rare find in Christian fiction
938160
I don't know this author and this is the first book I've read by her. When I saw that it was written about modern day missions, I knew I had to buy it. This is a suspenseful story about a guy who feel called to a challenging mission field and returns home to America to ask his girl to marry him and return to Indonesia. This topic is rarely covered in Christian fiction, but this book is the exception.

It was an exception in several other ways as well. it deals with Christian romantic love that is about more than just hormones and physical attraction. It talks about finding Gods will for your life, both in career and marriage.  It deals with sexual temptation and the need for carefulness to maintain purity before marriage. Even in romance, this book talks about making good choices and not just going by your feelings. All of these things are most often missing in Christian fiction, but present in this book. Plus the suspense of finding the person or persons who are following this couple, determined to do them harm.

I enjoyed the book and had to keep reading during the suspenseful sections. But I especially appreciate the important Christian themes Rodante tackled. Highly recommended!
2248505
Sailing out of Darkness by Normandie Fischer is a rare Christian novel that is sophisticated with the mature themes of a divorced woman, and yet deep with spiritual truth. The novel in many ways reminded me of the movie Under the Tuscan Sun.

However, this is no Christian fluff, but a novel of rare strength, unflinching as it addresses reality for many women today, and yet wholesome in its language and imagery. There is nothing in this book to make a reader cringe. And the sailing scenes take your breath away.

Samantha Ransom is not perfect. Shes a bruised individual when her husband walked out on her, saying he never loved her in the first place. She struggles with singleness, and then she fails morally when she becomes involved with an old flame. Beaten emotionally, feeling ashamed, Samantha seeks healing on a trip to Italy. And there she meets another bruised individual, novelist Theodore Anderson, whose wife left him after a debilitating accident.

But don't expect them to fall into each others arms as in a simple formulaic romance. No, this book addresses the reality of today.
I love books that are all about redemption. Throw in a mature romance, and author Normandie Fischer had me hooked from page one.
4127746
The Witch of Endor is a compelling, thoughtful Christian novel about a woman who is trying to break a legacy of witchcraft in her family. Soon, it will be her turn and she struggles with a sense of duty to her dying grandmother and her growing wisdom in the Christian faith. And then, there is some cursed gold to deal with as well as accusations against her grandmother and a young man who may be convicted of a murder. There is international intrigue, too, which was unexpected, but fit the novel very well as the heroine, a visitor to Endor, Israel tries to make sense of her dying grandmother's world and stop evil from taking over her family. There is a lot to think about in this novel, from temptation, to trust, to making choices. A solid YA Christian novel that speaks to the side of goodness and light. I enjoyed it very much. Five stars!
3376146
This was a delightful Christian fiction novel  filled with adventure, love and redemption. Ms. Sleiman is a new author for me, but I am excited to read and review the other books in this series. Her writing is fantastic, her characters memorable and her historical details will pull you into this story and hold you captive to the very end. It is a novel of faith and the characters accomplish this without the story becoming preachy. However, there is one scene which seemed a bit too supernatural for me toward the end when a small child is miraculously healed. Other than that, I absolutely loved this book! It's free right now. Grab yourself a copy.
1712446
Servant of the Gods by Amy Wolff Sorter was not the book I was expecting.  Deborah the prophet from the book of Judges in the Bible is best known for The Song of Deborah and her leading troops into battle with Barak.  Sorter gives this story a historical romance treatment that may have Christians who are expecting traditional Biblical fiction up in arms.  But this is a book that needs to be accepted on its own terms.  Devorah (Sorter's name for the character) is a priestess of Anat about to undergo a major ritual for her people when she encounters Aryeh, a Mosesite from the tribe of Simeon.  Both are shaken by the meeting and soon are fleeing for their lives from the repercussions.  I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but it's full of twists and turns.  Some of the connections between characters are a bit soap opera-esque, but the romance between Aryeh and Devorah is compelling.  The sex in the book is similar to that of other historical romances on the market, but would be a bit of a surprise to the traditional Christian fiction reader.  I really enjoyed how Sorter made the characters human.  Although Devorah had a close relationship with God, she still struggled with lust, doubts, and the need for revenge.  The other characters evince their weaknesses believably as well.  There is a tendency among Biblical fiction writers to keep their characters a bit too clean, but as seen in the Bible itself, God worked best among those who struggled and sinned.  Read this book with your eyes wide open, knowing what to expect, and you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.
1865882
I knew really nothing about this book when I picked it up. I remember that it had been suggested to me by some online group. It was just a filler while I waited on another book. I was pretty sure it would not be a book that would truly capture my attention.

I was completely wrong! I instantly knew I would like this book when I read in the acknowledgements that the author thanked her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I was astounded! This was a Christian book? Not only that, but the author was one that I recognized from Proverbs 31 ministries.

I loved the way in which the story was written. The story jumped back and forth between the 1980's and the 2000's and occasionally the 1990's. The story was told through letters and narratives. I feel in love with the two main characters! I guess because I tended to understand their situation. Since it deals with divorce and second chances, I could identify with them.

While this book is not a literary masterpiece, it is a nice romance that takes a couple twists and turns that the reader may not see coming--I certainly didn't. It makes me want to go visit the mailbox since the author herself says that it really does exist. I certainly wish I had a Kindred Spirit after reading this book.

I enjoyed the fact that faith was interwoven so easily into the story. Sometimes Christian novels really force the religion issue. In this novel, the character's faith and coming to faith are such an integral part of the story that it makes you believe that with God, nothing is impossible! And He is the God of second chances.
4439210
I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  I'm not normally a fan of Christian redemption fiction, but add other supernatural elements, and I'll usually give the book a go.  Be Not Afraid was a pleasant surprise.  The horror aspect was as intimate and compelling as anything Anne Rice has penned.  The plot line, while a little heavy on the Christian faith side for my taste, was spot on, and the narrative flowed neatly without being overly wordy.  I'm looking forward to reading more by K. R. Morrison.  Who knows?  She may even get me to actually like religious fiction!
3594104
I stumbled upon this book by accident not having known the the author but having it recommended by a friend and being that it was on sale I got it though, I must admit, I was not a little skeptical of how good it would actually be. I am one who has gotten rather sick of the christian fiction that is out there these days. I find that either the author writes so  that the characters are spotless and all trying to serve Christ as much as they can, no bad people, or, if there are, they are so horribly terrible that no one could possibly think of them as any thing but evil. This kind appeals to only a small group of people and isn't real. The other kind of "Christian Fiction" seems to water down the gospel so much that any one of any religion can't possibly find fault with the theology, mixes in a lot of those subtle presuppositions of the world into it and on top of all that has to make it a romance so as not to entirely lose it's audience because of it's "lukewarm" attitude. Both of these types, have, I'm afraid I must say, put a stigma on "Christian Writers" which is not exactly favorable.
 This Book, however, does not fall into either of these categories. There are some "nice" unbelievers, some struggling Christians, there are believers who have a firm faith and those who do not! This is real life! The author is a truly gifted writer and has used her talents to produce a real, genuine story which is well worth reading.
4513130
I surprised myself by enjoying this excellently written novel.  I have only read fiction from the Christian or spiritual sub-genre on one or two occasions over the last 20 years as it's just something that I've never fancied.  However, I am on a quest to dip into other sub-genres now and then to widen my reading life.

So, hats off to Tamera Alexander for a well-crafted, thoughtful and entertaining first novel.  Set in post-civil war Colorado, it's the story of a marriage in a spiral of decline that is "rekindled" by personal and spiritual trial for both husband and wife.  It's the quality of the writing and the careful plotting that lift this book out of what could perhaps be a genre with limited appeal (certainly in the UK) and makes it wholly readable and entertaining.  The Christian message is interwoven with enough skill and with such a light hand that it colours and enhances rather than drives the story.

I think I will probably seek out the next novel in the series, "Revealed", because it picks up the story of two of the very well-drawn secondary characters in this story and I anticipate another entertaining read.
613306
I listened to the audio version and this is my first experience with a Sarah Sundin novel. There is nothing on the cover to denote With Every Letter is inspirational or Christian fiction. I am not opposed to that, but was quite surprised at a somewhat excessive amount of  prayer and bible quoting throughout the narrative. However, it is evident to see God's hand in the unlikely romance of the heroine and hero. I enjoy WWII era fiction and the background details about the war. The author does a good job emphasizing the emotional turmoil and almost crippling low self-esteem of the main characters. The reader becomes a witness to their growing confidence and evolving love story.
4566699
I ventured out into a genre I rarely read. Biblical Fiction. There's a reason I don't read it often and it has nothing to do with a lack of great story or writing. I am always hesitant when taking Biblical characters and "adding to" or "projecting upon" a story already told in the words God chose to tell it--whether we find it lacking content or not. SO, with the disclaimer that I firmly believe Biblical fiction is a projection of what MIGHT have occurred and certainly not a retelling of actual events, I will proceed with my review. :)

Mesu Andrews is an amazing writer, descriptive, captivating and intriguing. In the Shadow of Jezebel, it tells the story of Jehosheba, daughter of the King of Judah who has married Jezebel's daughter. The story is filled with intrigue as Jehosheba, trained to be a priestess for Ba'al is instead married off to the high priest of Yahweh.

The book was easy to read and it read fast. It's a captivating conjecture of times of the nation of Judah under pagan influence, cruelty and manipulative power plays. The characters are well developed, from Queen Athaliah to Jehosheba's half brother "Hazi". Romance is palpable and it has a definitive middle-eastern flair for sabotage.

The Old Testament is a volume ripe with story, wars and the woven thread of a God serving justice and love to a people He had chosen. In the Shadow of Jezebel, is a unique take on the divisive times of Jezebel and how her influence traveled into generations of wickedness against Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Read this as a highly fictionalized concept of the life and times of the southern Kingdom of Judah and a beautiful princess torn between two worlds and the g(G)ods they serve.
1827534
I think this book was published in 1946, but don't let the age fool you.  The author presents the story in a much more real way than many of the modern Christian writers do today.  In many of the contemporary Christian novels, the characters are either so perfect that they don't seem real or so have very filthy minds.  A good Christian novel is one that is somewhere in between.

Francena H. Arnold, in Not My Will, keeps it real and presents characters with real problems that only God can solve.  Contemporary Christian authors should follow her example in the novels they write.  Parts of it are sad, but it is well worth reading.

You may also consider reading&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Searching-for-Mom/dp/1419670395/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Searching for Mom</a>, which isn't nearly as bleak, but it is a more recent book that explores the will of God in the family relationship.
2063610
What a beautiful story! The characters are portrayed as real, flawed human beings. Something I find lacking in much Christian fiction. Action, romance, a strong faith based message. I look forward to more from Mrs. Deneve.
1750257
This well-written book doesn't wrap everything up at the end like a pretty Christmas package like a lot of Christian fiction I've read.  The characters are believable and the book is funny.  I found her writing similar in some ways to Jamie Langston Turner which is a high compliment.
More about the pastor's wife and her journey through accepting God's grace and forgiveness than the "church ladies," this book helps us to see that although life isn't a bowl of cherries, God's grace is sufficient for His children.
3319955
Don't you love being pleasantly surprised by a book? I was lucky to have been able to get a copy of Liz Curtis Higgins book, Here Lies My Candle from the publisher and was delighted!

Here Lies My Candle is the story of a family in Scotland during the Jacobite rebellion. They were fairly well off and the story mostly revolves around the three Ladies of the house: a wealthy woman, and the wives of her two sons. Over the course of events, the family loses everything when they side with the wrong side. This is their story.

It rather reminds me of the story of Ruth in the bible. Ruth is not like her new in-laws and chooses to stay with her even after her husband is gone. The story of Lady Elizabeth Kerr is heartwrenching, but I have to give her husband credit for owning up to his mistakes & attempting to rectify them.

Normally, I am a fan of Christian Fiction. I like books that leave things to the imagination. Although I have read Christian fiction by the author, this wasn't a Christian imprint, nor was it billed that way. That being said, I was delighted at the delicate way many things were handled regarding Donald's indiscretions. It's important to the characters struggles but not graphic.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to woman who enjoys historical fiction or romance. It was well written and was one of those books that was written such that I couldn't skim it, which was nice because I didn't miss things. I enjoyed every page!
2337635
In The Shack, William Paul Young uses a correct, well-balanced conception of how God sees His own creation to tell the story of a shattered man's healing.  Not since C. S. Lewis's That Hideous Strength have I read Christian fiction which so skillfully applies a consistent, well-considered who-is-God-and-how-does-He-work scenario to imaginative storytelling.

One is tempted to label this work "theologically accurate", but that would be yielding to a religiosity that The Shack urges us to avoid.  Suffice it to say, then, that Young reveals, through fiction, a character so compelling that the reader is driven to re-discover the holy God of Scripture.
190660
I love how this book doesn't fall into the typical traps that most Christian novels do; there isn't a cheesy, overdramatic love story, the people aren't the stock characters with untroubled spiritual lives that you usually find, and the author manages to weave the Christian element in with the story line seamlessly without belaboring it.  This is a great, high quality read that I would recommend to those who are looking for a novel in the Christian genre with some literary merit.