Claudia, wife of Pontius Pilate

I seem to be on a Biblical fiction kick...:) Anyway, about the story.
Claudia grew up exiled from Rome due to her mother's many marriages and affairs. Once her Grandfather dies, as the Emperor's granddaughter, Claudia is sent to Rome, a place full of intrigue and malice. When it is arranged for her to marry Lucius Pontius Pilate, she is more than happy to leave Rome behind for unstable Judea. But, when she is plagued with dreams of a rabbi, she finds herself at a point where she must choose if it is worth it to risk all to follow Jesus.
I thought, over all, that this book was excellent. The author did a great job researching the story and bringing it to life. If you enjoy the "what if's" about fiction set in Biblical times, then you will enjoy this book!

Murder Simply Brewed

When the manager of the coffee shop in the quiet Amish Village getaway dies of a heart attack, the police think nothing of it. But, when vandalism starts showing up and a mystery game is started to figure out what really happened to Ethan Gray, then Amber Wright joins forces with the young Amish woman to uncover what really happened to Ethan.
I liked that this story was told from several perspectives and that a lot goes on with the story, both with the mystery and with Amber and Hannah's personal lives. I'm excited to see that this is the start of a series!
Check out the author's giveaway on her blog.:)

My Time with Grandma Bible Storybook

I thought this book was so cute! Filled with short stories out of the Bible, with accompanying thoughts from Grandma and scripture verses for kids to memories. Each turn of the page reveals another story, either from the Old or New Testament, for one to enjoy time and again with Grandma or your Grandkids. I loved the illustrations in this book! They were so cute and whimsical. I think this book makes a wonderful addition to a young child's library.

Still Life in Shadows

At fifteen, Gideon Miller left his sleepy Amish town and oppressive father behind. Working in a car garage over a decade later, he has earned the title of  the "Getaway Savior" for other Amish teens wanting to escape their old fashioned life style. But, when his brother shows up on Gideon's doorstep, his past comes back in full force and Gideon is forced to turn to the true Savior.
I was really excited about this book, and found that it wasn't what I expected. I thought that the characters were all a bit childlike and hard to relate with. I realize that there are troubles with the Amish way of life, but I thought that things didn't need to so black and white about all Amish. It would be like saying that all homeschooling families produce males who are patriarchal. While there are problems with that, not all are like that. So, I would only give this book a 3 out of 5.

Eyes Wide Open

From the back:

Who am I? 

My name is Christy Snow. I’m seventeen and I’m about to die.

I’m buried in a coffin under tons of concrete. No one knows where I am. My heart sounds like a monster with clobber feet, running straight toward me. I’m lying on my back, soaked with sweat from the hair on my head to the soles of my feet. My hands and feet won’t stop shaking.

Some will say that I m not really here. Some will say I’m delusional. Some will say that I don t even exist. But who are they? I’m the one buried in a grave. \

My name is Christy Snow. I’m seventeen. I’m about to die.

So who are you? 

This novel is a page turner from the very beginning! I couldn't put it down as I followed the story of two kids, stuck in an interesting predicament. As the story of Christy and her friend, Austin, unfold, you will be reading as fast as you can to get to the bottom of the story. I loved the fast pace of this book, but was a bit disappointed with some of it towards the end. I shall leave it at that, since I don't want to give away anything. I did think that it was well written and interesting though.

10 Days Without

It all started with the germ of an idea, what would happen if you went without shoes for ten days? From there, the fight against apathy went to ten days without a coat to raise awareness for those who don't have coats, to not speak for ten days in order to give a voice to children caught in the sex trade. It goes from there. It's a call to act out our faith and think of ways to go ten days without and put our faith into action.
I thought that this was a powerful little book that encourages Christians to put actions behind our words, so that the world can see Christ. Two thumbs up!

Wildwood Creek

When Allie Kirkland has the chance to intern with a docudrama over the summer, she gets more than she bargained for. As she uncovers more about the mysterious 1860's village of Wildwood, she feels the need to defend Bonnie Rose, a young woman who was blamed for the strange happenings.
I felt kind of torn about this book. While it was fascinating and I had a hard time putting it down, there were elements that I didn't like, since the villains were truly horrid and a bit blood thirsty. I still enjoy Lisa Wingate's style; she can paint quite a picture with just a few paragraphs!