"Deadly Echoes" by Nancy Mehl was Disappointing

Deadly Echoes by Nancy Mehl is about two sisters, Hannah and Sarah, whose parents were murdered but the case was closed saying it was a burglary gone awry.  The girls got separated and when the older girl was 18, she tried to get the cops to re-open the case and look at it as a murder.  Then years later, Hannah is murdered and there are similarities to her parents' murder which the younger sister, Sarah, sees and then once again, the case is closed with it classified as a burglary and the burglar hanging himself in jail.  Sarah, who is a single school teacher in a rural community, becomes the guardian of Cicely, Hannah's ten-yr.-old daughter who was at a sleepover when her mother was killed.

I had high hopes for this book but was disappointed in the writing.  It moved along very slowly, the only suspense was at the very end and I had figured out who the murder was.  This is one of those Christian fiction books that just was not well developed and I didn't care for it.  There was a self-esteem theme running through it; however, it fell flat for me.  I finished it but just having read two really good books, this was a big let down.  If you like a slow moving, kind of cozy mystery, then you may like this one.
(Karen's review, 2 stars)

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"Lucy Come Home" by Dave and Neta Jackson

Lucy Come Home is about a young boy who is part of a carnival that goes from town to town.  One day he gets to meet a young girl that he falls for.  They get along well until an incident causes them to have to run out of town.  I enjoyed this book very much.  It had a good pace and kept me interested throughout.  Well worth your time to read it.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Old Fashioned" by Rene Gutteridge

I heard a lot about the movie so was excited to read Old Fashioned by Rene Gutteridge when I saw it at the library.  This is a love story about letting go of one's past and moving forward.  Clay and Amber very different but yet are attracted to each other.   This is a clean romance novel that shows how people can change but that no one is perfect.  Clay was really strange though, his first few dates with Amber were really unbelievable!  I enjoyed it because of the humor in it and especially liked the ending!  It's a quick read.  It has discussion questions in the back for book club use.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)  Here's the movie trailer:


Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Wings of a Dream" by Anne Mateer

Wings of a Dream by Anne Mateer is about Rebekah, a young woman in Oklahoma who desires adventure and is determined to get out of the small town in which she lives with her mother and father.  She is a bit jealous of Will, her older brother who is a soldier during WW II because he gets to travel.  She is attracted to a pilot who she dreams of marrying one day.  When her aunt becomes ill and Rebekah goes to nurse her, she gets her adventure, just not the one she dreamed of.  She discovers her aunt was helping raise four little children while their widowed father served his country overseas. 

This is a good Christian historical fiction book that I enjoyed reading.  It is based on a real situation that actually happened and focuses on Rebekah’s search for God’s will for her life.  It is a clean romance that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. 

(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Within My Heart" by Tamera Alexander - Good Love Story

Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander is about friendship, death, fear, faith and love that takes place in the 1800s.  Rand is a fine doctor who gave up the opportunity for a lucrative practice in Boston to become a doctor in Timber Ridge, Colorado.  Rachel is a young widow with two young boys and a ranch she is trying to keep to fulfill her late husband’s dream for their sons (Mitch and Kurt) even though she’d rather assist the doctor with his patients than take care of a ranch.  Rachel fights against loving any other man, wanting to stay loyal to her dead husband and also not wanting to go through the pain of losing another one. 

This Christian historical romance novel quickly got my interest and the characters are very likable.  This book deals with life and death issues well and I enjoyed learning about early medicine through Rand.  I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good Christian historical fiction or stories about strong women and struggling families. 

(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"The Inheritance" by Tamera Alexander (Christian Historical Fiction)

The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander takes place in Colorado during the late 1800s.  McKenna and Robert Ashford, older sister and 14-yr-old brother, move to Colorado to live with their cousin until they can get a fresh start when they cannot make the payments on their home and livery business their parents left them.  When they get to Colorado, they find things are not at all what they expected.  McKenna soon finds herself struggling to be a mother to her cousin’s little girl, Emma, when her cousin died in childbirth shortly after McKenna and Robert arrived. 

This is a good Christian historical fiction novel about a rocky relationship between a sister and her rebellious brother whom she feels sorry for and responsible for.  I liked the main character and of course the predictable ending that is characteristic of Christian fiction.  The story line with Robert and the U.S Marshall added an interesting dimension to the book.  It has discussion questions in the back for book club use.  

(Karen's review, 4 stars)

 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!