Whistlestop Wednesday Book Review: "The Bridegrooms" by Allison Pittman

Four very different sisters grace Allison Pittman's The Bridegrooms, a book that analyzes what love is -- and what it isn't. Vada, the oldest, has an understanding with sensible Garrison but longs to be swept away by passion. Ungainly Hazel writes letters to men she's never met in hopes of securing a husband. Quiet, elegant Althea writes her heart out in poetry she shares with an unconscious man. And Lisette, far too spoiled and beautiful, tells off the young ball player who follows her around like a smitten puppy.

Lurking in the background is the shadow of the mother who abandoned them as children. Unspoken hurts lie at the heart of this small family. Very much in the foreground is the servant, Molly, a strident Irish woman who each weekend drinks her paycheck away and seems as given to blister the girls with verbal abuse as to bless them. Their father, "Doc," a physician, although kind-hearted, seems a bit clueless in a household of girls.

The plot revolves around an event which occurs when the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, a baseball team, comes to town to play the Cleveland Spiders. During a game, a line drive knocks out a spectator and the unconscious man is placed in Vada's bed to regain consciousness or die.

With memorable characters and an exquisite writing style, The Bridegrooms entertains well. Still, I question some of its concepts. The characters are sometimes quite harsh with one another, and Molly's tirades, while meant to amuse, did not. The book seems to confuse love and infatuation while attempting to define them as separate. Also, telling four separate stories within the limitations of a single book proves problematic. Its author did well at weaving the stories together, but there simply wasn't enough space to delve too deeply into each character's emotional complexities.

Beyond these quibbles, this story will stay with me. I was sorry when the book ended. Women who enjoy historical romance will enjoy Bridegrooms.

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*This book was provided to me by the publisher for purposes of review.

Whistlestop Wednesday Book Review: An Absence so Great

Lady photographer Jessie Gaebele tackles a man's world in this story of life and love set against the backdrop of America when the twentieth-century was in its teens. "An Absence So Great" and its predecessor, "A Flickering Light," explores the personal history of author Jane Kirkpatrick's grandmother.

We follow Jessie's struggle against a growing attraction to her mentor, Fred Bauer, who exists in a loveless marriage. Jessie makes mistakes as she attempts to severe her connections to Fred, gain independence and work toward purchasing a studio of her own. When circumstances contrive to throw her together with Fred and disastrous consequences follow, Jessie exhibits moral courage and Fred confronts himself.

"An Absence So Great" rings with the truth of the human condition and the restoration God can bring.

Recommended for women who enjoy historical fiction.

©2010 Janalyn Voigt

Author Bio:

Jane Kirkpatrick is an award-winning author of sixteen historical novels, including A Flickering Light, the first part of Jessie Gaebale’s story, and three nonfiction titles. Known for her unique insights into the exploration of community, family and faith of actual historical women, the Wisconsin native and her husband have called their ranch in Oregon home for the past 25 years. 

*A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher for purposes of review.

Whistlestop Wednesday Book Review: Here Burns My Candle

Liz Curtis Higgs whisks us away to eighteenth-century Scotland for a spellbinding tale in Here Burns My Candle.

Lady Elizabeth Kerr, a highland beauty, possesses fine clothing, the love of a titled husband and a gentle life. But she is not all she appears, for she follows in secret the auld ways, looks to the moon and worships the Nameless One while outwardly displaying a form of Christian piety. Her husband, Donald, keeps his own secrets -- secrets that make him the butt of the town's gossips and cause Elizabeth to question his fidelity.

Dowager Lady Marjory Kerr, Donald's mother, discounts such rumors. She clings to her two sons and her gold and hardens her heart to Elizabeth. But she can't shut out the whispers of her own guilt that beset her, a guilt buried with her husband in Greyfriars Churchyard.

The intrigues of the Jacobite cause press the Kerrs as rebel Highlanders challenge King George's hold on the crown of Scotland and fight to secure the throne for Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie). The Kerrs cannot remain neutral, each making a choice with far-reaching consequences. In addition, Elizabeth and Marjory face a more intimate, personal decision that will follow them into eternity.

Here Burns My Candle kept me up late at night, turning pages. Pains-taking historical detail, memorable characters and vivid settings combined to transport me. I was sorry when the book ended. Happily, Liz Curtis Higgs is now at work on the sequel, Mine is the Night. I look forward to its release in Spring, 2011.

Here Burns My Candle will most appeal to female readers of historical romance.



*Thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary copy of this book to Book Readers Central for purposes of review.


**Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when books are purchased through links from Book Readers Central.

Whistlestop Book Review: Raven’s Ladder

With lyrical prose that sometimes verges on poetry and piercing insights into his character's motivations and desires, Jeffrey Overstreet brings to life a tantalizing world in Raven's Ladder. Glimpses of a ruined culture are made more terrifying by contrast to passages of incredible beauty and the nobility of the book's protagonist, Cal-Raven.

King of a conquered and wandering people, Cal-Raven seeks a place to build a New Abascar. He discovers a legendary city at great cost. Can he win the people of Abascar away from House Bel Amica, a seductive kingdom by the sea?

This is not a stand-alone book, as I discovered. I recommend this series for adult readers of fantasy, but first read Auralia's Colors and Cyndere's Midnight or you will be confused through most of the book's beginning, which switches viewpoint characters often.
 
 About the Author

Jeffrey Overstreet is the author of The Auralia Thread, the fantasy series which begins with Auralia’s Colors, a thrilling adventure twice-nominated for a Christy Award, and Cyndere’s Midnight. He is an award-winning film critic and columnist, his work appearing in many publications including Image, Paste, and Christianity Today. He is also the contributing editor for Seattle Pacific University’s Response magazine. Jeffrey writes in the coffee shops of Shoreline, Washington, with his wife, Anne.


Purchase Information for Raven's Ladder:
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074679

* This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Whistlestop Wednesday Book Review: Angels

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(See the instructions at the bottom of this post.)

Dr. David Jeremiah gives us a glimpse of heaven in this study of angels. He consults the Scriptures to shatter myths and misconceptions rife in our culture today. Questions Dr. Jeremiah answers include:

Are cherubim fat, naked little babies with wings? Does each person have a Guardian Angel? Do angels exist to serve mankind? What do they do in heaven?

Dr. Jeremiah demystifies the role of angels in our lives and in God's plan. He gives us an historic overview of angels, as shown in the Bible. He debunks what he calls "angelmania" and provides a balanced perspective of angels in light of the Lord of Hosts. He helps us draw lessons from our similarities to and differences from angels. He teaches us a proper view of Satan and his demons in light of eternity.

I found Angels utterly fascinating and will keep it on my shelf as a reference resource, to be read again and again. Dr. Jeremiah is at his best in his simple teaching passages that always turn our hearts and minds toward God. I highly recommend this book for all readers.

Dr. David Jeremiah is senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego, and founder of Turning Point Radio and TV Ministries. His radio program is carried on over 2,500 stations worldwide, while the TV broadcast is received by 500 million homes via cable and satellite. The recipient of numerous awards for broadcast excellence, his books have garnered Gold Medallion awards and become bestsellers with The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and the New York Times. He is a sought-after conference speaker by organizations nationwide.

© 2010 Janalyn Voigt

Click here to visit Random House and learn more about this book.

*This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.


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Whistlestop Wednesday Book Review: Tea with Hezbollah

                                                        

 

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 What is one thing Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and Jesus have in common?

This simple question, asked over lunch by one friend to another, prompted one of the most breath-taking feats of our modern age. The two friends, novelist Ted Dekker and his co-author and Middle East expert, Carl Medearis, embarked on a hair-raising journey to visit known enemies of the Western world and ask them their opinion of Jesus's instruction to love our enemies.

Dekker's entertaining narrative and lively accounts of relevant historical events enlivens what could have devolved to a travelogue, albeit an unusual one, as the pair travel through places torn by strife to meet with some of the most powerful leaders of the Middle Eastern world. They take tea with Osama bin Laden's brothers, with leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas, and with muftis, sheikhs, and ayatollahs. In interviews they both humanize these men for readers and confront them with the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The answers they receive lead them to surprising discoveries about the nature of the Middle Eastern conflict.

They learned that speaking in the name of love is one of the most dangerous things a person can do.

What is one thing Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and Jesus have in common? Each of them were murdered because they urged others to love their neighbors as themselves. 

Author Bios:

Ted Dekker is the author of many nationally bestselling novels, including Bone Man’s Daughters, The Circle Trilogy, Thr3e, and House, which was coauthored by Frank Peretti. His unique style of storytelling has captured the attention of millions worldwide. Visit him at TedDekker.com.

Carl Medearis is the founder and president of International Initiatives, LLC, an organization that promotes cultural, educational, and commercial exchange between the East and the West. He is an advisor on Arab affairs to the members of the U.S. Congress and leaders in international business.

To learn more about or purchase this book, go to RandomHouse.com

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Whistlestop Wednesday Book Review: Dug Down Deep

Joshua Harris unearths truths in his new release, Dug Down Deep, from which both new and seasoned Christians can benefit. Harris walks through the many stages of faith -- from a believer's first uncertainty to the discovery of beauty in doctrine and on to sharing grace with others. Dug Down Deep is full of descriptive stories which sometimes amuse but most often speak with brutal honesty. Insightful teaching rounds out the stories and brings home their messages.

Like the author, I  grew up going to church but still had to find my way again as an adult. Reading this book with that background, I found it to be a good reference I can use to find important scriptures and stories to share with others in a practical, easy to understand way. And it helped fill a few important holes in my knowledge that I did not even realise were there.  I highly recommend Dug Down Deep to all parents, especially if your child is struggling. And I recommend this book as a gift for 20-somethings and/or anyone who is looking to see 'what Christianity is all about'.

Oh, and just one more side note, the cartoon in the middle of the book made me laugh.

Visit the Waterbrook/Multnomah website for purchase options:

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601421517

Author Bio:

Joshua Harris is senior pastor of Covenant Life in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which belongs to the Sovereign Grace network of local churches. A passionate speaker with a gift for making theological truth easy to understand, Joshua is perhaps best known for his runaway bestseller, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, which he wrote at the age of twenty-one. His later books include Boy Meets Girl, Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is), and Stop Dating the Church. The founder of the NEXT conferences for young adults, Joshua is committed to seeing the gospel transferred to a new generation of Christians. He and his wife, Shannon, have three children. 

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.