It was such an encouragement and a testament to the innate goodness that can come out of bad if only we allow it. I read and reviewed this book as part of the Booksneeze Blogger program and I would recommend this book to anyone. 

Call of a Coward- by Marcia Moston

Marcia Moston was a housewife from New Jersey. She had a husband and a daughter and was satisfied and in control of her life. Or so she thought. In this book, Marcia relates how her life suddenly changed as she, her husband and daughter embarked on a mission trip to Guatemala to run a shelter for women and orphans for a time. She writes of the work required to get there, the struggles faced while serving there and the mixed emotions about returning to the states. Then, in an unexpected twist, the story shifts to Vermont, where Marcia’s husband speaks at a small church without a pastor. Again, Marcia shares how she and her husband sought God’s direction in yet another, very different ministry endeavor. Amazing events and evidence of God’s leading ensue. While in Vermont, Marcia’s concern for those in Guatemala continues to re-surface.  She is able to use this yearning to return to the mission field to introduce the church people in Vermont to foreign mission opportunities. And eventually, Marcia is even able to take some of her new church family on a mission trip and return to the people in Guatemala.

I recently read this book as part of the Booksneeze blogger program and I hesitate to tell too much of the story, as it is so incredible to read how God led and blessed in the lives of the author and her family. It was possible to imagine myself in the author’s shoes because of the way she described the surroundings and the people, both in Guatemala and in Vermont (and a few other places, too.)  It was successful at describing life on the foreign mission field, as well as relating culture and life in a small New England town. I enjoyed reading this book, mainly because it seemed very real and honest. It was a woman sharing not only her experiences, but also her thoughts, hopes, fears, and doubts as she went through a myriad of adventures while endeavoring to follow the Lord’s will. And whereas I have not been to the foreign mission field myself, I could relate to having some of the same concerns faced by the author while attempting to determine the Lord’s will for my own life. It was an encouraging book, as God’s faithfulness was revealed time and time again. It was awesome to see the author’s deep reluctance turn to intense yearning. Very inspiring read to anyone who has had thoughts of being a missionary, or who has struggled with following the Lord’s will when it doesn’t seem like the ‘wise’ thing to do because of the sacrifice involved. 

Collen Coble's Silent Night

I just finished reading Colleen Coble’s latest work- Silent Night: A Rock Harbor Christmas Novella. It wasn’t so much a Christmas story, as it was a story that took place as the Christmas season was approaching. Bree Matthews and her search dog, Samson, were called into duty to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of a parachuter in the nearby woods. Bree’s husband, Kade, helped out too, while trying to figure out how the events are connected to his sister, Lauri, who arrived early and unannounced for a Christmas visit. While this mystery, and another related to a missing girl played out, Bree and her husband continued to deal with the emotional aftermath of a miscarriage. There are a few other parts of the novella that I refuse to mention, as it would ruin the story for people who would like to read it for themselves.

The author packed a lot in a few pages, and while enjoyable, it was kind of disappointing to have it end so quickly. It was one of those stories that could have been written in more detail and made into a full-length novel, but it was written in such a way that I didn't feel that it was lacking anything. I recall reading the first book in the Rock Harbor series a while ago, but have not read the other 3 books that followed. Perhaps I would have been more vested in the story had I read them all, but it was still an enjoyable read. I will admit that after reading this novella, I am now interested in finding and reading the other books in this series that I have missed. I read and reviewed this book as part of the BookSneeze blogger program.

Baker's Wife

The Baker’s Wife by Erin Healy is a Christian fiction mystery novel. The title character, Audrey, is a former pastor’s wife, who near the very start of this book is a suspect in the disappearance of another woman in town, Julie. The rest of the story focuses on the mystery surrounding Julie’s disappearance, her police officer husband Jack’s suspicion of Audrey’s family, and his desperate attempts to locate her. The main backdrop in this story is the bakery owned and operated by Audrey, her former-pastor husband Geoff, and their teenage son. Another character is Diane, a woman fresh out of prison who has ties to the town and also to the missing woman.

When I selected this book as one to read and review as part of Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze program, I thought it would be the kind of novel I would start and not be able to put down. Unfortunately, this was not the case. For me, it was slow going at the start, and then picked up some when Audrey’s accident occurred on a foggy morning, and Julie was thought to be the victim of this wreck, but could not be located. I waded through a few more chapters, before the storyline picked up again, and then I forced myself to see it through to the end. The mystery of what had really happened to Julie kept me wondering through a good portion of the book, and there was some suspense as Jack became a loose cannon and was holding people hostage. Apart from the mystery, there were definite themes of evil and forgiveness throughout the book, among both major and minor characters. But overall, it just seemed to be missing something for me. In addition, there was a supernatural element that I didn’t particularly care for- specifically the way that Audrey seemed to physically be affected by the pain of others. Overall, it was an okay novel, but I wouldn’t whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone.

Cherished

Cherished, by Kim Cash Tate, is the story of two very different women, Kelli London and Heather Anderson. Both have regrets from past sin and feel they are unworthy and undeserving of good things in life and of God’s best for them. The storyline throughout the novel revolves around the Christian music industry. Kelli used to write songs and sing, but stopped doing so years ago, because of what happened in her personal life due to poor choices. Her family is unaware of the past tragedy in Kelli’s life, but when her former boyfriend arrives back in town, and becomes involved at her church and with her family again, past events come to light and feelings re-surface. In a parallel and interwoven story, Heather is rescued from a bad situation by a man who becomes a true friend, helps her realize her need for Christ, and arranges for her to be mentored in her new walk with Christ. But complications arise when the mentor realizes that Heather is the woman who caused extreme pain for her best friend. Both Kelli and Heather have to deal with the guilt they carry and allow God to forgive and heal them. They also have to allow themselves to feel worthy of love and a second chance to be happy in life.

Cherished was the second book I’ve read by this author. This book involved some of the same characters as the previous book, but could have easily been a stand-alone novel as well. The storyline was original and engrossing. The characters were realistic, the emotions were powerful, and the message of the book was clear without being contrived. I read and reviewed this book as a BookSneeze blogger: http://booksneeze.com/blogger . I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to be challenged in their walk with Christ and their relationships with others, particularly when dealing with people who may have wronged them.