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Category: Christian Literature & Fiction

Blog Tour & Kindle Giveaway: Licensed for Trouble by Susan May Warren

[ 2 ] August 26, 2010

Welcome to the blog tour for the third book in Susan May Warren’s PJ Sugar series, Licensed for Trouble!

Visit Susan at her website or at www.MyBookTherapy.com, a service she founded to help authors discover their voice. A complete blog tour schedule can be found here.

Reviewed by Vera (Luxury Reading)

Fresh from getting kicked out of her sister’s house in Double Trouble, PJ Sugar is living on her boss Jeremy Kane’s, couch and wondering whether he’ll ever mention their kiss, or kiss her again for that matter. Jeremy will not give her serious cases without a PI license (or so he says), so PJ is stuck chasing bail breakers and winding up in all sorts of embarassing photos in the local newspaper.

As PJ begins to reconsider her living situation, she receives the surprising news that she has inherited the Kellogg mansion. PJ has never had any connection to the wealthy Kelloggs – besides gawking at their house as a child – and is unsure why the late Agatha Kellogg made her the sole benefactor of the fortune. As PJ moves in, she finds the mansion in an utter state of disrepair and cloaked in the unsolved murder mystery of Agatha’s daughter. Adding to the unknowns, Max Smith, a man suffering from amnesia, shows up at her doorstep offering handyman services in exchange for PJ’s assistance in uncovering his true identity.

Licensed for Trouble is a worthy sequel to Double Trouble and Susan May Warren once again did a great job at combining a somewhat dark mystery with humor, making this book very fun and lighthearted. Licensed for Trouble is technically Christian literature, but the references to religion are so few and far in between that they do not take over the story line. At times, I felt that there were too many loose strings and that there was no way Warren could bring them together in a satisfactory way. However, she did just that and somehow everything tied together and made perfect sense in the end. Three books into the series, PJ Sugar is still a delightful character and I look forward to future installments.

Check out our review of Double Trouble!

Enter PJ Sugar’s “Sweet” Giveaway

Enter PJ Sugar's

Licensed for Trouble, Susan’s brand new PJ Sugar novel, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, we’re giving away a Kindle!! You can enter using Twitter, Facebook, or e-mail using the icons below.

One Grand Prize winner will receive a A SWEET Kindle prize package that includes:

A brand new Kindle (Free 3G, 6”, Latest Generation)

The entire PJ Sugar series by Susan May Warren

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest.

Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on September 2nd.

Be sure to check out the blog tour here or purchase a copy of Licensed for Trouble here!

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"A Slow Burn" by Mary E. DeMuth

[ 7 ] May 23, 2010

Reviewed by Dave N.

Emory Chance is engulfed by conflict. In Mary E. DeMuth’s A Slow Burn, the story begins just as Chance, a single mother, encounters the truth about her abducted and slain daughter, Daisy.

Daisy had been missing for weeks, a victim of kidnapping, and also her mother’s neglect. We find out little about the facts of Daisy’s disappearance, and know less about the struggle for her young life. Instead, it is Chance doing the fighting. She’s a cold and confused individual, ruined by a careless mother long before she struggled with motherhood herself. She is only one of DeMuth’s compelling narrators though. Her counterpart, in both plot and narration, is a black man named Hixon Jones.

As the narration changes from one life to the other, at its best when Jones’ and Chance’s presence overlap, there emerges a deep connection between them, from the reader’s vantage point. And as the story goes on, we realize the two fit together, as if pieces in a jigsaw puzzle.

Jones, a black man in Texas in the 1970’s, also has an unenviable past. A victim of abandonment and racism, he’s even had a brush with suicide. That is his past, though, and throughout valiant actions in the book, Jones is shown to be redeemed. That’s in no small part thanks to his devout religious beliefs. It’s the very redemption Jones found that Chance is lacking.

As the story expands, DeMuth brings the reader to terms with the single mother’s flaws. In her addictions, we feel her need to escape a tormented existence. In pointed memories lie the effects of full-force regret for being as bad a mother to Daisy as her mother was to her. All her relationships are strained and on the verge of cracking. At the time when she needs others the most, Chance is pushing away. She’s even pushing away from Jones, who through divine intervention, takes up the task of endlessly courting her.

A Slow Burn is full of hope and powerful religious symbolism. DeMuth’s choice of two opposing, yet intricately linked narrators makes their meanings even more succinct. In the face of death and doubt, the storyline rings with the redemption of the battered and broken.

The story encourages, offering a beacon for change. As the plot begins to shift to its conclusion, the way becomes clearer. Chance’s path was never brighter lit than when she forgave, not only those around her, but herself.

DeMuth does a fantastic job of planting the story’s seed in the reality we all live in, harsh, but not without comfort.

Dave is a writer, songwriter and journalist from Cleveland, Ohio. He spends his work days working and the rest of his time being as creative as possible.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Zondervan. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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“Between Two Kingdoms” by Joe Boyd

[ 2 ] May 5, 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer J.

There is a land of two kingdoms, one ruled by the Good Prince and his father the Great King, and the other by the Dark Prince. In the kingdom of the Great King, everyone is eternally seven and lives on chocolate chip cookies for breakfast and mint chocolate chip ice cream for dinner. The children of this Great King spend their days knowing they are loved by their prince and their mighty king. But there is sadness beyond the gate that separates the Upper Kingdom from the Lower Kingdom, and people that grow old and know sorrow and pain.

Tommy, a resident of the Upper Kingdom, is the reluctant leader who will descend into the Lower Kingdom. Armed with love and the gift of Humility, Tommy will let those who despair in the Lower Kingdom know of the love and forgiveness his prince and king have to offer. Tommy and his friends must learn to work together and trust in each other as well as the Good Prince and the Great King, or those in the Lower Kingdom will have even more to lose. In a showdown with the Dark Prince, Tommy and his friends will have to resist his seductive charms to conquer the ultimate evil.

Between Two Kingdoms just might be 2010′s The Shack. On the surface it is a fantastical adventure tale complete with magic, all powerful God-like beings, immortality, and even swords. But if one looks a little deeper, he or she will see that this story is also a Christian allegory thick with symbolism and metaphors. Some of the symbols are easy to decipher, such as the Good Prince (Jesus Christ), the Good King (God), and the River (Holy Spirit). Other meanings are not as easy to unravel, such as the Dark Prince. My first instinct is that the Dark Prince is Satan, but when his true name of “Adam” is revealed and he later says, “All I want is to be free. To be left alone. Please give me one more chance. I know I can do it this time…” I immediately thought of Adam the First Man and his failure to heed God’s warning about the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Could the Dark Prince be the Adam from Genesis, or was he Satan? Is Boyd trying to say that Adam and Satan are the same?

Between Two Kingdoms is a book that a church book club or a youth group might find great value in reading together. Someone who is just learning about Christianity might have some difficulty in understanding and deciphering the message, but at the same time it could be a valuable introduction to believing and trusting in God and the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

This book was provided free of any obligation by FSB Associates. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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"Lineage of Grace" by Francine Rivers

[ 5 ] April 23, 2010

Reviewed by Amanda S.

Lineage of Grace follows Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary through their lives as they are each intricately woven into the Lineage of Christ. 

The story of Tamar is one of a woman betrayed, yet a woman determined to do what is right in the eyes of God. Rahab, a harlot, shows that no matter the sin, God can still do wonderful things in each of our lives. Ruth is an example of a love story of epic proportion. We see the love given from daughter-in-law to mother-in-law, but we also see the love shown from a man to a woman as Ruth takes her rightful place as the wife of Boaz. With Bathsheba, we again see how God can turn a sin into something that is for His glory, if only the participants are willing. And finally, with Mary, we get an interpretive look into the live of Jesus’ mother and the struggles she went through watching her son, whom she knew to be the Christ, grow up and be rejected by a world that was supposedly waiting for his arrival. 

Lineage of Grace is a compilation of five separate books written by Francine Rivers several years ago. Each book (then called Unveiled, Unashamed, Unshaken, Unspoken, and Unafraid) included a section at the end called “Seek and Find” where the reader could take a deeper look at the Scriptures pertaining to each story. There were questions to consider and ideas to ponder in order to gain a better understanding of the story itself, but also of how the story and the Scriptures might apply to the reader’s spiritual life. Thankfully, the “Seek and Find” sections are included in this new publication as well! 

Granted, each book is a fictional expansion of what the Bible gives to us, with Rivers using her imagination to add details. But the details added are historically accurate and do not take away from the basic story told within the Scripture. Rivers simply takes the verses from the Bible and puts the story into ‘real life’ for the reader to gain a better understanding of what it might have been like to actually live that life.

I read this set of books when they first came out and loved them, but I gained new meaning and learned different things reading them again. They are easy to read and are the kind of book a person could read every few years and gain something new from them each time. Francine Rivers did an excellent job in her research for these books and in writing them. I look forward to reading her other series based on men of the Bible called Sons of Encouragement.

Amanda lives in Missouri with her engineering husband and two boys. In between homeschooling and keeping up with church activities she loves to read Christian Fiction, Women’s Fiction, and any Chick-Lit. She never goes anywhere without a book to read!

This book was provided free of any obligation by Tyndale House Publishers. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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"The Silent Governess" by Julie Klassen

[ 0 ] April 4, 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer J.

Believing herself guilty of a crime punishable by death, Olivia Keene is forced to flee the only home she has ever known. At her mother’s bequest, she heads for St. Aldywns, where she may be given sanctuary. Olivia’s plans are put on hold when she is caught trespassing on a wealthy family’s grounds and overhears a long kept family secret that could bring Lord Bradley to ruins. Desperate to keep the truth buried, Edward Bradley keeps her under his watchful eye as first an under nurse and then a governess for his niece and nephew. Although Edward Bradley thinks Olivia is hiding a secret of her own, he cannot help his growing attraction to her. His suspicions reach their peak when his father, the Earl of Brightwell, takes an unusual interest in the mysterious governess.

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen is an intriguing tale of familial secrets, romance, and class systems in the 19th century. Klassen’s writing style flows easily, but has little of the elegance and formality in language found in similar works by Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte. Much of the dialogue seemed very modern, and not what one would expect for characters living in the 19th century. 

Klassen masterfully created a believable and tension-filled romance between Edward Bradley and Olivia Keene. Though she keeps his shameful secret, he still has reason to distrust her. Despite his hot and cold treatment of her, Olivia finds herself falling in love with Edward. Even if there were no secrets between them, they are both of different classes: Edward is the heir to Brightwell Court, and Olivia is little more than a servant.

To write from the perspective of a 19th century governess, Klassen had to do a lot of research. At the beginning of each chapter, Klassen shares with readers some of the interesting tidbits regarding the expectations of a governess and the lifestyle one would lead. Though a governess is in a servitude position like maids, housekeepers, and nurses, she is expected to remain distant from the other servants: “A governess must possess good sense enough not to intrude on domestic privacy. And she must, of course, not make herself too familiar with the domestic servants (excerpt from The Complete Servant by Samuel and Sarah Adams).” It is these historical facts weaved in with Klassen’s fiction that made this a truly enjoyable story. 

The Silent Governess is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, 19th century customs, and clean romance.

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Bethany House. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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"Burn" by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy

[ 0 ] April 3, 2010

Reviewed by Krista C.

Burn, by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy, is fast paced and action packed with a touch of the supernatural thrown in to heighten the suspense. Although the book is classified as Christian Suspense, I was surprised to find that the Christian precept didn’t appear until about halfway through the book.

Jeneal Mikkado, is a 17 year-old member of a gypsy ‘kumpania’ (community). She is thrust in the middle of a struggle between her father, the leader of the camp, and a drug kingpin, Salazar Sanso. A fire breaks out at the camp when Sanso confronts her father about his double dealing with the DEA. Jeneal is forced to make a wrenching decision in the midst of scenes of a violent massacre. Everyone is led to believe that there are no survivors of the night’s violence.

Fast forward fifteen years. Jeneal built a new life for herself under an assumed name using money she wrested from Sanso the night of the inferno. But she hasn’t found peace in the ensuing years. She is thrown back into chaos when Robert, the boyfriend she thought had perished in the fire, captures Sanso during a DEA bust. Without giving away all the plot twists, from here on out it is a fast and bumpy ride for everyone involved.

Evil, in the form of Sanso, is drawn with a heavy hand. He’s a character with no redeeming qualities. Jeneal struggles with her ongoing attraction to him when they meet again after his arrest. Ultimately, she’s given a chance to make a different decision than the one she made on the night of the massacre. Will she choose the dark or the light this time?

The storyline in Burn was engaging and kept my interest throughout. However, I wish the story wasn’t drawn so starkly in black and white, or evil versus good. I believe that for most people the choice would be easy if the only options presented were good or evil. It’s those gray areas in between that are harder to sort out.

Krista lives just outside the urban sprawl of Portland, Oregon.  Lamentably, her work as a technical writer and business analyst often interferes with her reading which is a true passion.  

This book was provided free of any obligation by Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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"Double Cross" by James David Jordan

[ 0 ] March 22, 2010

Reviewed by Tony P.


Taylor Pasbury is looking into the death of Elise, the assistant to the famous televangelist Simon Mason. The evidence seems to point towards suicide and embezzlement of church funds, but Taylor doesn’t think it has been looked into enough; something isn’t right. Suddenly bullets start flying and Taylor appears to be the target. At the same time, her estranged mother appears and wants to be back in her life. Can Taylor deal with the case and the emotional rollercoaster her mother is sure to put her through?

Double Cross starts off really slow, but picks up as it goes on. I wouldn’t call it gripping, but it was interesting enough to keep me reading. The case was different from most cases you see in mysteries, which was good to see as the same-old-same-old can get boring. Taylor Pasbury is a great character with an unusual depth. She has a tough exterior and a gentle, sensitive inside.
The plot was good, but I would have liked to have seen the storyline carry on at a faster pace –keeping the reader in suspense is very important. I loved the ending as I wasn’t sure just how it was going to play out, so it came as a bit of a surprise. The setting was nicely painted so that I could actually picture it in my head. Overall, Double Cross was well-written and I would be interested in seeing what else James David Jordan can come up with.

I recommend Double Cross to mystery fans.

For more information, please visit James David Jordan’s website.

Tony Peters lives in Saskatchewan Canada and is a published author of a children’s mystery called, Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidanpping. For more of his reviews, check out his website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

This book was provided free of any obligation by B&H Publishing Group. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.
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"The Lumby Lines" by Gail Fraser

[ 5 ] February 25, 2010

Reviewed by Poppy J.

Gail Fraser’s The Lumby Lines is a warm story about acceptance and tolerance in a small Northwestern community. The Lumby Lines is actually the name of a town newspaper, and it highlights the latest gossip and news in the small town of Lumby. A married couple, Mark and Pam Walker decide to leave the city life and move to Lumby, where they find and fall in love with a property that used to be an old Abbey. The Montis Abbey was a monastery in 1893, but has since gone to disrepair. Pam has plans to restore the property to make it into an inn, and her husband Mark agrees with the plan.

 Unfortunately, the town is not as accepting of the couple’s intentions. The Lumby Lines begins publishing gossip and news that the proposed inn will not be good for the town, in an effort to turn the residents against the couple. The town government is sharply influenced by the Beezer family and they have a say in what does and doesn’t happen within the town borders. But the Beezer family has its own secrets that the townsfolk will or will not tolerate coming to light, and the story does square them all in the end for the reader.

The idea that a couple would move to a small town and want to turn a historic property into a profitable inn is not a new one. But The Lumby Lines is fresh and fun to read. The story shows that people want to get along, and in Lumby, they want to find a way to bury the past in a literal and figurative way, and get on with their lives. Each time the Walkers are thwarted by the town, for not pulling the proper permits, or for not having a business plan sent to the town council, the reader finds that there are people who step up to help the couple at every turn.

I highly recommend reading The Lumby Lines, which is first in a series of Lumby stories.

After a decade of working in several NYC law departments and teaching, Poppy decided she enjoyed writing full-time. She currently works as a freelance writing consultant, and lives with her husband and sons on the East Coast.

This book was provided free of any obligation by FSB Media. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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