Monday, February 23, 2015

Heaven Help Heidi

Heaven Help Heidi
Author:  Sally John

Website: www. sally-john.com/
Number of Pages: 352
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
ISBN-13:  978-0736954686
Release Date: February 1, 2015
Market: Christian
Genre: Fiction

My Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

Description (from the back cover): Welcome to the Casa de Vida--eleven quaint bungalows located three blocks from the Pacific Ocean in tiny Seaside Village, California. Owner Liv McAlister never advertises vacancies beyond a small hand-lettered sign out front, preferring to trust that God will send the right tenant at just the right time. And He always does.
Heidi Hathaway's life has been turned upside down. After an accident leaves her injured, unable to work, and incapable of negotiating the stairs in her multilevel oceanfront condo, she leases her home and moves into a cozy little cottage in the charming garden complex where her friend Piper lives. There she finds so much more than a place to rest and recover.
Piper Keyes knows Jared is not coming back from Afghanistan. After making it through the fifth anniversary of his death, she wonders if she's at last ready to get on with life. She gingerly explores new avenues--photography, cooking, and buying her own boutique--and learns to open her heart again.
The most comforting thing about living at the Casa is that the women there become each other's mentors and confidantes, learning from their own mistakes and arriving at new, healed places in their lives.

How and Why I Acquired this Book
I received a free copy of the book from Harvest House Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review.

My Expectations
This is the first time reading Sally John’s work.  I liked the cover, and Harvest House has a good reputation for publishing awesome books.

Were My Expectations Met
Absolutely!  I will definitely read more books by Sally John.

The Writing
The writing flowed smoothly, and I enjoyed Sally John’s writing style.  I could hear the characters talking in my head and see the various locations in the story.  I felt like I was actually present, not just reading a second hand account of the story.

The Storyline
There are so many different stories going on that this could become a TV show.  It was great!  The characters were realistic.  They were all flawed in some way.  Wounded.  Broken vessels.  Yet, together they formed a beautiful community to help each other grow and heal with Mama Liv at the center of it all.  The story is also about friendship, change, and how we can show love to others in need.
 
Spiritual Aspect
God is the center without being thrown in the face of the reader.  I feel like this novel really shows us how to be Jesus with hands…how to act out true love for God and others in daily life.  It shows how to come beside someone in need without beating them over the head with the Bible.  It’s a beautiful story.

Questions I Have
I do want to know what happens with Val and Livvie.  Do Val and Adam figure out their mother’s lie?  Who moves into the Casa next?  Is this story “to be continued?”  I hope so!

Audience Appropriateness and Appeal
People who like stories about overcoming tough obstacles will like this story.  Also, those who don’t like a lot of mushy romance will enjoy this book.

Conclusion
This is a great book! 
Pros:
§  Real characters that offer different points of view
§  Great theme and writing style
§  Cons:

§  It ended

Monday, February 2, 2015

Better All the Time

Better All the Time
Author:  Carre Armstrong Gardner

Number of Pages: 416
Publisher: Tyndale House Pubishers
ISBN-13:  978-1414388151
Release Date: April 2015
Market: Christian
Genre: Fiction

My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

Description (from the back cover): Seraphina Darling has always struggled to stand out. With her weight issues at the forefront of her mind, Sephy prefers to place herself comfortably in the background. But when Sephy’s best friend and older brother announce their engagement, she vows to make a permanent change in her appearance and her life.

Meanwhile her younger sister, Amy, lands her dream job: coordinating the restoration of the community theater’s arts programs. As the deadline for the project’s completion approaches, Amy continues to run herself ragged, struggling to delegate and trust anyone but herself.

As the Darling sisters move through tragedy and triumph, between shadows and the limelight, each must find a path into the freedom of who God intended her to be.

How and Why I Acquired this Book
I received a free ebook from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. 

My Expectations
This is the first time reading anything by Carre Armstrong Gardner.  I have previously enjoyed books published by Tyndale, and I liked the cover of this book.  I was attracted to the happy title font, and I love the beach, which is a real treat for someone from Wisconsin.

Were My Expectations Met
My expectations were exceeded.  I completely enjoyed this book.  It was fabulous!

The Writing
The details in this book were vivid, and the dialogue flowed smoothly.  The personality of each character was beautifully portrayed, and although there were several characters, I didn’t get them mixed up.  As I read, I recognized people from my own life in some of the Darling family members.  I think I can say that there are stories within the larger story of Sephy’s life.

The Storyline
Sephy’s story is the main storyline, a story of being invisible, overlooked, taken advantage of, and wondering if her prince will ever come.  When she makes the decision to change her life, not everyone is supportive of her.  Sephy experiences setbacks, but she also overcomes obstacles.  God is the center of this big, boisterous, albeit dysfunctional at times family.

Not only is there conflict in Sephy’s life, but there is conflict in nearly all the characters’ lives.  The conflict makes the book hard to put down.  I found myself constantly making predictions of what was going to happen to each of the characters, and I was often wrong. 
 
Spiritual Aspect
The Darlings are a praying family, and the message that God loves us, hears our prayers, and answers us comes gently off the pages of this book.  This family lives according to God’s word (most of them), and it’s encouraging to see busy people who regularly talk to God.

Questions I Have
I wonder if the Hallmark or Up Channel will make this book (probably the series) into a made-for-tv movie.  I would LOVE to see this on the screen even though I generally believe that the book is better than the movie.  I’d still watch it…several times.  Oh!  My question about the book is: will Sephy eventually reveal what happened to her at the airport to Liberty or Justice?  Yes, this is a minor issue in the book, but still I’d like to know.

Audience Appropriateness and Appeal
This book comes with a G-rating.  It would be great for anyone, especially for those who identify with Sephy and her appearance issues.  Anyone who enjoys the Hallmark or Up Channels with their encouraging stories of overcoming challenges will enjoy this book, too.  I haven’t read the first book in the series, but I am definitely going to go back and read it, and I will read future stories of the Darling family, too.

Conclusion
Overall, this book is worth your time and effort to read it.  I give it two thumbs up! 
Pros:
§  The characters were believable
§  There was a variety of conflict
§  It’s part of a series (Yeah!)
§  Cons:

§  I have to wait (maybe a year) for the next book in the series to come out.