My Review: All Things Hidden

All Things Hidden is a sweet story in which a church cleaning project turns into a family history lesson.  This book, which is the eighteenth book in the Home to Heather Creek series of books about the Stevenson family .  They live in Bedford, a small town in Nebraska.  This story opens as the ladies of Bedford Community Church begin cleaning out the church basement to assemble items for the church's anniversary celebration.  Charlotte finds an old newspaper article telling the story of how her great-great-grandfather was accused of stealing money people contributed to build the church.  She'd heard a little about this story, but learns that he was convicted, but that when he went to serve his sentence, the men from the town showed up at the jail to serve his time with/for him.  She wants to learn more, and of course, to clear his name.  At the same time, her grandaugher, who lives with her, is working on a local history project for school.  A grandson wants to be a reporter and starts investigating the missing money too.  Everything is tied up with a bow at the end.


This book is published by Guideposts, and while I'm not real familiar with their stuff, "sweet" is the word that usually comes to my mind when I think of it, and you'll notice that "sweet" was the word I used to describe this book.  I never had the slightest doubt that everything would work out and that everyone would live happily ever after.  There are a couple of religious moments in the book, but it isn't a preachy book.  


This isn't a great book, but it is a sweet easy feel-good read.  To purchase, call 1-800-431-2344 or check Guidepost's website.  


About the Author:  Tricia Goyer is the author of eighteen books of fiction and nonfiction, including Generation NeXt Parenting and the Gold Medallion finalist Life Interrupted. Goyer writes for publications such as Today's Christian Woman and Focus on the Family, speaks to women's groups nationwide, and has been a presenter at the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) national convention. She and her husband, John, live with their family in Montana.


Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to write this review.

My Review: If I Had You

I have enjoyed several of Deborah Bedford's books (maybe that new widget I installed will link them to this post--if not, feel free to search my archives) and while I enjoyed this one, it was not one of my favorites. It is the story of three generations in the same family. Nora is in her late 40's. Her daughter Tess is in her late teens. All her life, Tess has felt like nothing she did was good enough for her mom. She left home, got hooked on drugs and got pregnant. She came home, had her daughter with the intention of putting her up for adoption, but then changed her mind.

Bedford said this book is her story. I won't tell you which of the women she is, but I will tell you that the book has a strong pro-life message. I just didn't really like any of the characters, except the little girl.

Discussion Question: Do you have to like the characters in order to like a book?

Review: His Other Wife

His Other Wife: A Novel

One thing I hope never to have is an ex-husband.  Hilary, the main character in His Other Wife: A Novel has one, much to her dismay.  The divorce was his idea, and shortly thereafter, he married his mistress, the mistress who was able to give him another child, something Hilary would never be able to do.  The book opens setting the scene of the divorce proceedings and letting  us know that there is a twelve year old son involved.  The action soon moves to the time around their son's high school graduation--a time when tragedy strikes.  The three involved adults have to learn to work together, to accept themselves and their brokenness, and then to heal and forgive.

The author, Deborah Bedford, calls this book a modern re-telling of the story of Hannah, the Biblical woman who was barren for years.  Her husband had another wife who constantly reminded Hannah that Hannah was not good enough.  According to Bedford, when things change for Hannah, it isn't because circumstances change, but because Hannah changes.  In this book, the circumstances don't change, but Hilary does and because of that she is then open--not to the love of her ex, but to other love from other people.  

While billed as a Christian novel, the amount of religion in the book is minimal and I think most people who like what is typically called "women's fiction" would like this one.  Grade:  B.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing a complimentary review copy.  I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

A Rose by the Door--My Review

  I've enjoyed several of Deborah Bedford's books, and my friend Renee was kind enough to send me this one after she read it.  If you like my blog, try hers, she reads similar books and we often share the same opinion of books we both read.

A Rose by the Door is the story of two women.  Bea was the mother of Nathan, and the book opens with the police showing up at her door to tell her he is dead/  Gemma was Nathan's wife.  Since Nathan had left home years ago, angry at his mother, they had never met until Gemma showed up at Bea's door after Nathan's death.  Gemma has a daughter who is not Nathan's son.  This is the story of the relationship that develops between the women and the story of Bea's faith.

A Rose by the Door is a beautiful well-written book.  It is Christian fiction and has the stereotypical "salvation" scene.  Bea's relationship with God is a major part of the story as well.  Still, I think it is a story that someone without Christian beliefs could enjoy.

To order from Amazon:  A Rose by the Door

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Hi folks and welcome to Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival. This is the place for you to showcase your blogging for the rest of the Catholic blogging community; whether you blog exclusively about Catholic things, or are a Catholic who mentions Catholicism periodically. Create a post on your blog entitled Sunday Snippets--A Catholic carnival. In that post, highlight and link to the posts you wish to spotlight this week (the way I have in the next paragraph) Also, link to this post. Once you've published your Sunday Snippets post, come back here, sign Mr. Linky and add a link to your Sunday Snippets post. If you want a weekly reminder to post, subscribe to our yahoogroup

This week I wrote about the Liturgy of the Hours and then reviewed Magnificat, a monthly publication that includes prayers from the Liturgy of the Hours as well as the mass readings. Free sample copies are available. I gave qualified approval to a children's Bible story book. If you are looking for a light read with a strong pro-life message, check out my review of Deborah Bedford's If I Had You.

1. Renee 2. Evann @ Homeschool Goodies 3. Elena@My Domestic Church (pregnancy resources) 4. Karin@Daughter of the King 5. Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

6. Colleen 7. womanatwell 8. Loren Christie 9. Loren Christie 10. David Marciniak

11. Gabriella 12. Luuk Dominiek OP 13. Dymphna

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2010 Book Reviews

I'm going to keep a running list of books I review in 2010, along with some very short comments about each.

1. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox Mass-Market fiction.  Clean.  Grade:  C.  Review.
   
2. Clouds (Glenbrooke, Book 5) Christian Fiction. Moderately religious.  Grade B-.  Review.
   
3. Prospect Street Mass Market fiction.  Sex scenes, but not real vivid.  What happens to the family when a middle-aged conservative policy wonk leaves the family for a homosexual lover?  Grade:  B-  Review.
   
4. Gentle Touch (Portraits Series #7) Pretty much a formula Christian romance about an oncology nurse who gets cancer and her boss/doctor.  Faith elements get pretty strong at times.  Grade B-.  My Review.
   
5. Plain Jayne (Plain and Simple) Cute Amish romance novel.  She is a newspaper reporter.  He is the son of Amish parents but has left the church.  Grade B-  Review to be published 2/25.
   
6. Becoming Lucy (Winds Across the Prairie) A wealthy society girl from Boston loses her parents and has to move west with relatives.  Being a good sweet Christian, she goes without complaint and through her goodness coverts the guy she falls for early on.  Overly sweet, sappy, too good to be true Christian fiction.  Grade D-.
   
7. Songbird The story of an abandoned child who grows up to be a famous Christian singer.  I love Samson's writing, and this is a story about how grace can help us when we are in pain, but not a story of faith curing all ills of this world.  Grade:  B+.  My review.
   
8.  A sweet feel-good rather predicable story of a woman trying to solve a mystery brought forth by a newspaper clipping found in the church basement.  Grade:  B-.  My review.
9. My Lady DNF page 42.  Badly written Christian romance.  Grade:  F.  My Review.
   
10. A Black Tie Affair.  A fun mass-market romance in which the toxins from a vintage dress re-ignite an old flame.  Moderate bedroom scenes, quick pacing.  Grade:  B  Review.
    
11. Jenna's Cowboy: A Novel (The Callahans of Texas) A well-written Christian romance about two high school sweethearts who have both suffered since that time.  Grade B+  My review.
    
12. Cougar Club: A Novel Three high school chums, now in their forties, reunite and deal with the changes in their lives. Mass Market fiction,  Grade B-.  My review.
    
13. Prevailing Love: 3-in-1 Collection: Sealed With a Kiss, the Wedding Wish, Montana Sky Three overly sweet, Scripture quoting Christian romances. Grade D+ .  My review.
    
14. Spring Breakdown (Carter House Girls) Christian YA about teen girls who go to Florida for Spring Break.  Unfortunately no adult really takes charge.  Grade:  C  My Review.
15. Katy's New World (Katy Lambright Series, The) An Old-Order Mennonite girl attends a modern American public high school  Grade:  B-  My Review
16. Knight of Pleasure (All the King's Men) Mass market romance, a fun read but nothing that you woudn't expect just looking at the cover.  Grade:  B-
17. Only You (Steeple Hill Women's Fiction #49) Christian romance in the mold of one of them needs to find God before they can live happily ever after.  Not one of Bedford's better books.  DNF half way through.  Grade D.
18. Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes (Sisterchicks Series #8) Part travelogue, part girlfriend chat.  A forty-something woman gets an abnormal mammogram and runs away to Holland to visit a long-time pen-pal.  Grade B-
    
19. Love Your Heart A charming children's story about a father's love for his daughter and her compassion toward others.  Grade B+.  My review.
    
20. Nelson's Complete Book of BIble Maps and Charts, 3rd Edition Great resource for Bible study.  Great historical and geographic background.  Lacks the Deuterocanonical books.  Grade A-.  My review.
    
21. Embrace Me A terrific Christian novel about pain, sorrow and reconciliation.  Great treatment of Catholicism.  Grade A.  My review.
    
22. Swinging on a Star: A Novel (Weddings by Bella) Christian romantic comedy.  Not badly written, just not my thing.  Grade D.  My review.
    
23.  Cowboy & Wills: A Love Story A charming memoir about an autistic boy and his dog.  Grade:  A.  My review.
    
24. A Kiss for Cade (The Western Sky Series) Christian romance, but more clean than Christian.  My review.  Grade B+
    
25. The Courtship of Cade Kolby (Avon Romantic Treasure) Mass market western romance.  My review.  Grade B+
    
26. Breakfast in Bed Mass-market contemporary romance.  She and he have both sub-let the same apartment from two different people.  Neither has anyplace else to go for a few weeks, so they end up sharing.  Language is on the crude side, story is kind of cute.  Grade:  B-
27. Disaster Status (Mercy Hospital, Book 2) is a Christian hospital romance, long on romance, short on Christian. Grade B+.  My Review: 
28. Scattered Petals: A Novel (Texas Dreams) Christian romance set in the Texas Hill Country.  The female lead is raped at the beginning of the book, and this, of course, colors her relationship with the male lead.  Not a bad story, but religion is poured on a little heavily.  B-
29. Wicked Intentions (Maiden Lane) Mass-Market romance set in London.  She is the owner of an orphanage that takes in children from the St. Giles area (kind of a red-light district).  He is a duke who is pained by human touch.  He meets her when hunting the St. Giles area for the killer of his mistress.  Neither feels worthy of love.  Good Story. Vivid bedroom scenes, including bondage.  Grade B
30. Promise of Morning, The (At Home in Beldon Grove) Christian romance, heavy on the religion, about the wife of a small-town minister in Illinois in the 1840's.  B-
31. Montana Legacy Mass-market romance about one of three cousins who inherit their grandfather's ranch, and his quest for buried treasure.  Grade B+
32. Montana Destiny Mass-market romance about second of the three cousins.  Moderate bedroom scenes.
33. Is there a monster over there?  Cute children's book  A little girl is afraid of monsters until one day she wonders if maybe the monster is afraid of her.  Grade:  B-
34. Miracle in Sumatra: The Story of Gutsy Gus Politically correct anti-hunting anti-rainforest destruction book about a family of orangutans and some humans.  Grade C
35. Just Like You: Beautiful Babies Around the World Charming children's book showing babies all around the world born on the same day.  All of them have moms who hug them, count their fingers and toes, and sing lullabies.  Each on has a family who celebrates his/her arrival.  Grade B+
36.  The story of Garret, who we met in Haymore's first book, a Hint of Wicked, which I reviewed last  year.  In a nutshell, he goes looking for the guy who eloped with his sister, and falls in love with his enemy's sister.  There is more to the story than that, but it is a romance, and it does have steamy scenes.  The book was part of a pack Anna B at Hatchette sent me for providing interview questions.  Grade B
    
37. The Clouds Roll Away (Raleigh Harmon) A Christian detective novel.  Beautiful writing.  Grade A-. My review.
38.