Christians Read: Books Review

Book Review: Cooking the Books

Bonnie S. Calhoun 

SubTitle:  A Sloane Templeton Mystery 

Publisher:  Abingdon Press 

Pages: 304 

List Price: $14.99 

Pub Date:  April 02, 2012 

ISBN:  978-1426733888 

Christianbook.com 

Sloane runs the bookstore, Beckham’s Books & Brews, specializing in antique books, left to her by her mother. Fifi, business manager, and her pistol-packin’ group, the Granny Oakleys, ably assist her. Two men want one book in particular. Each is angry that the other knows about it. Meanwhile, Trey, well-muscled example of Sloane’s bad taste in men, terrorizes her. Though she said goodbye, he still considers her his woman. But she has Andreas. She doesn’t understand why her mother didn’t like him. Fifi also dislikes him. 

Aunt Verlene, worst chef in history, constantly commandeers Sloane for food tests. One day, while Sloane tries not to eat Verlene’s latest culinary delight, they find a cookbook by a famous chef with a wealth-building recipe formerly believed lost. Verlene, sworn to silence, only tells her beauty shop early in the morning. Working girls use it then. Would they mention it to their boyfriends? 

Meanwhile the manager of the real-estate company Rob Landry works for instructs him to play dirty to get Sloane to sell the bookstore.

 

Cooking the Books delivers constant suspense well mixed with eccentric characters and humor. I enjoyed it.

Book Review: Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus

Joyce Magnin 

Publisher:  Zondervan 

Pages: 320 

List Price: $14.99 

Pub Date:  May 01, 2012 

ISBN:  978-0310333555 

Christianbook.com 

Seventy-two year old Harriet Beamer falls off a ladder. Her daughter-in-law, Prudence, makes a bet with Harriet. If the foot is broken, she must come and live with Prudence and Henry. “It was a suckers bet,” Harriet says as she plans her trip to California to join them. But she decides to take the long way by local transportation. A friendly stranger helps her find her Droid, Amelia, to plan each new course—deciding as she goes. 

Henry worries as she calls to tell him about her ride on a helicopter and her adventure with the snake-handler. He can only wait as she makes her convoluted way to him. Harriett encounters good and bad people. She gains celebrity when she stops a purse-snatcher with a well-placed rolling suitcase as the incident goes viral. 

The reader will smile more than laugh aloud, though the book provides a few of those. If you enjoy old people, who don’t believe life ends when you reach “maturity” you will enjoy this book. It may provide a pleasant Sunday afternoon diversion.

Book Review: Discerning the Voice of God

Priscilla Shirer

SubTitle: How to Recognize When God is Speaking 

Publisher: Moody Publishers 

Pages: 224 

List Price: $14.99 

ISBN: 978-0802450128 

Christianbook.com 

Too often, Christians fret concerning whether they know the will of God. No trumpets blow. No burning bush stops them in their tracks. No angel knocks on the door with a letter from God. Priscilla Shirer, daughter of Dr. Tony Evans and a minister, tackles the problem of  how we may recognize the voice of God with certainty. This version is the eleventh edition of this book (revised and expanded). 

The first chapter pace moves a little slowly, but it picks up as the reader goes to the later chapters. The author mentions her experiences to illustrate, though often in general language. She mentions “a new ministry” for example. I wanted to know what new ministry. 

Discerning the Voice of God would work well as a study guide for a group--probably its purpose. The reader will enjoy the book more by reading a chapter at a time which would fit well as a daily addition to devotions. Most Christians will find something new, and feel more secure in making decisions. 

 I received this book from Moody Publisher. It is an honest review.

Book Review: Downtown Green

Judy Christie 

Publisher:  Abingdon Press 

Pages: 224 

List Price: $13.99 

ISBN:  978-1426708992 

Christianbook.com 

Lois Craig, owner of the Green News-Item newspaper, new mother, and proud citizen of Green, watches the downtown businesses wane without customers. Zach Price, her ex boss, wants to acquire the newspaper to merge with his large one. Major Wilson, newly released from prison, and Jerry Taylor fight to bring an industrial development to replace the main streets. Meanwhile, the scenic lake becomes not as scenic as the weed, giant salvinia, doubles, rapidly covering it. 

Lois and concerned friends struggle to bring business to downtown. She and her husband, Chris, buy an ice-cream parlor to prevent Jerry Taylor from buying the land. The town gathers to fix the dilapidated building. 

The large cast of characters becomes confusing. The book would benefit by a who’s who index to keep track. It doesn’t help that the dog has a people name. The reader may wonder whose child is that. A few of the background stories resolve themselves too easily. Vince should have tormented them longer. 

Despite these flaws, the reader will enjoy the people and small-town ambiance of Green—the sense that the town belongs to all of them. The pace of the story moves well. Worth reading.

I received this book from NetGalley. It is an honest review.

 

 

Book Review: The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club

Wanda E. Brunstetter 

Publisher:  Barbour Publishing, Inc. 

Pub Date:  April 03, 2012

List Price: $14.99

Pages: 320

ISBN:  9781602608115 

Christianbook.com

Amish Emma Yoder didn’t like depending on her children. To earn some money, she advertised that she would teach quilting. She didn’t expect the motley crowd who stood on her porch for the first class—all suffering invisible hurts. The bickering couple, the biker whose parole officer suggested he find a creative outlet, and the African-American minister’s wife have little in common. Emma feels she might have more to give than quilting lessons. 

Emma Yoder and Ruby Lee ring true. I believed Stuart and Pam. But Jan, the biker, and Star, the Goth teenager weren’t quite believable. They should have had a few rough edges. I don’t know any bikers except the Christian Motorcycle Club, who probably aren’t typical. However, my impression is that though they might love their dogs, they might also have to watch their language (for example), and troubled teens aren’t this wholesome. They suffer from cutting, Bulimia, disrespect for adults, or other symptoms of their pain. 

This book is a pleasant read for a Sunday afternoon when you don’t want the world’s problems to disturb you. It also gives a peek in to the Amish life for those of us who wish we could live that simply for God. A phone shack? My grandson texts in his sleep.

I received this book from NetGalley. It is an honest review.