Garden of Madness

When King Nebuchadnezzar goes mad, his family is left to run the kingdom and keep usurpers from the throne.
Tiamut, the King's daughter has waited for seven long years to see her father restored in health and mind. She is the only one in her family who makes an effort to reach out to the King, working to try to bring him back.
When one of the King's advisers is found dead in the garden, Tiamut works to find out the truth. Could the death of her husband be connected to the murder in the garden?
This is an excellent story of light conquering the darkness, a call to come out of Babylon. I love that the author uses the Jewish character, Pedaiah, to remind us that we are all "children of chaos" who have been saved from a life of sin through Christ Jesus. His struggle to not be polluted by the culture he is exiled in is admirable, but he has to learn a lesson that most of us need to: that all are sinners and yet loved by God. If you like reading about Spiritual warfare, this is the book for you. The story is a rich historical novel about the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and his Hanging Gardens.

Crater by Homer Hickam

Imagine a colony on the moon where cats are a legend, the sound of rain on a roof a mystery, and all the food originally made in a lab.
Welcome to Moontown, a colony pioneered on the moon to processes Helium 3 for war torn Earth to survive.
Crater Trueblood is an orphan boy who is happy-go-lucky and doesn't aspire to do anything greater than work in the mines, as his friend, Petro, does. But, when the two save the day at the mine, Crater is introduced to the Colonel (who runs the mine) and is sent on a mission to obtain a mysterious package.
The story was a bit hard to get into at first, since it seems like some things one is just expected to know. I don't know if that is because one is suppose to have read other books by the author or if its because some things are suppose to be common knowledge to Science Fiction fans. Whatever the cause, it took me a bit to get into the story. Once I made it through the first bit, I enjoyed the adventure that Crater, Petro, and Maria go on. The author created an interesting world, though I felt like his description of what happened on Earth to make the situation on the Moon necessary was a bit lacking. It would of been nice if he had either gone into that story a bit or jut totally left it alone, rather than hinting at something having happened on Earth.
I think this book would be especially perfect for teens who enjoy Science Fiction or Fantasy.
Reviewed for booksneeze.com

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

Charlotte Malone didn't intend to stumble into an adventure when she accidentally attends an auction and buys a mysterious trunk from 1912 that was welded shut by the owner. When she opens the trunk and discovers a perfectly preserved wedding dress, she sets out to discover the story behind the dress. On her journey, her world is turned upside down only to be righted and put together in a more glorious way than human minds could concoct. Charlotte's journey brings her closer to the God she committed her life to when she was a teen and knits her into the family she never had.

I loved this book, since it had so many unexpected twists in it. This isn't a book that you crack open and instantly know what is going to happen. The story is quite unique, reminding us that the Bridegroom is Christ and that the church will be His bride. How there are times when we aren't sure what the ending will be, but can trust that God has our best interest at heart. Charlotte shows us that we all have to trust a little more and that love is worth it, even if it means opening ourselves up to be hurt. Everyone wants to have a loving family. Rachel Hauck reminds readers that there is a Father that will love you no matter what.

Stand By Me

Kat Davies is a new Christian on fire for the Lord, wanting to make a difference in the world around her. When her family disowns her due to her new faith leading her in another direction then the one they had planned for her, Kat forms a group of friends who become like family. When they start attending the SouledOut church, where they meet Avis Douglass, Kat is immediately drawn to this strong woman of the faith. But, Avis and her family are going through a rough time and Avis doesn't always feel like reaching out to her new neighbors.

I thought this book was a wonderful example of how vital it is to have new converts in the church, with their zeal and passion. How sometimes we can get wrapped up in our own lives and almost miss the opportunities the Lord gives us to reach out to those who are hurting around us. I haven't read the books in the Yada Yada Prayer Group series, but I still enjoyed this one, since it stands alone well. I would highly recommend it to both those who are fans of Neta Jackson's novels and those who haven't been introduced yet. I like series that can be read out of sequence, like this one.

Beauty for Ashes

Carrie Daly is a young woman left widowed by the Civil War. When Griff Rutledge blows into town, she is instantly enamored by the mysterious man even though she is keeping company with another. When things don't turn out as she planned, Carrie is left wondering what the Lord could have in store for her life. It is only through surrender that she finds peace and joy, realizing that the secret to a happy life is to want the one you have.

This book is the second in the Hickory Ridge series, so I would recommend that you read the first book before starting this one. While "Beauty for Ashes" can stand alone, I would imagine reading them in order explains more about some of the secondary characters and even more about Carrie. That said, I still enjoyed the story. It had just enough twists to be interesting and not over done. The story being set in a sort of depression in the 1870's, so it is something that a lot of us can relate to today. Even though times are tough, the message of the story is one of hope, which is a good reminder for us.
Reviewed for booksneeze.com

The House on the Corner

This novel begins with a young boy names Chester who is unwittingly sent on an adventure. Things start out in a normal fashion, with the young Chester spending a boring Saturday trying to keep from cleaning the hall bathroom, his least favorite job of all that is reserved for when he looks bored.
So, Chester is excited when his mother sends him on an errand to his uncle's house just down the road. Once there, Chester is swept into an adventure beyond his wildest imagination, one filled with sea creatures, mind control, code names, and interesting characters. Even though Chester doesn't travel to a mythical place or dream up the whole story, this book reminded me of the Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland. Its a bit dis-jointed and random, kind of like a book version of Napoleon Dynamite. I didn't particularly care for the story, though the ending was a lot better than I thought it would be, but I can see that a teen would enjoy the story. I would recommend it if you like random tales, but not if you are looking for a futuristic style novel that deals with a controlling society, since this would not qualify as that sort of genre.
I can see this author perhaps being one to watch once his stories are a bit more focused, since I think this story has potential.

Reviewed for Book Sneeze.

Then Sings My Soul, book 3

Then Sings My Soul book three by Robert J. Morgan is the final book in the hymn trilogy. Having not read the previous two, I cannot compare this one to the former two. For the most part, the book can stand alone (outside of the occasional comment to look for the rest of the story in one of the other two) and is a excellent weekend read. I didn't think it would be a good book to read through, but I found I was wrong, since it starts out as an overview of the history of hymns, going from Biblical hymns through Contemporary Christian.
From there, the author goes through some of the history of different hymns through the ages. As a pianist, I like that the music to the hymns is included with the background on it. It was nice to not have to go find a hymnal and look up a hymn.:D
There is also six stories that the author considers his favorites, which I enjoyed immensely.
I think this book is perfect for pretty much any bookcase! It would be helpful for musicians, members, and the general public who would like to have a place to go for background on well loved hymns.

Reviewed for Book Sneeze.

Beyond Molasses Creek

When Ally Green's father passes on and leaves her the home she grew up in on Molasses Creek, Ally retires from her globe trotting and decides to give living in one place a chance. With her returning to her childhood home, memories resurface of growing up during the Civil Rights Movement. Now that things have changed for the better in her home town, she feels that she can once again be friends with Vesey Washington, the boy from the other side of the river.

Poetic and poignant, I was quickly swept into this well written novel. The characters are well written, with plenty of back story to breath life into them. Not only is this a story of the Civil Rights movement, but it is also the tale of a young woman growing up in Nepal who grows up in the Dalit (untouchable) caste. Sunila must work for a stone carver to pay a "debt" her parents incurred, showing the injustice of child labor in third world countries (something that needs to be brought to our attention). The stories tie together to tell a tale of forgiveness and hope in the midst of suffering.

I couldn't put this book down! I highly recommend it and will be looking to read more books by this author.

Invasion by Jon Lewis

There is more to world than meets the eye. Colt McAlister finds out just how much is going on in the world around him when his parents are killed in a car accident by a drunk driver who wasn't really drunk. Thrown into a world of comic book hero's and alien invasions, Colt must learn to trust his family and friends to help him pull through. Invasion is the first in the C.H.A.O.S. (Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural) series.

I think this book fills a huge need for Christian young adult fiction. This story is kind of Science Fiction, but not to out that there someone like myself (who isn't really into the genre) could enjoy the story line. There is more going on that just aliens. Colt must get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding his parents death, so he starts training and learns what he can about the other planets.

The concept of comic books actually being more like a history book is bound to thrill readers. I enjoyed the drawings of some of the different characters at the end of the book.:D Invasion is a must for young Sci-Fi fans!

First Date by Krista McGee

Addy Davison is to busy living her scheduled life and preparing for college to live life spontaneously. When her name is submitted for a new reality TV show to win a prom date with the President's son, Addy's world it turned upside down. She must learn to deal with mean girls, people who hate her faith, and the press. Through it all, Addy learns to live out her faith.

Based loosely on the story of Esther, I found this book to be the perfect read during a vacation from school! Its a bit predictable, but well written. The story has a positive message to it. I like that there was more depth to the story, since there are some excerpts of her mom's missionary journal. Authors write the best about what they know, and this author knows both mission work and high schoolers.

I did find it a bit unbelievable that everyone, including the President, kept up with the "First Son" and his love life, but perhaps that is because I'm not into that sort of things as an adult.;) I don't keep up with the Obama girls.:) Fiction is suppose to be somewhat unbelievable, and this was such a minor deal. I give First Date two thumbs up and look forward to the sequel!

The Grace Effect

"The keystone that sits atop the grand archway of authentic Christianity is grace"
Larry Alex Taunton

When author Larry Alex Taunton has a friendly debates about the concept of God and religion with renowned Christopher Hitchens (author of God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything) and John Lennox (Oxford mathematician and fellow Christian), Taunton throws out the idea of "common grace": the thought that when there is a Christian influence in the culture, it will bring benefits to the whole of that society. Little did he know that life was about to show him just how true "common grace" really is.

Some time after the debate, the author and his family travel to Ukraine to start the process of adopting a ten year old girl names Sasha. While there, the Taunton family sees the effects of Communism and the lack of Christianity through the corruption of a country that has been without religion for generations.

With the recent events of Occupy Wall street, Taunton's thoughts on socialism/communism are even closer to home. Socialism is merely the start of Communism, and Communism cannot abide with Christianity because it takes the place of religion by putting the state in place of God. I appreciated his thoughts on Socialism, having just covered the basics of it in Modern Civilization. Taunton backs up his thoughts with quotes from our own presidents, which I found interesting.

When I received this book, I wasn't so sure that it would live up to my expectations. Boy, was I wrong! The author does a wonderful job of addressing the arguments of the New Atheist and backing them up his own opinions. Even if you don't agree with Christianity, I think that this is a wonderful book to check out, just so you know where Christians are coming from. I appreciate that the author didn't bash Ukraine, even though I am sure he found parts of it infuriating. He also didn't bash atheism. I think it helps that he was a good friend of Hitchens.

All in all, I give this book a five. It was insightful and written in layman terms, so even though some of the material is incredibly thought provoking, it isn't difficult to follow along.

Reviewed for booksneeze.com