Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl

Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl takes three genres--Mennonite Romantic Suspense-- and melds them together to create a compelling story.  Faith, love, and revenge all compete to drive the action and the decisions, and indeed the suspense includes not just the question of how it will turn out, but whether Hope will follow the teachings of her church on non-violence, or the more pragmatic view that they need to defend themselves.  Where do you draw the line? Can a proponent of non-violence act  in self-defense?  Is carrying an unloaded gun a valid compromise, or is it the worst of all worlds, relinquishing principles without being effective? 

I appreciated the fact that people of faith were represented with full-fledged characterizations, not just stereotypes of rigidity or passivity.  Indeed, the nuances of the internal struggles to understand and live out the ramifications of faith were an integral part of the story. 

I have no idea how accurate the portrayal of the Mennonite community is, but I found it fascinating to see how the oversight of the church leadership played out in terms of the behavior and actions of the congregation. Again, there was an interesting balance point that tried to draw a line between mindless acceptance, and obedience and loyalty.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants more substance than a typical romance, and who prefers a more wholesome, edifying style. 

[Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ]

Courting Cate by Leslie Gould

Courting Cate is a successful example of a sub-genre: an Amish Romance.  I know that 'wholesome' makes it sound like health food, but I really mean it as a compliment. It is such a pleasure to read a story that has interesting characters, good writing, and an unusual setting, without having to wade through gratuitous sex and violence.

The family dynamics were especially compelling. Sibling rivalry, parental control, differences in generational agendas all play their part, and it is fascinating to see how these timeless themes play out in an Amish setting. It was also heartwarming to see how a family can argue or disagree, yet still demonstrate that there is a fundamental love that will not be shaken even when they are mad at each other.

I especially appreciated the fact that while faith is an undercurrent throughout the book, it is not preachy. The title character is also unusual in that she is outspoken and eager to pursue learning -- not a typical Amish woman.

I did find that the visit with the in-laws seemed a little implausible -- it was so horrible but she seemed so unbelievably willing to take it, that it was a little inconsistent with her character. But that is a minor complaint in the context of the whole book.

Finally, I recommend this book to anyone who is sick of insipid romances, because the characterizations raise this to a much more substantive level.

[Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ]

No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig

No Safe Harbor is a pleasant historical novel by Elizabeth Ludwig.  Set in 1897 New York, the story evokes a different era.   Cara Hamilton courageously sets out from Ireland to search for her brother in the United States.   Years ago her brother had disappeared and she thought him to be dead, but now she has received a mysterious message that warns her to not tell anyone she is looking for him.  

While there is some legitimate suspense, and I kept reading to find out how it would turn out, the coincidences pile up and are a bit to coincidental. Would a young woman with no money and information about what to do or where to go really be able to find safe, affordable housing and a job in one day?  

The details about the boarding house and her job are interesting, and are a nice foil to the sometimes annoying plot.  The vagueness of her brother's message to her sets her up for uncertainty about how to find him.  Frankly, even today in the age of email and computers, I'm not sure how you would find someone who was trying to live in secret, if you didn't know any contact information, or where to start.  

While the book is worth reading, I can't call it excellent.  However I would be interested in reading more from this author because perhaps she will improve in her plotting.  

[Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House as part of their Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ]

Travelers Rest by Ann Tatlock

Travelers Rest by Ann Tatlock is a gripping, touching story of a young couple whose world is forever changed when Seth returned from service in Iraq gravely wounded.

The story focuses on the human interactions and the emotional consequences when the future is no longer filled with easy dreams.  It tackles tough questions:  Is it more loving to the other person to let them go, or to hold on? Is happiness still possible when normal activities are impossible? Do the people in the middle of the story have the perspective to even make a choice about their future together? Does anyone else even have the right to have an opinion? What is the role of family (and who is family)? Do circumstances change commitment?  Can the sins of the past be redeemed? Can you be happy with new dreams instead of the old ones?

The tone of Travelers Rest steers a fine balance between the reality of the facts and faith in possibilities, without getting mired down in depressing ‘realism’ and also without getting stuck in annoying clichés.  Faith is present, but not always obvious.  Love is there, but not always where you expect it. And ultimately the book is satisfying, even if it is not easy.  

[Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House as part of their Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ] 

Spirit Wars by Chris Vallotton

Spirit Wars by Chris Vallotton demystifies a difficult topic. He not only explains the influence of demonic spirits in our lives, he teaches how to protect yourself from them and walk in freedom.

Unlike books that treat this topic with great drama, or conversely those that try to gain credibility by sounding very theological, Chris’s approach is to tell his personal story, and share the lessons he learned from it. 

Here are some of the gems in the book:

·         Stopping the destructive thoughts that enter our minds uninvited (which he calls “sponsored advertisements from the dark side” p.50),

·         Practical advice – “never talk to the devil without our attorney present. Jesus is our advocate”.

·         He describes the different between temptation and sin – “Temptation becomes a sin when you agree with the suggestion instead of resisting it.” (P.72)

·         He warns against idolatry, which might not look like what you expect: “It might not occur to us that putting our faith in anyone or anything besides God creates only symptomatic cures and is actually idolatry” (p. 76)

·         He clears up bad theology. “One of the schemes evil spirits employ is to deceive people into believing that mistreating  themselves is somehow spiritual.” (p.95)

·         He emphasizes the role of forgiveness (both of others, and of ourselves)

There are other books that go more thoroughly into how to deliver someone. This book is helpful as an introduction however, as it reveals that even ‘normal’ people, even faithful believers, can be afflicted with demonic struggles, and that the authority and love of Jesus can bring freedom. 

[Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Chosen Publishers as part of their Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ] 

Reclaiming Lily by Patti Lacy

Reclaiming Lily by Patti Lacy has so much going for it, but doesn’t quite come together. I wanted to love it, I really did. It has the core of a gripping plot, an interesting conjunction of cultures, and a family drama that you really want to see turn out well.  But the inconsistent character development was disappointing

The story starts out with promise – an American family wanting to adopt in China.  Gloria and Andrew travel to China where they experience the confusion, the hope, the disappointment, and finally the satisfaction of adopting a child, Lily, who they bring home and re-name Joy. In their happiness they are oblivious to the fact that Lily’s sister has been secretly watching out for her, and is appalled that she is being adopted.

Seven years later, Joy is a typical American teenager, arguing with her mother at every opportunity, and living a normal American adolescent life. He sister Kai rejoins the scene and the plot centers around the drama of a family that is being pulled in various directions, and trying to discover what is best for Joy and also for themselves.

Perhaps due to the adolescent drama occurring inside the house, Gloria is suspicious and threatened by Kai. She swings between immaturity and faith in a not wholly convincing way.  The core question of the book is whether l Kai and Gloria will  be able to find a meeting of the minds in order to do what is best  for Joy.

[Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ] 

Behind the Veils of Yemen

Behind the Veils of Yemen by Audra Grace Shelby manages to be informative, entertaining and inspiring all at the same time.   Without falling into the trap of either sentimentalism or demonization, she puts a human face on the Muslim women she met in Yemen—women who run their lives according to Islam, and who know nothing about Christianity.

One of the things I found the most surprising about the book is how normal it was.   Audra is neither a mystic nor a militant. Even when she is actually quietly heroic she makes it sound natural.  Having lost her own mother on the mission field, she was surely acutely aware of the dangers of being away from good medical care, and indeed she and her family had to consider these issues. How risky is too risky? When do you need to return home? Is it fair to subject your children to not only a different culture, but different safety standards? She and her husband navigated these tricky questions with grace.

She influenced the women around her by actually becoming their friends. The watched her and became interested in her strange faith.  In reading this book, I kept thinking that this is probably an example we can follow in many situations.  If we really show love to the people around us, they will see Jesus in us, and become curious about the difference.

 And reaching out to Yemen women involves not just learning a bit of Arabic, but learning how to wear a headscarf, and behave appropriately in the local culture.

This book should interest anyone who is interested in what Islam looks like behind closed doors, from the perspective of women.  This is a very different picture from the common assumptions either that all Muslims are terrorists, or conversely that they are all the same as us.  We see through Audra’s eyes, realize that in certain ways the women are indeed the same – they want a healthy happy family. But in other ways there are drastic differences, and they seem peculiarly resigned to their lack of freedom or opportunities. 

All in all, it was a well written and interesting book, that gives me a lot of admiration for the author.

[Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Chosen Books Publishers as part of their Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ]