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Edgy Inspirational Author
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Find the latest book reviews and ponderings here...
Last Published: 8/9/2008 12:55:43 AM
September 2007
Thursday September 27, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Michelle Sutton at 10:57AM EST on September 27, 2007

From the Publisher:

Hollywood actor Dayne Matthews and Katy Hart are married and living in Bloomington, Ind., where Dayne has found a solution to his on-camera love scenes-he wants Katy to star in his next film. Katy wins the part and is cast opposite her super-star husband. The story of a small town girl's dream come true is too much for the press to resist, and in an effort to appease them, the couple agrees to a 12. It seems like the perfect compromise but by the time they finish filming the movie, they feel cracks around the edges of their marriage. Now they face an uncertain future, and possibly the end of everything that truly matters to them.

The Baxter family learns that Ashley and Kari are both pregnant, but an ultrasound reveals that something is wrong with one of the babies. As the summer progresses, the sisters pray for a miracle while trying to face the unthinkable. It's in this trying season that they must all learn the lesson God has been trying to teach them-He is still in control, and He will be with them regardless of the outcome.

The Flanigans continue to draw closer to their only daughter, yet Bailey struggles to find her way amidst the turmoil of adolescence. She has always made good decisions, but she wants to experience more of life. Her friendship with Cody Coleman-the young border staying with the Flanigans-continues to blossom in this summer after his graduation. But when Cody decides to enlist in the Army, he'll have to say goodbye to the family he's come to love and the girl he'll never forget.

My review:

Karen has done it again! She's hooked me on her series. Now I've finished Summer and am awaiting the next installment in early 2008 and I'm going to be thinking about this story all the time until I find out what happens next. There are just enough loose ends to make you crave the next book and enough issues resolved that you don't want to throw the book at the wall. This story was a sad one but also very touching and healing. The author did a great job drawing me in to the story and I felt the emotion. She is truly an expert at making your heart connect with her characters. I want to be a Baxter. They have an awesome, yet realistic family with real-life problems. One of the underlying themes of this book is the importance of communication. The author shows the fallout when people close off their hearts to each other and she also shows the beauty of allowing God's will and not fighting it. This was one of the most emotionally touching stories Kingsbury has written. Highly recommended.

Summer was published by Tyndale and released August 21, 2007.

Sunday September 16, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Michelle Sutton at 10:05PM EST on September 16, 2007


From the Publisher:

Lex Sakai's family is big, nosy, and marriage-minded. When her cousin Mariko gets married, Lex will become the oldest single cousin in the clan. And that makes her a moving target for Grandma Sakai, who insists that Lex bring a date to her cousins wedding.

Of course, Grandma Sakai has some perfect candidates for Lex. Too bad they don't speak English! And Lex herself has used her Bible study class on Ephesians to compile a huge list of traits for the perfect man. But the one man she keeps running into doesn't seem to have a single quality on her list. Aiden Young is not her type. Hes not a jock, hes not employed, hes not a Christian. Its only when the always-in-control Lex starts to let God take over that all the pieces of this hilarious romance finally fall into place.

My review:

This was one busy story. Not a dull moment at all. In fact, I think Lex is the unluckiest and clumsiest chick lit character I've ever met, poor thing. I wanted to scream, "no, no, no" right along with her when she kept getting hurt. Like she belonged to the bad luck (rather than joy luck) club. She had a lot of spunk and determination, though, or as someone else described her...pluck! At times her thoughts seemed younger than her stated 30 years--like when she referred to guys as boys. And I think I've learned more about volleyball reading this book than I ever learned watching the sport during the Olympics.

Sushi for One? was a romp through the eyes of a character who had a lot of reasons to be angry, and that came out often in her thoughts. As with most people who love God but are feeling hurt, she closed her heart off to prayer and fellowship to protect herself. As a result, she missed sensing God's safe touch on her life, though He never left her side.

The hero in this story was truly lovable. I think the fact that the author used third person POV and slipped the reader into the mind of this man helped a lot. He seemed absent often when Lex needed him, but considering he hadn't allowed himself to get close to Lex, this made sense. She needed space and he gave it to her. What a great guy! The author's tag line fits this story to a "T".

Sushi for One? is the kind of chick lit story that demonstrates...sometimes romance needs a kick of wasabi. And the powerful, touching ending should bring tears to your eyes. It did mine. I can't wait for the next installment!

Sushi for One?
was published by Zondervan and released on September 1, 2007.
Saturday September 15, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Michelle Sutton at 1:42PM EST on September 15, 2007


Book description:

Fleeing persecution in 18th-century France, Jewish Rachel Levin and Huguenot Pierre Dupre take refuge in a church. They're safe, until the man who killed Rachel's family arrives. Captain Vallae wants her as his mistress---or dead! Rachel and Pierre's "marriage" and subsequent escape leave Vallae furious! Can they reach Scotland before the captain takes revenge?


My review:

Sanctuary is a riveting historical with a twist of suspense and a tender romance born of tragedy. I love stories where someone is out to get two young people who long for love but dare not experience it due to tragic circumstances. I had no idea when I started this book that it would give me everything I love. The cover is a bit "dark" so it didn't pull me toward the story. The publication date did and my need to review it in advance. This is a great example of not being able to tell a book by it's cover. The picture is calm. The story is anything but calm. It's action, adventure, intrigue, peril, love, loss, and intense faith. See what I mean?

This story had me turning the pages as I experienced their fear as they fled from the French Captain bent on destroying them. Their slowly developing feelings brought about by hardship and the need to learn to trust each other swept me away. The story was beautiful. The almost-kisses made me a bit frantic, but I love that. This is a satisfying read about the persecution experienced by the Huguenots and the Jewish people in the mid 1700s. It will hold your attention, I promise.

Sanctuary was published by Tsaba House and released today! So hurry and get a copy while you can!
Sunday September 9, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Michelle Sutton at 10:25PM EST on September 9, 2007

Publisher's Description:

Essie Mae Laveau Jenkins is a 78-year-old sweetgrass basket weaver who sits on the side of Hwy. 17 in the company of her dead husband, Daddy Jim. Inspired by her Auntie Leona, Essie Mae finally discovers her calling in life and weaves powerful "love baskets," praying fervently over them to affect the lives of those who visit her roadside stand. When she’s faced with losing her home and her stand and being put in a nursing home, Daddy Jim talks her into coming on up to Heaven to meet sweet Jesus-something she’s always wanted to do. Once there, she reunites with Gullahs and African ancestors; but soon, her heavenly peace is disrupted, for she still has work to do. Now Essie Mae, who once felt powerless and invisible, must find the strength within her to keep her South Carolina family from falling apart.

My review:

Well here is another book that makes me go hmmmm... because it's supposed to be a Christian book yet there is so much contained in this story that is simply not Biblical. However, the fictionalized character of Essie Mae is a delight to read. I think it's important to note that what the above description from the publisher doesn't mention is that the love baskets that Essie Mae "powerfully prays over" also has voodoo rituals attached, only she calls it hoodoo. Essie would weave the hair of people into the basket in hopes of matchmaking. And in this story the hoodoo techniques always worked.

While I found some of her thoughts hilarious and her culture entertaining, this story contained quite a few weird theological moments...like when Essie thought they needed to help Jesus out when they were in heaven, and some of the things they did in heaven were "way out there". But this is a fictional story. So if you don't take it seriously and read it for mere entertainment you will enjoy the book. I'd love to believe that I will look young, beautiful, and get to make love to my husband in heaven, too, but that simply isn't so. And I found it odd that her voodoo practicing aunt was in heaven along with some other folks that practiced similar things. Like somehow that was irrelevant to their faith in Jesus? Hmmmm...I dunno.

The writing and characterization of the story was excellent, however, and I commend the author for her creativity and ability to engage the reader, but I don't think it should've been marketed as Christian fiction by a Christian publisher. But I'm only one opinion. If you can get past the warped theology and you are seeking a book that is compulsively readable, you'll like this story.

The Spirit of Sweetgrass
was published by Integrity/Thomas Nelson and released in March 2007.
Monday September 3, 2007
Permalink Posted by: Michelle Sutton at 6:10PM EST on September 3, 2007


From the Publisher:

In preparation for their long-awaited wedding day, Dayne and Katy are determined to keep the ceremony a secret from the paparazzi. Their relationship grows closer and stronger as they plan together, but in the end it takes the help of the Baxter family and many of the CKT kids so that they'll even have a chance at a private wedding. John Baxter is thrilled that his oldest son will be settling down a few miles away, but he isn't sure how any of his kids will handle a situation he can no longer run from...the feelings he is having for his friend Elaine. In the meantime, the Flanigan family is struggling with their young boarder, Cody Coleman, Jim Flanigan's star receiver. After an alcohol overdose, Cody fights for his life. Only God's grace and a miracle can bring him back from the brink of death...physically and spiritually.

My review:

I enjoyed Sunrise immensely, probably because I became familiar with Dayne and Katy in Kingsbury's book Fame. While Kingsbury does a great job slipping in the back story a little bit at a time, sometimes it's just not as good as reading it for yourself. I loved Fame and I loved Sunrise. (Nothing like going straight to the wedding.) Actually, there were four books after Fame that led up to this point, so if you like soap opera drama in the sense that every book makes you crave the next "episode" then you'll love Sunrise as a prelude to the exciting things yet to come.

The wedding scene was also the most beautiful and romantic that I've ever read. You can't help but love Dayne and Katy and want great things to happen in their lives. Especially after getting a feel for all that they went through even without reading the previous books. Their love is rich and deep and based on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Kingsbury is unabashedly Christian in that respect. She always emphasizes the importance of salvation in the lives of her characters. I love that. The subplot regarding the perils of drinking and driving was well done as was the budding romance between the senior Baxter, John, and his long-time friend, Elaine.

Kingsbury is also the queen of secondary characters and subplots. Just like in the soaps, there are always several stories going at once. Of course that makes me crave the next book in the series--which I thankfully have--so I can immediately continue on. Kingsbury writes fast enough to make it possible to go from one story to the next. I've probably done myself a disservice by not reading everything in order (I plan to jump back to read Forgiven (which comes after Fame) and I still need to read Redemption, which was the book that started the last two series. But no matter which way you slice it, each series containing the Baxter family is addicting. I'm glad to be getting my next fix.

Sunrise was published by Tyndale and released in May 2007.


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