An Unexpected Guest

I've been reviewing books over at The Christian Manifesto and I don't normally post links here, but I wanted to share my review of The Unexpected Guest, which garnered five (out of five) stars. This is a mainstream (i.e., not Christian fiction) novel that I really enjoyed. If you like action-packed stories, this isn't for you, but you may want to check it out if you are interested in a slow-paced, elegantly written story about a diplomat's wife in Paris with a startling secret.

Now Reviewing at The Christian Manifesto

I've recently joined The Christian Manifesto as a contributor reviewing contemporary fiction. Feel free to click over to visit!

Luxe (Godbersen)

This is a series of four books. Technically they are in the "young adult" arena, at least at my public library, but I've decided that doesn't bother me. I've read all four and they are really fun stories -- kind of like Gossip Girl but set in the late 1800s. There's lots of scandal and back-stabbing. A number of the characters care way too much about their public standing. We see some of them come to their deserved downfall. We follow others as they truly fall in love, but are forced to face societal obstacles. Of course, all the while, they are dressed beautifully!
My one criticism is that the author drags things out a bit. I think it probably would have been even better as three books, rather than four.

Irreparable Harm (Miller)

I've gotten so behind in posting. I have been working on a brief at work, but that's really no excuse because I have been reading for pleasure. I have recently posted on Goodreads my short reviews of Radical (Platt), When Women Say Yes to God (TerKeurst), False Pretenses (Herman), She's Come Undone (Lamb), Bitter Sweets (Farooki), The Power of a Whisper (Hybels), and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Boyne). But here I wanted to talk about Irreparable Harm. I borrowed this book for free through Amazon Prime - I love that feature. If you enjoy John Grisham, David Baldacci, or similar authors, you may want to look for this one. It's a suspenseful and well-written legal thriller. The main character is a young female lawyer, and of course I related to her. She gets involved in an airplane crash investigation and learns that there is a smartphone device that can override a plane's systems in order to make it crash. As she figures things out, the story becomes action-packed. The legal aspects of the story seem pretty genuine; I think I saw that the author is or was a lawyer. The story is very entertaining and I can't overstate the suspenseful nature of the plot. I stayed up late to read "just one more" chapter and the next morning, walked a few extra minutes on the treadmill while reading in order to finish it.

The Fine Art of Insincerity (Hunt)

Don't let the cover fool you; this is not a cheesy, feel-good weekend fling sort of book. It delves into some serious issues, including abortion, adultery, and depression. I enjoyed following the lives of the three main characters, who are sisters. They have grown apart over the years, but reunite one weekend when they head to the beach to clean out their grandmother's house. Over the course of the weekend, they break down the barriers between them and learn some things about their grandmother's past as well. The author does a good job of character development and the story is paced pretty well. Toward the end, there is some suspense but overall it moves somewhat slowly. If books with multiple narrators bother you, this is not for you. Thankfully, there are only three so it's not too much to keep up with. There are some relatively understated Christian elements to the story.
Overall, I enjoyed it and will look for more by this author.

Faithful by Kim Cash Tate

Kim Cash Tate’s novel Faithful is about a close group of women friends who together navigate issues of romance, betrayal, and Christian faith. One of the women is wondering if she will ever get married, while others struggle with different issues in their marriages.

Some people have compared Faithful to The Yada Yada Prayer Group by Neta Jackson. I can see the similarities, but I enjoyed this one more.

It is fascinating to see the characters delve into tough Biblical issues and grow in their faith, even when faced with difficult circumstances. They aren’t perfect and they don’t always make good decisions, but they have authentic faith. Throughout the story, we are right there with them, pulling for them. We get to “sit in” on their Bible study group meetings, hear what their preacher discusses in his sermons, and see what the characters’ prayers are like. Not only is this entertaining, it’s also inspirational.

I think the author did a remarkable job at character development. In novels like this with a large group of characters, it must be difficult to make the characters seem real. But Tate does this expertly; the shifts in viewpoint are seamless and serve to keep the story moving. We get to know each character so well that it feels like they are close friends. I was completely absorbed in the story and anxious to see what would happen next.

When I finished the book, I happened to be in a tire store waiting for my car to be serviced. You can picture me in my work clothes and heels, sitting on a plastic chair and surrounded by racks of tires, reading my Kindle. By the end, I was surreptitiously wiping away tears – right there in the tire store.

The best news was finding out there is a sequel: you can be sure that I downloaded Cherished in a heartbeat.

She Makes It Look Easy: Whalen

I have been reading some Christian fiction lately and I have to say, I am pleasantly surprised. For some reason, I worried that Christian fiction would be poorly written. I’m ashamed to say that; it sounds terrible, doesn’t it? At the very least, I assumed it would be about people with whom I (a 37 year-old lawyer who likes Tory Burch shoes and Miu Miu bags) had very little (besides being Christian) in common. I was wrong on both counts. Not only can Christian fiction be very well written, it can also resonate with people in a wide variety of circumstances.

The first book to open my eyes was She Makes It Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen. It’s about a young mother, Ariel, who juggles caring for her children, growing her photography business, making friends, and settling in to a new house and neighborhood. At first, she thinks her new neighbor, Justine, is perfect. Her daughters are neatly dressed, she makes delicious muffins, and her house is neat and organized. She’s even a leader in the church. As the story continues, we discover that Justine is not perfect after all. In the process, Ariel discovers new truths about her marriage, parenting, Christian faith, and friendships.

The main character, Ariel, is realistic and likeable. It’s easy to relate to her and you want to know what will happen to her next. The story is entertaining and nicely paced. This book is like chick lit – but better because it actually makes you think. Whalen demonstrates how Christian faith does (or does not) influence our decisions. She does this in subtle ways; there’s nothing preachy about it.

In short, I was pleasantly surprised, and I’m happy to have come across this book.

I’ve recently posted on Goodreads short reviews of The Luxe series (books 1 and 2), Reckless, The House on First Street, Growing Grateful Kids, Slim to None, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Go-To Girl, and The Power of a Whisper. Do you want to be Goodreads friends? I’m the Heather Adams in Raleigh.