Patricia Hickman

Dear Readers,
I have a love/dislike relationship with Patricia's book. It isn't that I "hate" them, I have just found a couple of them a little dry. With Painted Dresses I found one I enjoyed. It is the story of two sisters who are different as sister can be. One of the them is the good one and the other isn't. One has always tried to do what was right and the other just does her own thing without worring about anyone else.

Gaylen returns to her home town after father falls ill and dies. As she tries to decide what to do for her sister and how to take care of her. With her marriage on the rocks and not wanting to offend anyone, she is trying to do what is right, even if it isn't what is best for Delia.

When Delia takes a shot at a drug dealer's sister and on the run they go to keep Delia out of jail, but also to save her from the hitman that they hired to kill her. They decide to stay at an Aunt's cottage and find several pictures made of painted dresses. Each one tells a story and each one is left to a different person.

Each delivery reveals a little more about their family's history. Stuff that shouldn't have been hidden. Stuff that made their family the way it was. Things that they could have worked through and been able to heal.

Gaylen is dealing with a sister she doesn't like, a marriage that is struggleing, and these new stories that are awaking the nightmares of the past. Which do you deal with first? Which is more important? Can one lead to the healing in different areas?

This is not as complicated book as I have just made it sound, but it is one of secrets kept and people who have been hurt because of it. It is a terrific look at a family in crisis and how hiding the bad things is not helpful. I found that in some ways I really felt for Gaylen and yet sometimes I was a bit frustrated with her. Delia I found terriably annoying and yet in some ways I have to admit I did admire the way she is able to not be worried about what others thought of her.

Without giving the story completely away, this is a story that can help someone either going through the same crisis or someone trying to understand what happen to themselves or someone else they are walking with. I am would say this is a must have for every church library.

Happy Reading

T.L. Hines

Dear Readers,
I know some of you love T.L. Hines' books and some of you don't. His new book is not going to change your opinion of him. The Unseen is his newest release. It is very different and one that if you like a book that you are not sure what is going on this will be perfect for you. I am going to tell you right away, this is not my favorite of his. It kept me very interested the whole book, I liked the characters and the storyline was very intrigueing, but it wasn't a creepy "ghost" story like The Dead Whisper on and it isn't a mystery like Waking Lazarus. But don't let that turn you off it is a good book.

Lucas is the main character. He is off the radar for everyone and he likes it that way, he just doesn't exsist according the the goverment. He loves to hide in buildings and watch people as they work. He makes up stories about their lives. He never makes contact with them and never ever goes into peoples house. He washes dishes to earn the little money he needs. He sleeps in the buildings and other various places around the city. He likes his life and is quite content. Until...

...a chance meeting with Donavan. A fellow creeper as Donavan's group calls themselves. Suddenly a whole different world is opened up to Lucas and he isn't sure he likes it. Nobody is whom they seem to be. Nothing is as Lucas understands it. Nobody believes he is doing any of this just because he is a good guy.

This is one of those books that leaves you a bit unsettled after you are done. I did like the questions that T.L. has in the back of the book. It made for a little more thinking. In one question he askes you to compare your feelings for Lucas at the beginning of the book to those at the end of the book. It really made me stop and think as I really hadn't thought about it much before that, which in and of itself was surprising to me as I usually find a character that I really like or dislike. I did realize that I didn't really have any of those feeling for Lucas at the beginning. I did find I felt a lot more sympathy for him when I understood him more. I found him as a bit of a innocent and really not all that "street smart." Which maybe would have been endearing to some, I found it a bit annoying.

Once again I am going to say that if you like his other books you will like this one. It is the novel he was working on as he was fighting cancer. Which does give it a bit of a trivia thing, but doesn't effect the book. It is along his good storylines and his charcters are interesting. I don't think this book can be labeled a guy book, it is just a good "riddle book." One that is fun to try to figure out.

Happy Reading

Alice J. Wisler

Dear Readers,
A new author is always exciting. I also must say that one that picks out such great covers, well all the better. Rain Song by Alice J. Wiser, is a gentle story of Nicole Michelin finding herself and her mother.

Nicole and her dad flew back from Japan when Nicole is 2 and her mother had been killed in a fire. That is all the information that Nicole knows and her father refuses to tell her more. Nicole has lived with this little bit of knowledge all her life. That one experience of flying, being sick the whole way home, makes her never want to fly again. She has her teaching, her Koi, and her doll that her mother gave her when she was just a baby.

That is why when her life is turned upside down by someone she meets on the internet. He lives in Japan and it turns out he knew her and her family when they lived there. Does Nicole continue to pursure this relationship or does she cut it off before it leads to something she doesn't want to continue? Does she want to know more about her mom? What if her dad kept a secret about her mom she doesn't really want to know? What if...? Is it worth the risk?

This is again a look at family secrets. It is a different in that the secrets didn't really need to be kept. I know there are certian things you can't tell you kids, but why would you not tell your daughter about her mother? I was to say the least a bit frustrated by Nicole's father. I think that is part of Nicole's problems and of course the wacky/normal family adds to the problems.

I did like this book a lot. I found it a story that any of us could live. The characters are normal, lovable and very annoying when they need to be. It is a good story that is fun to read.

Happy Reading

Tim Downs

Dear Readers,
Tim Downs is back with his 4th bug guy book. Less than Dead continues the story of Nick Polchek story.

Nick has finally meet his match. He is hired to find out why there is dead bodies on the land where the new shopping mall is going up. When the first cadavier dog fails to find more bodies, Nick, of course, desides to hire someone new. The witch of Endor, or Alena to just a few people. She trains dogs that are able to find just about anyone, living or dead. She is hard headed, opinionated, and very independent, so in other words just like Nick. Which of course makes for some great conversations and scenes in the book.

If you know Nick at all you know that he never goes by the rules. He doesn't really see any sense in doing something just because someone asked him to. Even when his friend is removed from the case and begs him to cooperate with the new guy, Nick does his own thing. Which of course makes this much more interesting. Add a senator-soon to be president if the election goes well- and his wife who have a few to many skeletons in the closet to make this an interesting tale.

There is plenty of murder and mayhew to satisfy anyone that loves a good mystery and then just add Nick and his attitude and mouth and I actually found myself laughing out loud. I love Nick the bug guy and can't wait for his next installment. I also would love to meet Tim Downs to see where this great character is coming from

Happy Reading

Lynn Austin

Dear Readers,
Lynn Austin's newest book is here. Yeah! I so enjoy her books, they are just really good stories. Whether a contemporary tale or one set in Biblical times, they are all very good and interesting.

In Until We Reach Home, Lynn writes about 3 sisters that head for America to get away from an Uncle who is to friendly with the oldest one. Elin can think of no other way to keep her sisters safe from him. She can't share her secret with them as they will think less of her and may not even believe her.

Kristen is also keeping a secret. One that may keep her from getting into America and there is nothing for her to go back to. On the eve of their leaving, Tor, her true love tells her that he will never be able to marry her because of her family history.
Sophia doesn't want to leave their family home. Mom and Dad are buried there and their older brother has moved to Stockholm. Why would anyone want to leave the farm?

Secrets kept and later reveled. This novel is about family, about love and truth. It is one that is well woven together and paints a beautiful picture of what life was like for the new immigrants coming to America. It wasn't streets of gold and picture prefect, but yet it was still a new start for people who needed it.

I can easily say that if you like Lynn's books you will love this one also. I was hooked right away, even if some of it was easy to guess what was coming next. It is not a complicated book, but a great story. Take time out of your busy schedule and relax and enjoy a wonderful read.

Happy Reading

John B. Olsen

Dear Readers,
With the wide spread popularity with the Twilight series of books and show like Angel and Buffy, John thought he would take the Vampires on from a Christian perspective. In Shade John does just that. He takes on "real" vampires and want-to-bes. The "real" vampires are really just very evil men and women who are dabbling in Satanic worship. The want-to-be vampires are people that are trying to live the life style and just don't understand what they are really messing with.

Hailey Maniates feels like she has fallen through the rabbit hole. Her quiet life is no longer quiet. After being rescued by a homeless guy, everything she knows is right is no longer correct. What she thought was just stories, turn out to be real. She is questioned and doubted by other, which makes her begin to even doubt herself.

Hailey decides for her own sanity she needs to find the homeless guy and at least make sure he is ok and to thank him for saving her. So starts her journey into a side of life and the world she never thought she would see.

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, but I quickly got caught up in the storyline and the action of it all. There were times as I was reading it that I actually had to stop to figure out where I was. It is a fast moving book. It really is fast paced and keeps you on your toes. I don't recommend it for anyone that is looking of a quiet read, this book is not very restful at all. In fact I was on a camping trip with our youth group and we stay in tents. This is not a good book to be reading when staying in a tent. (Kind of Creepy) It is not a slow read either. It is one that I would recommend for those who have read the Twilight books and are looking for something else. This book gives a much more negative view of this sub-culture. It by no stretch of the imagination paints it in a good light. It is a good and interesting read.

Happy Reading

Patti Hill

Dear Readers.
I have to admit that I didn't think I would like The Queen of Sleepy Eye by Patti Hill as much as I did. I totally enjoyed the story and even found myself a little sad that the story ended.
During the summer of 1975, Amy and her not so traditional mother head on a road trip to California so Amy can finally find the freedom from her mother. That is the only problem with this trip, Mom insisted in coming along.

When Mom's beloved Pontiac Bonneville Sports Coupe loses it's tranmission, they are stuck in the small town of Cordial. Colorado. Francie, mom, is ok with this and ready to make the best of it. She finds a job, strikes up a friendship and even finds a boyfriend, of course that is the problem. Mom isn't acting like she wants to leave and Amy can't wait to leave.

When Franie takes a job at the local funeral home Amy is sure that she will never see California. Not only is she stuck in this one horse town, she now has to spend her days and nights answering the death calls, as Mrs. Clancy so delicately puts it. How will they ever get a chance to leave? Will it ever work out and will Amy leave even if her mother doesn't want to?

Susan May Warren is quoted as saying this about the book, "More than a coming-of-age tale, it's about life and loss, love and forgiveness. and discovering there is more to the world than what we see." She is correct. It is one of those books you have to read to really experience it. I know that sounds funny, but this is a book you may not pick up on your own, but I recomend it to all who are looking for something a little different.

Patti has really found her stride with this book. I love the desciptions in it, you can almost feel the summer heat rising from the book just by the word pictures. Even the hippie commune is well pictured and I think I would be able to find this little town, just by how Patti paints it in words.

Happy Reading