Romance

Book Review: Daughter of the King

Daughter of the kingCarlene Havel/Sharon Faucheux

Publisher: Prism Book Group

Pages: 256

Price: $12.99

Publication Date: December 12, 2012

ISBN: 978-0615740614 

Amazon

Saul gave his daughter, Michal, to David. But when she saves David from Saul, he gives her to Phaltiel, a hateful drunk who shamelessly uses his wives and their servants to satisfy perverse desires. 

When Saul dies, troops come to take Michal away. She doesn’t know whether she is going to her death. Did David believe she willingly went with another man? However, she finds herself back with David whom she loved from the beginning. By now, David has gone from musician to king of Judea.  

Happy at first, Michal evolves from David’s cherished and loved first wife to one of many in his mansion full of wives and concubines. The politics of dwelling with a city of wives gives us a glimpse of that unpleasant situation. We see the extent of her pain when she gives permission for her handmaid to marry a poor man. She longs for a poor man who could afford only one wife. 

The book stays true to the book of Samuel and Biblical times. It answers plausibly the question of why she became angry when she saw David dance. It departs from the Bible slightly. Michal’s outburst came after David went home—Samuel 16:20-22.  

This book is well paced and keeps you reading. We like the good guys, though the bad guys are unforgivably bad. In about three places, I found the descriptions too graphic.


Book Review: Sandwich with a Side of Romance

SandwichKrista Phillips 

Publisher:  Abingdon Press 

Pages: 304 

Price: $14.99 

Pub Date:  September 01, 2012   

ISBN:  9781426745928 

Back Cover 

“Sandwich represents hope for twenty-year-old Maddie Buckner and Kyle, the eleven-year-old brother Maddie wants to spring out of foster care. Then she loses her new job after less than a day. It’s all Reuben-the-jerk’s fault and she’s determined to make him right the wrong. 

He does so, reluctantly, by giving her a job in his restaurant, The Sandwich Emporium.” 

New Christian, Maddie, comes from a background she regrets. She must prove herself to get custody of Kyle, and with two lost jobs in two days after she accidentally dumps dinner on the mayor, she convinces Reuben that he needs an assistant in the office. Thus begins an unwelcome attraction between them—because of painful (literally) liaisons with men in the past, she wants to forget about romance. 

Sandwich with a Side of Romance is just that—a romance. This book provides a pleasant diversion on a Sunday afternoon. Likeable characters walk through these pages, and the Christians who people it seem genuine: no “we’re too perfect to be real”. It maintains a steady pace to keep the reader reading. 

 

 


Book Review: The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club

Half-stitched FOR TYPEPADWanda 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.

 


Book Review: Who is My Shelter? (Yada Yada House of Hope Novel)

Who is my shelter Neta Jackson

Publisher:  Thomas Nelson 

List Price: $14.99

Pages: 432 but only 409 tell the story. Followed by Book Club questions 

ISBN:  9781595548634 

Amazon.com 

Phillip throws Gabby out of their penthouse, driving her to homelessness. He parks her boys with his parents in another state. On her own with no place to go, Gabby founds House of Hope, a place for homeless single mothers. She fills each day with friendships, problems, and prayer. Meanwhile, Phillip’s gambling addiction endangers his life as thugs beat him up, landing him in the hospital--and then try to do it again. He knows he’s not safe until he can pay his gambling debts. He returns Gabby’s boys. Gabby still loves Phillip but feels the marriage has ended. 

This well-researched book realistically follows the workings of how such an undertaking can succeed. The habitants and leaders of The House of Hope merge into family and friends as these women get a new start. 

Who is My Shelter lists as fiction but I wanted it to be true. If there are places like Houses of Hope, I don’t know about them—but there should be. We care about the sometimes-difficult personalities here. Crisis and Gabby’s story keep this book perking along. Well worth reading.


Book Review: Nightshade, Discarded Heroes

Nightshade Ronie Kendig  

SubTitle:  Discarded Heroes Book One 

Publisher:  Barbour Publishing, Inc. 

List Price: $12.99

Pages: 368

ISBN:  9781602607774 

Amazon.com  

Nightshade combines the story of David and the A Team. The Bible doesn’t talk about the scars killing in war put on David’s soul and the A Team made it look fun. Although I hate the violence that permeates too many TV shows and movies, Max’s pain drew me in. The killing he did left him a shattered man. Did David live with guilt? 

Nightshade tells several stories: Max, his wife and a missionary couple. Max, a “discarded hero,” and former soldier, presumably discharged, but a member of Nightshade, goes to dangerous locales and does what the military can’t do for political reasons. Sydney, his wife, loves him, but she fears how far his anger will propel him. So, for her safety, she gets a restraining order and a separation agreement. But her love won’t leave her, particularly when she discovers herself pregnant. Then when Jon and Kimber find themselves in the clutches of terrorists after told to leave their missionary assignment, Nightshade gets the assignment to go in and rescue them—and Sydney gets an assignment to do a story on Nightshade, unaware that Max leads it. 

Each chapter switches to a different story in a different place. I found the changes a little distracting, sometimes had to take a second to see which story the chapter told. 

This story is exciting, with constant adventure. The characters are realistic and sympathetic. Romance lovers will enjoy it. It also describes constant violence. If it were a movie, it would have a “watch at your own risk” label.