Book Review: Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury

About the Book: “I’m afraid there’s been a car accident...” As Hannah Ryan waits for her family to return home from a camping trip, she realizes she has everything going for her—a husband other women admire, two charming teenage daughters, and a loving Christian home. As the sunny afternoon turns into twilight, her uneasiness grows along with the shadows. Then a car pulls into Hannah’s driveway, bringing two police officers...and devastating news that shatters her life forever.
In the days that follow, Hannah struggles with unspeakable feelings of sorrow and rage—feelings that fuse into one chilling purpose for living: revenge against Brian Wesley, the drunk driver who has caused all her pain.
In her fury, Hannah shuts the Lord out of her life. She’s determined not to forgive Wesley or the God who allowed this tragedy to happen. Can two caring people help Hannah rediscover her faith...before bitterness destroys her?
My thoughts: Waiting For Morning, by Karen Kingsbury, a fantastic book on true-life experiences, keeps the reader on edge, waiting for the next sight. It can have a huge effect on a person from laughing, to crying, to smiling. It can and will leave the readers in true amazement. If people need to find themselves or find the truth in the Lord during hard battles, this book is wonderful. Can't wait to read the rest in this series. God has allowed Karen Kingsbury to write perfect inspirational novels that always leave you lifted up.

Book Review: The Miracle of Mercy Land by River Jordan

About the Book: Mercy Land has made some unexpected choices for a young woman in the 1930s. The sheltered daughter of a traveling preacher, she chooses to leave her rural community to move to nearby Bay City on the warm, gulf-waters of southern Alabama. There she finds a job at the local paper and spends seven years making herself indispensible to old Doc Philips, the publisher and editor. Then she gets a frantic call at dawn -- it's the biggest news story of her life, and she can't print a word of it.
Doc has come into possession of a curious book that maps the lives of everyone in Bay City -- decisions they've made in the past, and how those choices affect the future. Mercy and Doc are consumed by the mystery locked between the pages -- Doc because he hopes to right a very old wrong, and Mercy because she wants to fulfill the book's strange purpose. But when a mystery from Mercy's past arrives by train, she begins to understand she will have to make choices that will deeply affect everyone she loves -- forever.

My Thoughts: Right away we find that Mercy Land is not like other young women of her time. Set in the early 1930's, a time in which a young woman is expected to marry and start a family, our protagonist Mercy Land bucks that tradition, with the support of her eccentric Aunt. The Miracle of Mercy Land is an enjoyable read that ended much too soon for me. Although I enjoyed the plot and felt the characters were complex and believable, I did feel a little let down that many questions were never answered. Where did the book come from? Why did it come into Doc's possession? What's the real purpose of the book? Overall though, Ms. Jordan has a style of writing that you will not soon forget. And Mercy Land is a character worth remembering.

Book Review: Cherished by Kim Cash Tate

About the Book: How can she believe God cherishes her when she can't forgive herself?
Kelli London once dreamed of being a songwriter. As crazy as it seemed, she hoped that God would use the lyrics that came to her while she slept. She dreamed about Brian too, that the love they shared would be a forever kind of love. But choices she'll forever regret upended her hope . . . and turned her dreams to dust. When those dreams come knocking once more, she's forced to deal with the pain of the past.

Heather Anderson's life has spun out of control—first, an affair with a married man, then a one-night stand with the drummer of a popular Christian band that left her devastated. Broken and alone, she cried out to the only One who can save her. And He did. But that's just the beginning, because now she must leave behind the only life she's ever known.

Two women with shame-filled pasts form an unlikely friendship. What does God's forgiveness look like for them? Will they ever believe that He loves them . . . and can still offer them a life where they are cherished?

My Thoughts: Cherished is the second in a series by Kim Cash Tate, following the book Faithful. Picking up where the last book left off, Cherished focuses on Kelli, and another woman Heather. The two main characters, Kelli and Heather, are both trapped by sin in their life, believing that they have messed up so bad that God won't forgive them or use them for His purposes.

This book is a light read even though it deals with some serious issues. I loved how it explores the practical side of living in the light of God's forgiveness, while never minimizing the seriousness of sin or it's consequences. If you like Christian based fiction you will love this book.

Book Review: The Promise Of An Angel by Ruth Reid

About the book: In Mescota County, Michigan, an angelic visitor’s words inspire Judith to a future she never imagined. After a barn raising accident, Judith Fischer’s convinced she’s met an angel. However, her attempts to convince others end up frustrating her Old-Order Amish community. Only Andrew Lapp believes her, but the rest, including Levi Plank, the man’s she’s waited to marry, demand she forget the nonsense. Meanwhile, her younger sister Martha has taken a fancy to Levi and sees her sister’s controversy as a perfect distraction for turning Levi’s head.

In a dream, the angel tells Judith she must choose her path. As her faith continues to grow, so do her feelings for Andrew. Will she continue to place her hope in the angel’s message, even if it means losing all she knows and loves?
My Thoughts: I’m always drawn back to books about the Amish community. Their utter devotion to god and godly living is both fascinating and inspiring. I only wish I could live my life like that. Minus the lack of technology, because lets face it I cant rough it for a week let along forever. Anyway back to the book -
This book was a little different than other Amish Christian fiction books I have read but It was a nice change of pace from the usual way one is written. I loved how more Amish words were used and the fact that something unfamiliar to the Amish community was happening.
In the pages you find love, hope, faith, perseverance, and trust. It reminded me once again why I love reading Amish fiction books!