Amish Prayers, by Beverly Lewis

I generally do not favor prayer compilations, as we tend to consider them more than the Bible – a practice that I disagree with, as I believe our prayer should be a personal communication with our Creator.  However, I Mrs. Lewis’s novels, which depict the Amish people with straightforwardness and a caring heart that reflects their deep communion with God. This sparked my curiosity about this book, knowing that the compilation would be made by someone knowledgeable in the matter, and despite that

No wonder why those characters are so rich and faithful!  With prayers like the ones in this compilation, we witness the validity and authority of the Word of God. It includes prayers said in different times of the day, like breakfast, in different moments of life, like death, and even in different attitudes, like thankfulness. Each prayer has a Bible reference from which it takes its inspiration, reminding us how Biblical principles can be applied to different aspects of our life.

There are not enough words to fully describe how special this compilation is.  I hold it, and I know I’m holding something special and unique – that is how powerful the Word of God is, the source of inspiration for the prayers.

The essence and main beauty of this book is its expression of trust and faith in the Almighty God, always aligning our whole self to Him. This precious little book reminds us that prayer is a thing from the heart.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a review. This did not bias my opinion on the book, nor on the author.

The Breath of Dawn, by Kristen Heitzmann

“The Breath of Dawn” tells the story of Morgan and Quinn.  Morgan is a successful businessman who has amassed a fortune and gained ample recognition by assisting companies solve their problems and directing them back into a profitable direction.   But he now finds purpose in living only in his 2-year old daughter, after losing his wife and older daughter.  Quinn makes a living by buying items from old estates and reselling them on e-bay, and has tried to isolate herself as much as possible, because she fears her past and Markham, the dangerous man she witnessed against years ago.  They  meet when a house is about to come to the market and both are interested in it – Quinn buys and sells items while Morgan plans to turn it into a home for him and Livie, his daughter.

When Markham is released from jail, the threatening messages start and Quinn sees her worst nightmare come true.  At this point, she has become way too close to Morgan and his family and fears for their safety.  She finally opens up to Morgan, the ever problem-solver that likes to take things in his own hands and offers an alternative that seems to jeopardize their future instead of securing it.

When I started reading this book, I wasn’t aware that it was the third one in the series; it took me a while to become suspicious about the characters.  When the rest of the Spencers are brought in the story, it was good to share their Christmas celebration; their family life has its ups and downs, but it is encouraging to see people believing in God and staying true to godly principles despite difficult circumstances.

Up to this point, “The Breath of Dawn” is another token of Kristen Heitzmann’s wonderful ability to weave plots together, keep the reader interested and depict Godly characters. It all seems to be well, but there are aspects of the book that wander off of the Bible and flirt with a current idea of romance that is not godly at all. I am particularly referring to two aspects that have left me with a “cheap novel” aftertaste; by this I mean a novel that seems to be more interested in tickling the senses and finding a good marketing selling point than in portraying a character or situation from which the readers  can learn Biblical principles. 

The first one is the supernatural aspect of the basement; I presume that the author wanted to add suspense to the story by writing about ghosts and “a presence,” but it is just distracting, it doesn’t add anything to the story and is left unresolved.

The second one has to do with one aspect of Morgan’s solution – (SPOILER ALERT) please note that the rest of this paragraph contains information that will reveal some details of the story, but I need to include this so that I can explain why I find it so distasteful and out of line with the rest of the story.  Always the problem solver, Morgan comes up with an extreme idea that, while providing a quick solution for Quinn and which might come later in time anyway, seems too forced and almost borderline of being a one-night stand. The author “covers her bases,” by having Morgan arrange a quick marriage to Quinn, out of the country and arranging a sort of dream honeymoon that might captivate a lot of readers, as it is the epitome of honeymoons, full of luxuries and money available, ready to quench any whim and craving.  This is a side of Morgan completely opposite to the “family side” of Morgan; it does look like the book implies that a mere convenience is a good enough reason to get married.

In this sense, this book is very far from offering a good alternative to clean, Christian entertainment,  implying that Biblical principles and ethics and morals are gray and can be blended into the current worldview - the main reason why I advice to read it with caution, or even better, not read it at all.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. This has not biased my opinion on the book or on the author.

Against the Tide, By Elizabeth Camden

Lydia was born in Europe, to a Greek father and a Turkish mom; the family’s “home” was a boat that constantly traveled to different places around the Mediterranean, in order to look for jobs and make a living.  This extraordinary experience allowed the brilliant, little Lydia to learn several languages. At one point, the family comes to Boston, and when Lydia grows up, her linguistic ability allows her to get a prestigious job as a Translator for the Navy and a rudimentary, yet comfortable life when most women had very limited labor opportunities.

Although she has all the essentials, the building where Lydia lives is sold and, in order to keep her apartment, she has to come up with a lot of money in a pretty short time. Her boss, Admiral LaFontaine, knows about her predicament recommends Lydia to Bane, who has done some special jobs for the Admiral and is now in need of some translations for an investigation he is doing. Little by little, they start feeling for each other, but Bane’s past has a powerful restraint on him; he won’t allow himself to get involved with anyone, afraid of exposing them to danger.

When Bane asks Lydia to go beyond her limits, he will jeopardize everything Lydia has fought for and even stay absent when she desperately requires his assistance. However, Lydia sympathizes with his cause, and finds in herself a strength she didn’t know she had when her services are needed once more by Bane, whose investigation takes a turn for the worse, involving the Admiral’s family, and making Bane’s worst fears an awful truth.

Bane’s investigation and past has to do with the opium trade in Boston. While I won’t give details spoiling the story, I must say that Mrs. Camden takes time to end the story with an example of how an awful addiction to narcotics will affect lives at so many levels. In this note, I really appreciate the fact that the author ends the story with the same intensity present in the rest of the book; the conclusion is not rushed, and even leaves room open for further possibilities.

It took me a little to realize this was the continuation of “The Lady of Bolton Hill.” Because of this, the story became more enjoyable and gripping for me. Although “Against the Tide” can be followed as a story of its own, Bane’s character has a sort of double personality; he is sweet and cares for others, but the experiences he went through when he was younger and how he got away from it (included in the first book), make him cocky, belligerent and even rude sometimes. This rougher side of him is a result of his coping with the past, feeling responsible for his mistakes and wanting to make things right; he gets so focused on this goal that he forgets his present actions also affect the people around him. If someone reading “Against the Tide” has not read “The Lady of Bolton Hill,” this dichotomy might be confusing and his character might be taken as an unpleasant person.

Another fact that I enjoyed about this book is that Mrs. Camden is continuously reminding the reader that God is always present in our lives, whether it doesn’t seem like it, or we aren’t aware of it. Some of the characters she portrays are constantly learning about faith and growing in their relationship with Christ.  For instance, someone (I won’t mention the character because I don’t want to give a lot of information about the story) mentions: “I learned that salvation is possible, even for a nasty sinner like me. I learned I had the freedom to make a choice about what sort of person I wanted to be. (page 98).” Even though this is a fictional story, it is refreshing to remember that God is a transformer of lives, as long as we allow Him to.

Something common to Elizabeth Camden’s books is that, at the end, she includes questions that invite the reader to ponder about the character, decisions, morals, habits and other situations described in the book. Even if these were not included, the story is so deep that it will be easy to be used in study groups, or even self-study. Moreover, the language is clean, and although there is a deep attraction between the main characters, the author does not use excessive descriptions that distract from the plot and focus on feelings.

Also, this is the second book by Elizabeth Camden that I’ve read. It is always a delight to read her. Her books are outstanding in that they are historically descriptive in a very realistic way. I would assume that most authors do their homework and research the context within which they are setting the story; Elizabeth Camden does it in such a way that History becomes alive and it actually taps something in the readers, making them wanting to know more about the period or situation described in the book. Few books awake that curiosity in me; Against the Tide is a highly recommendable book. 

I can’t wait to read Mrs. Camden’s next one!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. In no way has this influenced my opinion on the book or on the author.

Real Life Real Miracles, by James L. Garlow and Keith Wall

A compilation of miraculous events, this book will prove to be a source of encouragement for anyone who is going through a difficult situation, particularly if similar to the ones described in the book.  It is an inspiring read that will remind us that God is continually acting in our lives, despite the obscure and difficult circumstances we have to face every day.

However, I must say that there is a lack of reference to the Bible.  As a result, a continuous emphasis on the supernatural is the main focus of the book.  If someone new to Christianity read this book, he/she won’t find any doctrine or fundamental instruction, and could be led to believe that a Christian life entails only the miraculous; even if this aspect of a spiritual, growing relationship with God should not be alien to a believer, it should never be the core of such relationship.

Having clarified that, I would recommend this book as a source of current examples of how God works in us all the time, even if we are not able to understand His ways.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers, in exchange for an honest review; this has not biased my opinion on the book, nor on the authors.

The Fiddler, by Beverly Lewis

Amelia is a young and wonderful violinist whose life was always planned for her. Constant rehearsals, presentations, hours of daily practice and a strict father have made her the famous virtuoso, able to delight audiences from all over the world. Despite all her training, “The Fiddler” starts with Amelia fiddling as “Amy Lee” in a country music festival – nothing that would have ever been expected of her. After her performance, her manager is able to get a hold of her and lets her know that her father and he already have arrangements for her, for the next months. The unceasing rings of her cell phone remind her that even her fiancé, another great musician, was expecting her to be with him on that day... 

Amelia finds herself lost in other people’s wishes, but she’s torn in between herself and not hurting those who are dearest to her. She loves music, but it seems that she has not been able to actually enjoy it. That same night, she starts driving back home, but she gets lost in a bad storm. Conveniently, her cell phone breaks when it falls down to the ground and gets soaked. Amelia then looks for assistance at a nearby cabin, where she meets Michael, an Amish young man who, very much like her, is looking for his own path, away from his roots. Michael and Amelia are surprised at how much in common they have, and both would like to spend more time together, particularly when Michael tells Amelia about his plans of talking to his father and letting him know about his own decision.

Michael asks for Amelia’s support, and both Amelia end up spending the weekend in Michael’s hometown, Amelia gets a little taste of freedom, but also finds some of the consideration and respect she’s been looking for. She’s welcomed by the community, but also frowned at when people learn about her music. Michael realizes he has to stay more than he had initially expected because his father has an accident; he is an honorable person that will not abandon his family in a time of need.

Both of them face challenges and have to deal with respecting their parents. They both realize that the last thing they want to do is offend them, but their control over their lives also has to stop. Besides that, the attraction between Michael and Amelia is obvious. However, they both decide to face the issue and not let themselves go for their mutual feelings.  Also, they will find that there are people who support them and encourage them to do the right thing before God.  Following the right path is never easy, but it is also what shapes Michael and Amelia for the times to come.

“The Fiddler” has all the “Beverly Lewis” features people have come to love; however, she has managed to capture another love story in such a way that it feels as if this was the first time I have ever read an Amish novel by her. In other words, do not think that this story will be innovative in that way. This does not make it   less captivating… I only wish it came in one installment!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. In no way has this influenced my opinion on the book or on the author.