THE LEAVING by Ruth Crews

This is one of those books you know you're going to finish before you have any idea where the plot is going. The writing is that fun.

 

The second in the "Gatekeeper" series, The Leaving picks up where Gatekeeper leaves off, with our heroine, Anna Merritt, a senior at Hope College, facing graduation and a highly uncertain future. Having returned from England the term before--correction, most of her returned from England the term before. Her heart remained behind. And therein lies her conundrum. Faced with the typical English-Lit major's fears of how on earth to market her vanilla degree, she does what many of us do: cling to the past, the known, the familiar and attractive. In Anna's case, that's England. But moreover, she clings to the hope of getting back to the UK as soon as possible. But how? (the conundrum)

Each chapter begins alternately with a letter from Anna to her erstwhile companion in adventure at Oxford, Eddie, and his responses to her. She bares her soul and its dreams to him, and he returns his wit and wisdom concerning where Anna should be focusing her efforts; that is, where she is and the life she's living now, lest she at best miss it, at worst screw it up. Undeterred, Anna presses on, barely tolerating her studies and her fellow students in her fixation on the isle across the Atlantic. And she gets a little annoying in that fixation, quite honestly. But ya still gotta love her.

This is a tale of an inner journey, one that is so believably delivered that you wonder how much of it is autobiographical. (Ruth...?) So, if you're looking for jeeps blowing up, blood-dripping knives, or Landcaster County intrigue, read no more of this. But if you enjoy an incredibly fresh, young, witty voice learning life and how it should be approached, well, settle in for a chuckle and a shake of the head.

While it would be helpful to read Gatekeeper first for background character identification, it's not vital to enjoying The Leaving. The joy is in the present, not the past.

Oh, and if you are, like I am, an unabashed Anglophile, you'll get even more out of the matchless repartee between Anna and Eddie. Cheers to Ms. Crews for quite a lovely read.  

—Bruce Judisch

Product Details

Paperback: 160 pages

Publisher: OakTara (November 9, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1602903328

ISBN-13: 978-1602903326

HARVEST OF RUBIES, by Tessa Afshar

Ancient history with a modern heart.

For some reason, I expected Biblical fiction when I downloaded Harvest of Rubies. And sure, it touches an ancient Biblical figure (nope, you have to read it to find out who), but only as a minor character. Instead, I found myself immersed in a tale of ancient Mesopotamia, complete with intrigue, action, and romance--in short, everything a novel like this should have.

With her love of Persian history and culture evident on every page, Ms Afshar has crafted yet another delightful story that brings to life the spirit and soul of an era long dead. What's so great about this book, though, is that she's done so through the eyes of an unforgettable character, Sarah. The thing about Sarah is...how do I put this?...well, you love her to death, but you're not quite sure whether you love her as you would a wife, a daughter, a best friend, or a sister. Yeah, I know. Maybe it's because Ms Afshar portrays her so well in all of those roles.

Sarah is a gifted linguist and scribe, something unheard of in a woman of ancient Persia. Her cousin (the unnamed Biblical character) gets her an interview with the queen, who just happens to be in need of a senior scribe. Introverted, plain-looking, and self-deprecating, Sarah immerses herself in her work. She performs very well...too well, in fact. To thank her for a particularly insightful service, the queen arranges a marriage for Sarah to a very upstanding and promising nobleman. Sarah passes out when the queen announces the engagement, but not out of joyful surprise as the court interprets her reaction, but out of horror as her entire world--quiet, peaceful, solitary, and intellectually fulfilling--hits the floor as hard as she does.

The description of the disastrous wedding ceremony Ms Afshar delivers is priceless; the cover price of the book is worth that scene alone. But it's the ensuing story, after Sarah bottoms out, that she begins her journey of personal restoration and true fulfillment--not in abandoning who she is and what she loves for the sake of tradition--but in perfecting that tradition through who she is and what she loves. Traveling with a solid cast of supporting characters, Harvest of Rubies takes us on a journey framed around a character who will live in your heart on far beyond the turn of the last page.

Captivating story, skillfully crafted, delivered with great finesse. This is a sure bet for lovers of ancient history and personal triumph. -- Bruce Judisch 

PRODUCT DETAILS:
Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: River North; New Edition edition (April 20, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0802405584

ISBN-13: 978-0802405586

 

THE DISCOVERY, by Dan Walsh

Had to review this one for two reasons. First, it's a hybrid contemporary-historical piece. I love those. I've written two of them.

Second, the historical part covers WW II, the Greatest Generation era. I love that era. I've written in 1.5 of them. But then, this isn't about me--no, really. I just have this weakness of wanting to identify with really good authors who write the kind of stuff I love to read, and with novels I'd really love to have written.

Dan Walsh and The Discovery fall very neatly into each of those categories, respectively. Here's why.

First, the book. Micheal Warner, an aspiring writer, has just lost his grandfather, Gerard Warner, a world-renown best-selling author. That's another reason I'd like to identify with this--(Stop it! Sorry, back to the book). Michael has inherited a sizable estate from his grandfather, including his historic house in Charleston, SC. It's not the real estate Michael values, though. It's the enduring spirit of his beloved--and reclusive--grandfather and writing mentor that pervades every room. But Gerard Warner has left his grandson something more than an aura. He's left a manuscript--yellowed with age, never before seen--for Michael to find. And read. And, well, discover.

Mr. Walsh takes us back to the historical period using a book within a book, a story within a story. Michael settles back to read with the notion of publishing it into what would be sure to be a best seller. I mean, a secret manuscript by a renown author coming to light after his death; how could it miss? But what lies between the age-tinged pages, revelation after revelation, urges Michael back forward in his seat. Why? To tell you more would spoil it. And you don't want me to do that.

Second, the author. Bravo to Mr. Walsh for penning so well an unforgettable tale with equally unforgettable characters. His gentle prose glides the reader along effortlessly; his writing voice, though unique, never interfering with the story. The tale delivers bittersweet poignancy and romance, but not without action, that settle on your mind and spirit in an emotionally satisfying way. A thoroughly enjoyable read. Highly recommended.

--Bruce Judisch

Product Details:

Language: English

Publisher: Baker Publishing Group

Pages: 352
ISBN-13: 9780800719814                       

OCTOBER BABY, by Eric Wilson

 

 

I'm sure October Baby the movie is wonderful, but, having read Mr. Wilson's novelization, I feel no overriding need to see it. Experience has shown time and time again that the written page can attain a multidimensional property, depth of insight and characterization, richness of viewer/reader involvement, that the silver screen struggles--often in vain--to achieve. Don't get me wrong, I can immerse myself into a great movie as much as the next guy. But the film version would require a near-magical quality to approach what the author delivers in October Baby the book.

For those not yet acquainted with the story, Hannah, a high school student with aspirations for the stage, falters during a prime performance. In fact, she passes out in the middle of one of her lines. Attempts to discover the source of this and other niggling maladies that plague the otherwise seemingly healthy girl lead to a stark revelation. Not only is she adopted, but she's the survivor of a botched abortion. This knowledge sends her on a quest to find her birth mother, despite the protestations of her adoptive parents and the cautions of her best friend, Josh. Still, Hannah, ultimately with Josh's help, embarks on her journey under the guise of taking a spring break trip to New Orleans with a group of friends; a trip that just happens to take her past the city in which she was born.

A cast of unique supporting characters colors the storyline with grit, hilarity, and poignancy brought to their fullest brilliance under the skilled pen of best-selling author, Eric Wilson. It's quite apparent from the characterization and dialog that Mr. Wilson is very much at home with this genre. He pulls you from the softness of your sofa onto the bumpy back seat of a dilapidated van trundling down the interstate toward the Big Easy, sharing the sights, smells, and sensibilities of teenagers on a lark. Transports you from the comfort of your own existence into the troubled world of a young girl whose life has suddenly been turned upside down and now has no idea what part truth plays in it. It just grabs you and doesn't let go at the turn of the last page. If it doesn't grab you, you might want to check yourself for a pulse.

This tale relates one of the realities of abortion smothered by politcal correctness. Those on the pro-abortion side will dismiss it as lopsided propaganda (as has already happened in reaction to the movie). Those on the pro-life side will laud it for its honesty and fearlessness in addressing such a heart-wrenching issue. Those in the middle, those who don't want to care...well, they'll continue not to care. Maybe.
.
Sound heavy? No, not really. The journey is often painful, but the destination is emotionally satisfying, like most great novels. Highly recommended, especially for those in the middle.

Oh, and yeah, I'll see the movie. I mean, you know...

And another 'oh'. October Baby is due for release on September 1st. Get in line.  -- Bruce Judisch 

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books; Mti edition (September 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433678470
• ISBN-13: 978-1433678479

MARTYR by E.G. Lewis

The organism of a literary series owns a curious personality. One may birth well, but struggle to keep its pace, its conclusion hinting that author was relieved when it finally ended. Another begins a little off-balance, perhaps from too much anticipation of its conclusion, but matures from volume to volume until it ends with so strong a finale, you sense the author wished it hadn't--and the reader empathizes. Others begin to languish soon after the beginning, dragging on from volume to seemingly endless volume until you give up and set it aside before you even find out what the conclusion might have been. Mr. Lewis' Biblical-fiction series, "The Seeds of Christianity," displays a unique personality as well: a solid start with Witness, acceleration and anticipation through Disciple and Apostle, finally a heart-wrenchingly poignant finale with Martyr. Just what you want from a series.

Mr. Lewis has novelized the founding and early growth of the 1st-Century Church with an excellent blend of meticulously researched fact, and well-written, imaginative fiction. Remaining true to the Scriptural account, we experience with Rivka and Shemu'el the Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurrection, then travel with them to Antioch and finally Rome with Peter, Paul, Mark, Barnabas. Mr. Lewis provides us with fascinating renderings of the early church fathers, but he delivers the real joy through a solid supporting cast of fictional characters whose lives reflect the uncertainties, frailties, victories, and failures of our own--those to whom we can relate when the historical heroes of the faith seem so much bigger than life.

Martyr presents a very satisfying conclusion to the series, tempering the poignancy and sadness implied by the title with the certainty of hope we have not only through the arc of the story, but the knowledge of church history. Vividly portrayed, deeply instructive, emotionally satisfying; there is much to commend the entire series. It's a journey that will change you--for the better.

Martyr is available in both softcopy or in eBook versions. 

—Bruce Judisch

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Buy from Cape Arago Press

Product Details:

Paperback: 330 pages

Publisher: Cape Arago Press (February 20, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 098259495X

ISBN-13: 978-0982594957

LEGACY ROAD by Graham Garrison

Fine book; really good story.

Mr. Garrison has crafted a tale well worthy of its prequel, Hero’s Tribute, in depth and thought-provoking poignancy.

Set near Athens, Georgia, Legacy Road follows Wes Watkins, the sportswriter who had delivered the eulogy of hometown hero Michael Gavin in Hero’s Tribute. Now a freelance writer, Wes is on an even keel and doing well—until the end of the first chapter. His world begins to crumble with a disrupted attempt to propose marriage to Emmy, an ER nurse soon due to deploy to Afghanistan, and her awkward rebuff of that proposal.

Close on the heels of this jolt is the forced reappearance in his life of his wayward father, his mother’s suddenly deteriorating health, and the pressures of an overly demanding professor supervising Wes’ post-graduate studies. All of these stresses combine to shake Wes’ personal world and his young faith.

Legacy Road examines the issues of forgiveness and trust with brutal, yet compassionate, honesty. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, part of his post-graduate studies, Wes’ own journey is mirrored through letters his father had sent him from prison, some of which he’d never read, and letters preserved from an ancestor who fought for the South in the very campaigns his course work focuses upon. These thrust upon him decisions regarding that forgiveness and trust that he finds himself ill-prepared to face.

If you’re looking for a novel filled with jeeps blowing up and grisly murder scenes, skip this one. However, if you dare look past the sensational into an evenly written, thoughtful reflection of human fallibility, and how interpersonal relationships suffer but can recover from it, Legacy Road is a sure bet.

Happily, Kregel Publishers sent me this copy of Legacy Road free of charge to review. I was planning to purchase it anyway.

—Bruce Judisch

Paperback, 256 pages

Published April 1st 2012 by Kregel Publications

Language: English

more details...

ISBN: 0825426715

ISBN13: 9780825426711

RECONCILIATIONS by Susan Elizabeth Ball

A delicately written, but thought-provoking, story of lost love regained, and lost souls reconciled.

Ms. Ball has crafted a story that walks a thin line, and does it well. In Reconciliations, you'll encounter a full and honest treatment of significant moral issues − the author does not shy away from the reality of our world − but in a way that doesn't slap you in the face, or deliberately shock your sensibilities.

Kevin is an honest, but worldly man who appears quite unlucky in love. His wife, Christine, left him after adulterating their marriage with multiple affairs. The woman he dated for several months is now engaged to another man. And don't even ask about the most recent woman to enter his life!

Christine, a broken product of a dysfunctional family, continues in the way of the lost, rebounding from relationship to relationship, until one goes horribly wrong and she ends up in the hospital. Through Divine intervention (what the world sometimes misconstrues as 'coincidence') Christine and Kevin are thrown back together again, her welfare now dependent upon her ex-husband's − shall we say "reluctant" as an understatement? − care.

Enter Mark and Janet Vinson, and the congregation of Riverside Christian Fellowship, and the plot both deepens and softens into a genuine exhibition of Christian benevolence. Kevin and Christine must now deal not only with the turmoil of the unexpected return into each other's lives, but the inescapable and unyielding love of people committed to a faith neither Kevin nor Christine understand.

The tagline on the back cover promises, "A heart-warming story of a powerful love..." And that promise is kept between the pages of Reconciliations, the second in Ms. Ball's "Restored Hearts" series.

More about the author and this book can be found at http://www.susaneball.com/.

Reconciliations was provided by the publisher free for this review. But then, I'd have purchased it anyway.

—Bruce Judisch

SARA'S LAUGHTER by Tom Milton

When I first read the synopsis to Sara's Laughter, the allegory was obvious, the storyline intriguing. And the allusion to Abraham and Sarah was indeed a true one; however, the way it manifested itself in Mr. Milton's story was unexpected.

Sara, a young New Yorker, is unable to get pregnant. First her husband has a dream that she'll have a baby, then, later, she has the same dream. Physiologically, it would take a miracle; however, history holds evidence of such miracles.

When Sara's sister, who does not want a child, becomes pregnant, they reach an agreement that seems to suit all. When that dream collapses, Sara is left at a loss. What happens next, though, forms the crux of the story, and Sara learns something interesting about herself through the ordeal that shakes her self-image and affects the strained relationship she's had with her sister throughout her life. The story takes place in both the present and the past, the switching between which might cause a little puzzlement with some readers.

The plot is well conceived, although the way it's delivered may be troublesome to many readers of this blog. The more tenderhearted of readers may become disconcerted with the profanity and spots of crass humor. The main characters deal with heady subjects like troubled family relationships, fornication, adultery and abortion. These topics are rendered in a way many will consider to be realistic, others not so. That impression will probably depend upon the circles one runs in.

Mr. Milton does not shy away from an even discussion of the above topics; however, it's difficult to isolate his views on some of these subjects, Indeed, that may well be part of his design, to leave the results of the debate up to his reader. The evenness is largely delivered through fast-paced dialog, which is well written but unvarnished. Quite simply put, it will likely appeal to those more used to a worldly handling of such moral topics.

This book was provided free of charge for review.

—Bruce Judisch

YESTERDAY’S TOMORROW by CATHERINE WEST

In 1954, Malcolm Taylor, a noted foreign-affairs journalist, kissed his daughter at the front door, said goodbye, and promised to come back. He didn't.

In 1967, Kristin Taylor, a budding novice journalist, followed her father's trail to find out why.

 

In Saigon, Kristin meets up − or rather, is forced into reluctant collaboration − with Luke Maddox, a photojournalist who irks Kristin in just about every way imaginable. And she reciprocates. Little do either of them know that Kristin's determination to follow through on a story her father had begun the previous decade, and Luke's hidden past are intertwined. Finally, her self-imposed assignment, an exposé on a secret war within a war, threatens to explode both of their worlds, which have now become one.

Professionally, Kristin excels in her honest portrayal of a conflict gone so wrong, endearing herself to the men she has come to respect and love. Personally, she doesn't do so well in shielding her emotions from the horror engulfing a nation she has also come to love. From the trauma of a blood-spattered field hospital, to the heat of battle at a forward fire base, to the precious and precarious existence of a Saigon orphanage, Kristin learns the hard way how to survive physically, mentally and emotionally in an environment man was never meant to endure.

Her love-hate relationship with Luke comes to a head, then Kristin is forced to return to the States. Like most veterans of that conflict, part of her she leaves in Vietnam, part of Vietnam she brings home with her. And life is never again the same.

Ms. West delivers an honest, compelling, and very well-written tale of war and the aftermath of war. But it's not a mere blood-and-guts story. It's one of hope. She shows us how love and faith have curious and unexpected ways of sprouting even in the most barren soil. Yesterday's Tomorrow will leave you very satisfied at its conclusion, but don't expect the path to be strewn with rose petals. Few paths to meaningful destinations are.

—Bruce Judisch

Product Details:

Publisher: OakTara
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 336
ISBN-13: 978-1-6029027-8-7

LOST by E.G. Lewis

In LOST, Mr. Lewis treats us to glimpses of the past, present, and a possible future, and ties them together in an intriguing tale that juxtaposes deception with integrity, and grief with hope.

The story opens with an engaging monolog by a minor − or at least, not-as-major − character, who sets the stage with a glimpse into the past and its application to the present. Then we're off and running...

A brief visit to Delhi, India, where a top-secret scientific breakthrough launches us into the initial foray between deception and integrity. Dr. "Derek" has invented the capability every military commander in the world covets. Today, that translates to untold billions of dollars for the firm that can bring it from the laboratory to the battlefield. And Mr. Winston Ridgely of the RCI Corporation intends to do just that.

Skip to Pine Crest, Oregon, where Vietnam veteran, now newspaper owner/editor, Tom Jenkins and his wife, Marty share a quiet life − a life that is about to be turned upside down. Marty embarks on an Alaskan cruise as a member of a singing group. Then, only a couple of days out, the ship runs afoul of RCI's field-testing their newly acquired capability.

Enter grief vs. hope. The Coast Guard gives up on the chances that there are any survivors, but Tom can't let go of the feeling that Marty is still alive. His conviction sends him on a mission that ranges from the cruise line's home office in London, England, to Oregon's backwoods. Driven by his obsession, he ignores the sentiments piling up against him by well-meaning friends who counsel him to move on, that he must reconcile himself to his wife's death. He just can't do tha t− oh, did I mention his granddaughter was also on the cruise? Yeah. Now you see.

But who is right: Tom or everyone else? What really happened to the Paradise Voyager, its passengers and crew?

Mr. Lewis toys with mysticism, but not too much; flirts with science fiction, but doesn't cross the genre line. What he does is produce a unique story that pits the staying power of love and devotion against the forces of 'fate' manipulated by the intervention of greedy men.

Well researched and thoughtfully written, this is a story you'll ponder well beyond the final page.
− Bruce Judisch

Paperback: 324 pages  

Publisher: Cape Arago Press (August 6, 2011) 

Language: English  

ISBN-10: 0982594941  

ISBN-13: 978-0982594940

LOST Trade Paperback or e-Book, click here to be connected to Amazon.com

1 STEP AWAY by Eric Wilson

Why didn't I think of this? What a great premise—one that every Christian should consider; a book every American Christian should read.

Mr. Wilson has taken the age-old story of Job and turned it on its head. What if—just what if a man who had very little in the way of material wealth suddenly came into a fortune? How would it affect his faith? Could this windfall do to him what the deprivation of wealth failed to do to Job? And what if the same spirit who was behind Job's story were also behind this one? You see where this is going? Uh-huh.

The Vreeland family is being watched. Their 'doom' is being plotted. They have little to their name, scraping to make ends meet, until...well, until $6,000,000 is unexpectedly dropped into their laps. All the expected emotions emerge: wonder, excitement, perhaps a little trepidation. But emotions are only the vehicles that transport action. What will they do with this fortune? What will it do with them?

Mr. Wilson covers all the angles, as the pressures of a sudden shift in socio-economic status takes its toll on the family of Bret and Sara Vreeland. The decisions they make in the face of this pressure will not only determine the future of their family, but reveal the substance of their faith.

Interesting? Sound like a nice, but rather linear plot? It might be in the hands of a lesser author than Eric Wilson. But what I haven't told you is the one-two punch poised before the Vreelands' noses, the seemingly apparent plotline that suddenly diverges into two threads, and what you thought was predictable is anything but that.

This is not only an entertaining novel, it's a study in human nature worthy of individual contemplation and group discussion. 1 Step Away offers a lot in 379 pages. You can't help but put yourself in the place of the Vreelands, and instead of asking yourself, "Man, what would I do with all that money?" you ask "Man, what would I do about all that money?" 1 Step Away may surprise you with your own answer.

Highly recommended. Get the book.

—Bruce Judisch

Product Details:
Paperback: 383 pages
Publisher: Bay Forest
ISBN-13: 978-1613280140

NICK OF TIME by Tim Downs

This is without a doubt one of the most entertaining books I've read in a long time. Storyline, writing style, characterization, message—it's got it all. I knew after two chapters that even if I hated the rest of the book, it was still well worth the cover price; a safe assertion, as I was certain that worst-case scenario would not materialize. And of course it didn't.

Dr. Nick Polchak is a quirky, single-track-minded forensic entomologist with a sardonic wit as dry as the months-old puparia littering his college professor's desk, his car, and his life. Uh huh, forensic entomologist—solving crimes one bug at a time. He and Raleigh Harmon would get along famously, probably be engaged by the end of their second week if they didn't kill each other by the end of the first.

Oops. Strike that last sentence. Nick's already engaged. You're safe, Raleigh.

Meet Nick's fiancée, Alena Savard. Just-as-quirky Alena lives alone on the top of a hill. Well, almost alone. She has 41 dogs, at last count. And she trains them. No, not like rolling over and playing dead, but rather like pinpointing where someone else has rolled over and really died. Fun stuff like that. Oh, and she's r-e-a-l-l-y good at it. One snap of the fingers and a subtle hand motion, and one of her dogs could probably finish typing this review faster and better than I can. (Okay, no wisecracks necessary...)

Nick's proposal of marriage to Alena shocked them both. And he's pretty sure that he really wants to be married. It's the 'pretty' part that gets him into trouble. The week of his wedding, when it appears that one of his friends and colleagues is murdered, Nick figures he has enough time to do some sleuthing out of respect to his friend and still be back in plenty of time for the ceremony. Alena is less confident both that he really wants to be married and that he will make it back in time.

So the stage is set for a rollercoaster ride of a tale that has you laughing out loud on one page (multiple times) and sobering under a subtle revelation of human nature on the next. A huge twist toward the end brings you to a screeching halt, gives you a moment to scratch your head in disbelief, and then plunges off at bumblebee velocity in a completely different direction with you in hot pursuit.

If you enjoy a great crime thriller laced seamlessly with insightful human interest, and one that is pristinely written for the genre and voice, there is simply no other option than to get this book. You just can't not read it. Go ahead. Try me. See if I'm wrong.

Note: despite what I said about being worth the cover price, I'm obligated to mention that Thomas Nelson sent me this copy free of charge to review. It was a good move on their part, because they've garnered at least one more Tim Downs fan who will be purchasing more of his books quite promptly.

—Bruce Judisch

SINGING IN BABYLON by Ann Gaylia O'Barr

Kate McCormack is a college graduate seeking a meaningful profession and relief from beneath suffocating debt. She travels unwarily far beyond her cultural and spiritual comfort zones to satisfy both goals.


Philip Tangvald is a journalist on assignment for a foreign affairs magazine seeking professional recognition and relief from a failed personal and spiritual past. He immerses himself in his work to satisfy both goals.

Kate’s and Philip’s respective quests bring them together in the unlikeliest of places: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Neither of them are prepared for the other. Each of them needs the other.

Thus Ms. O’Barr begins a story of maturation and self-discovery steeped in cultural and spiritual nuance. Arriving fresh to teach English to Middle Eastern female students, sheltered Kate nearly goes into shock confronted by the stifling environment of a single woman in an Islamic state. Philip rescues the hapless Kate from more than one social misstep, in the process becoming drawn to the young woman, the last thing he wants to happen. Kate finds his rescues annoying, but discovers herself warming to him, also the last thing on her agenda.

Together, they live what it means to be an expatriated Christian in a Muslim culture. His assignment on immigration trends—both legal and illegal—exposes their hearts to a world they previously only knew in their heads. Ms. O’Barr’s personal knowledge of the issues involved from her experience as a foreign service officer in the Middle East lend authenticity to the story. Her ability to portray this so well as a writer brings the issues home in an engaging way.

A thought-provoking, even-handed look at faith, culture and love, Singing In Babylon provides solid fodder for personal reflection and group discussion. Beware, though, that some of that reflection and discussion will be uncomfortable—as it should be.
—Bruce Judisch

Paperback: 296 pages
Publisher: OakTara
Language: English
SBN-10: 9781602901650
ISBN-13: 978-1602901650

APOSTLE by E. G, Lewis



The first two installments to The Seeds of Christianity series, Witness and Disciple, set the expectations bar high. Apostle clears it with room to spare.

It was like a long-awaited reunion with dear friends when Rivkah’s and Shemu’el’s names first appeared in this, Mr. Lewis’ most recent historical novel based upon the first-century founding of the Church. Having fled persecution in Jerusalem, the family travels to Antioch, where Shemu’el becomes the fledgling congregation’s senior elder, their episkipos. A supporting cast of memorable characters emerges one by one as the Gospel takes root and grows in the unlikeliest of spiritual and societal soil. Historical figures like Simon Peter, Paul and Barnabas blend effortlessly in with the fictional characters as they transit Antioch on their missions to plant and nurture the Way throughout the known world.

A true delight of The Seeds of Christianity Series is not just the great storyline, but the historical setting the author so brilliantly depicts. Mr. Lewis has one foot planted firmly in an ancient history class and the other in a creative writing class. And he’s acing both courses. You feel the heat of the potter’s kiln on your face and the and cool of the wine grapes on your bare feet as everyday life in the ancient Middle East comes alive on each page. We help Paul construct his tentmaker’s loom and Hadassah knead her barley bread, all the while learning a stark lesson in what daily survival demanded of the first Christianoi. The joy of the lesson, though, lies in the tale and the prose, both of which Mr. Lewis crafts as skillfully as Paul did his tents and Hadassah her loaves.

If you like a good story enhanced by a good education, The Seeds of Christianity Series is a sure bet for your money.

—Bruce Judisch

PEACE by Jeff Nesbit

Imagine a Joel Rosenberg and Tom Clancy collaboration, add intensity, and you have Jeff Nesbit's Peace.

A page-turner that blends a geo-political-techno thriller with human interest and spiritual introspection, Peace offers a realistic look at the fragility of the Middle Eastern balance of power, if it can be considered a balance. Sound dry? Oh my, no!

What carries Mr. Nesbit's work beyond a scholarly treatise in Foreign Affairs is a gripping storyline that spans the gamut from the pristine Oval Office to a squalid covert prison camp in North Korea, the ornate halls of the Kremlin to a dusty tribal village in Malawi. What's surprising in that lopsided contrast is just who exerts more influence over the outcome of the story.

If you like international thrillers that take you through scenarios seemingly impossible to resolve--but plausible to conceive--drenched in suspense and intrigue, you've got a treat in store for you in the pages of Peace.

—Bruce Judisch

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Summerside Press 
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781609360436
ISBN-13: 978-1609360436
ASIN: 1609360435

MINE IS THE NIGHT by Liz Curtis Higgs



I buy Liz Curtis Higgs' books just for the sheer joy of reading Liz Curtis Higgs. It really doesn't matter what she writes—well, it least it hasn't thus far (now don't go silly on me, Liz...)—it just matters that she writes. There, now that that's out of the way, let's get to the book.

First a disclaimer: I acknowledge that the cover—as nice as it is—puts my guy card in mortal danger. But if I can read this book on a Lifecycle at a military gym every afternoon and escape unscathed, y'all can cut me some slack, too.

Now, where was I? Oh, yes.

Of all Ms. Higgs' Scotland-series books, Mine is the Night was my favorite. The prequel, Here Burns My Candle, runs a close second, but Night is the clear winner. Picking up where Candle left off, Marjory Kerr, newly stripped of her nobility due to her support of the ill-fated Jacobite cause, flees Edinburgh to her hometown of Selkirk. With her is daughter-in-law Elizabeth Kerr, still in mourning from the loss of her husband in the battle at Fallkirk. With nowhere to go and nothing to her dishonored name, Marjorie finds a hostess in her cousin Anne, who begrudgingly takes them into her extremely modest dwelling.

Marjorie adapts her self-centered lifestyle to menial service in the home while Elizabeth supplements their meager income plying her needle and thread. Enter the Admiral Lord Jack Buchanan, Selkirk's newest resident, retired from a distinguished and highly profitable career in the service of King George's navy. Lord Buchanan needs a dressmaker to outfit his domestic staff, and Elizabeth needs work. What blossoms in the ensuing months of Elizabeth's employ to the Lord Admiral, though, is more than heather on the surrounding hills.

Lord Jack is immediately smitten by the lovely and graceful Elizabeth, and her interest in the dashing admiral grows equally as intense. Hindered by social propriety, the Kerrs' outlaw status as former supporters of Prince Charlie's rebellion, Elizabeth's prescribed year-long period of mourning, and their unwavering devotion to God and His expectations of them, the two must subdue their mutual attraction. But for how long? Ask Marjory, for she holds the key to their happiness. Suffice it to say that, in the end, God is honored. And those who honor Him, He blesses.

Those to whom Ms. Higgs has already endeared herself as a writer have no need of this review. They probably finished the book before I did. Those who enjoy a thoroughly satisfying story told by a master storyteller of the genre, but who've not yet had the joy of reading Liz Curtis Higgs—or even just this Liz Curtis Higgs work—are in for a treat. Really, really recommended; don't miss it.

WaterBrook was kind enough to send me a courtesy copy of Mine is the Night to review. Very thoughtful and greatly appreciated, but, honestly, I'd have purchased the book and reviewed it anyway.

—Bruce Judisch

Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (March 15, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1400070023
ISBN-13: 978-1400070022

The Unforgivable by Tessa Stockton

This is one you won't soon forget—maybe ever forget.

Ms. Stockton has selected a major league topic for her debut novel, The Unforgivable. It's the one element of the Lord's Prayer Jesus considered worthy of commentary in Matthew 6. It's arguably the single-most difficult commandment the Christian has to deal with, and concept for the non-Christian to deal with. It's an issue that's inextricably enmeshed with other equally difficult problems of the heart, like, oh say, pride. Guessed it yet? Yup.

It's forgiveness. But wait a sec.

Ms. Stockton didn't tackle this heady issue on only one plane, which would be challenging enough. Oh, no. She laid before her readers forgiveness in its purest multifaceted form: intra-personal, inter-personal and multi-personal. How she goes about it is the joy of the ride.

Our heroine, Genevieve, is at a quilting convention and trade show in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with her best friend, Sally, and her new friend, Paloma, an Argentinean craftswoman. A chance encounter at a restaurant with a man, Carlos, sends her heart into palpitations and her friends into shock. The problem: Carlos is one of Argentina's most notorious figures, an ex-military officer blamed for horrible atrocities committed during the Dirty War of the late 70s and early 80s. Chastised for her foolishness by Sally, and harangued for insensitivity by Paloma, whose family suffered personally at the hands of men like Carlos, Genevieve still can't shake what she perceives behind the eyes of this gentleman with a very ungentle history. But she begins to spend more time with him, despite the protestations of her closest friends.

What unfolds is an emotional and spiritual rollercoaster ride for Genevieve, who doesn't dismiss the evidence against the man with whom she's falling in love, or excuse his past, but deals with them at the level on which God is leading her. For she believes God has brought them together. Through her exposure to this enigmatic man of sorrows, Genevieve not only gains a historical lesson in Argentina's Dirty War, but an even more valuable spiritual lesson in what it means to forgive against the backdrop of the seemingly unforgivable.

Ms. Stockton strikes a chord with an intensity few writers have dared to. Many have written about forgiveness; Tessa writes forgiveness. If this story doesn't make you evaluate your response to what is perhaps Christ's toughest commandment, then either you're ready for sainthood or your conscience has abandoned you.

This review is based upon an advance copy Ms. Stockton was kind enough to provide me. I guarantee you, though, having already read the story will not stop me from buying my own copy of the book the minute it comes out. Bravo to Ms. Stockton on a strong debut in the first installment of her "Wounds of South America" series.

—Bruce Judisch

Product Details:

Paperback: 272 pages

Publisher: Risen Books (April 1, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1936835002

ISBN-13: 978-1936835003

THE SHAPE OF MERCY by Susan Meissner

I’ve reviewed quite a few books over the past few years. Some I’ve had a lot of fun reviewing, some were more sober endeavors. But I haven’t actually feared reviewing any of them.

Until now.

Why fear? Well, because of the two things I think people fear most: the unknown and failure. I don’t know how to best approach representing this incredible story, and, regardless of the approach I choose, I’m certain I’ll fail to do the book justice.

So, you’re going to have to work with me here. Please be patient.

The Story. Lauren Durough is a young well-to-do university student in covert rebellion against her heritage. Abigail Broyles is an elderly well-to-do retiree in covert rebellion against her legacy. Interposed between them is Mercy Hayworth, an innocent victim of the horrific 17th-century Salem witchcraft trials. Okay, so how does that work? At the marvelously skillful hand of author Susan Meissner, it works exceedingly well.

Abigail retains Lauren to transcribe Mercy’s diary, a precious family heirloom. Lauren is to approach her task wrapped in a cloak of ignorance; that is, she must promise not to research the events surrounding the trials until she’s completed the transcription. Mercy Hayworth must be allowed to speak for herself, unfettered by historiography. Also woven into this cloak, though, is the real reason Abigail has selected Lauren as the transcriptionist, as is the effect the words of a simple girl from a distant era will have on her own self-perception.

An intriguing cast of supporting characters push and pull at Lauren throughout the story, adding their own contemporary thematic hue to the faded brown ink of Mercy’s ancient journal. Through it all, Lauren will either mature into her future or collapse under her past. There’s no other option.

The Writing. As writers, we’re encouraged to keep our readers on the edge, to force that next page turn, anything to breathe new life into the tired cliché “I couldn’t put it down.” There are techniques to do that, such as ending scenes and chapters with mini-cliffhangers, dangling questions that simply must be answered now. And gadgets like that have their place.

But then there’s writing like Ms. Meissner’s.

You know quality prose when you’re not sure you want to turn the next page, but find yourself compelled to do so—not because of a dangling question, but because the titanium thread binding the storyline blurs the distinction between pages, and so you go on. You have to. And you will.

Intense and honest, humorous and poignant; I’ve yet to read a book that I’d recommend more highly than The Shape of Mercy. — Bruce Judisch   

Product Details:

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press 
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1400074568
ASIN: B0044KN2ZW

YESTERDAY'S TOMORROW by Catherine West

In 1954, Malcolm Taylor, a noted foreign-affairs journalist, kissed his daughter at the front door, said goodbye, and promised to come back. He didn't.

In 1967, Kristin Taylor, a budding novice journalist, followed her father's trail to find out why.

So begins a gritty and heart-rending tale of integrity, faith and perseverance in two war-torn countries: Vietnam and the United States.

In Saigon, Kristin meets up—or rather, is forced into reluctant collaboration—with Luke Maddox, a photojournalist who irks Kristin in just about every way imaginable. And she reciprocates. Little do either of them know that Kristin's determination to follow through on a story her father had begun the previous decade and Luke's hidden past are intertwined. Finally, her self-imposed assignment, an exposé on a secret war within a war, threatens to explode both of their worlds, which have now become one.

Professionally, Kristin excels in her honest portrayal of a conflict gone so wrong, endearing herself to the men she has come to respect and love. Personally, she doesn't do so well in shielding her emotions from the horror engulfing a nation she has also come to love. From the trauma of a blood-spattered field hospital, to the heat of battle at a forward fire base, to the precious and precarious existence of a Saigon orphanage, Kristin learns the hard way how to survive physically, mentally and emotionally in an environment man was never meant to endure.

Her love-hate relationship with Luke comes to a head, then Kristin is forced to return to the States. Like most veterans of that conflict, part of her she leaves in Vietnam, part of Vietnam she brings home with her. And life is never again the same.

Ms. West delivers an honest, compelling, and very well-written tale of war and the aftermath of war. But it's not a mere blood-and-guts story. It's one of hope. She shows us how love and faith have curious and unexpected ways of sprouting even in the most barren soil. Yesterday's Tomorrow will leave you very satisfied at its conclusion, but don't expect the path to be strewn with rose petals. Few paths to meaningful destinations are.

As an endnote, Ms. West is represented by Rachelle Gardner of the Wordserve Literary Agency. Neither Ms. Gardner nor Wordserve are known for tolerating mediocrity. In Catherine West, and Yesterday's Tomorrow, they've advanced their excellent reputation.

This is a review of an ARC of Yesterday's Tomorrow. The book is due to be released through online outlets in March 2010 by OakTara--another pretty good outfit, I might add.

— Bruce Judisch

 
Product Details:
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: OakTara (March 15, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 160290278X
ISBN-13: 978-1602902787  

GATEKEEPER by Ruth Crews



In the middle of page 28 of Gatekeeper, the author plants this deceivingly benign snippet of advice:

“Most of your life will not allow you to use sources for proof or inspiration.”

Although Ms. Crews didn’t feature it as a tagline on the front cover, she could have. And our heroine is about to find out why.

Anna Merritt, a vivacious coed from the southern United States, finds herself on exchange in the archetypal upper-British academic environs of Oxford. Unshackled by even the remotest degree of formality and tradition, Anna plows a ‘primitively colonial’ furrow into the neatly manicured grounds of the ancient and renowned university, and especially into the lives of two fellow students: the spontaneous Eddie Mitchell and the reservedly detached Nicholas Diggs. Inseparable almost from the first day, the trio brave the academic stresses and social pressures of Oxford’s Saints College. But that’s just the beginning.

Everything proceeds as both Anna and the reader might expect, until one fateful day a ‘routine’ tutoring session unexpectedly thrusts her into a position to test the above-suggested tagline. You see, Nicholas Diggs is poised for destruction on his 21st birthday, a mere three weeks away, at the hands of people from whom he would least expect it. Anna’s tutor, the enigmatic Dr. Barney, lays Nicholas’ future in her lap—then promptly disappears.

At the end of the term the three students embark on a whirlwind trip through Prague, Berlin, Paris, then back to Oxford. The trip provides the perfect scenario to help Anna forestall Nicholas’ day of reckoning. Or so she thinks. Anna is aided in her task by the mysterious Mr. Truman, who always seems to be at the right place just at the right time, and only divvies out information to Anna in just the right amounts at just the right times. The question is, does Anna have what it takes to rescue Nicholas, whose dilemma is diametrically opposed to her own inner struggles?

You’ll discover the answer to that question in the pages of a very cleverly written story by a promising new author, Ms. Ruth Crews. Her fresh, perky writing voice pairs wonderfully with her personal experience at the venues in which the story takes place to deliver a fascinating, humorous and poignant coming-of-age tale. You’ll find the repartee between the three friends to be absolutely priceless—especially for those who have visited the UK. Not only do Anna’s Americanisms wage battle with the boys’ British-isms throughout the story, but her right-brained English-major subjectivity clashes with the stodgy, ultra-functional outlook on life to which Nicholas clings so tenaciously. And Eddie? Well, Eddie is Eddie, and he takes shots at everybody.

Ms. Crews sets the bar at a very respectable height with her debut novel. Highly recommended for its genre. Looking forward to reading The Leaving, the second installment in Ms. Crews' “Gatekeeper” series. — Bruce Judisch

 

Product Details:
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: OakTara (January 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602901678
ISBN-13: 978-1602901674