Covenant Child by Terri Blackstock

A masterfully written retelling of the story of the Prodigal Son told through the eyes of the prodigal child.
When Amanda meets Jack, a quirky widower with an adorable set of red hear twins, she figures that her life is complete. Little does she know that their paradise will soon change and that the everything she holds dear will be ripped from her hands. Through it all, she must learn to trust in the Lord and the message He gives her through Scripture.
Raised by their grandparents, who squander the money given to them to raise the girls, Kara and Lizzie grow up feeling like worthless trash. When they find out the truth about who they are and the inheritance that is theirs, the girls have a choice to make. Continue to live in the life their grandparents has taught them or to make something of themselves.
I thought this was beautifully written, though the ending was a bit abrupt. The way the story is written from Kara's perspective keeps you engrossed and on the edge of your seat. This story will tug at your heart strings and make you look more compassionately on those around you who seem not to make the best decisions, since it reminds one that you don't know what a person's walk has been like. Only God can see the heart and change it.
I give this novel a four and a half out of five.

Need You Now by Beth Wiseman

Brad and Darlene Henderson are wanting a slower pace for their family, moving them from the big city of Houston to the small town of Round Top, Texas so they can restore the house that Darlene's grandparents owned. It doesn't hurt that they will be getting their oldest away from the negative influences at school.
The change of pace winds up being tough on their middle child, Grace, who puts up a front so the world will keep thinking she is the perfect daughter when she really has some horrible addictions. When she makes an unusual friend, her family realizes that they are just as guilty as anyone else at judging a book by its cover.
I couldn't put this book down! This novel is a bit unpredictable (which I consider to be a good thing!), since there is a lot going on with this family. I like that everything comes to a conclusion at the end, without making it feel trite. The story has several themes, one of the most prevalent being the need to have a person relationship with God so you have someone to lean on when the hard times come, because come they will.

Heart of Gold by Robin Lee Hatcher

It's the year 1864 and the nation is torn apart by the Civil War. Shannon Adair is a young Southern belle who's minister father feels the Lord calling them to move to Idaho territory to pastor a recently built church in one of the many towns that sprung up due to the gold rush. Even though the South is no longer what it once was, moving to the West is a drastic change to the life of balls and beaus that Shannon lead before the war. When she meets Matthew Dubois, she instantly takes a disliking to him since he hasn't chosen a side with the war. But, Shannon and Matthew soon learn to depend on one another when his sister comes to town ill and Shannon offers to be a nurse for her.

While not incredibly unpredictable, this is a great story of love, judging someone from your first impression, and learning that God really does have our best interest at heart even though that road might be painful at times and takes us out of our comfort zone.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a well written Christian story with sound morals and a good message. I appreciated that the author shares what she went through herself during the writing of the story, which helped bring the book to life. I hope there will be a sequel!