BOOK REVIEW: Wrapped In Rain by Charles Martin

This is the story of Tucker Mason and how he overcame growing up in the home of an abusive, strict, alcoholic father. His half-brother, Matthew, who goes by Mutt, didn't fare so well. When the book opens, Mutt is in a mental hospital being treated for schizophrenia. Their father Rex left the boys for long periods of time with a caregiver. When he was home, he mistreated the boys.

In flashbacks we learn about Miss Ella Rain, the black woman hired to care for Tucker and Mutt. She was forty-five, a childless widow, and daughter of the son of a slave. She helped her younger brother Moses get through college. He serves in the military and become a doctor.

When the story begins, we learn that Miss Ella has died and Tucker has taken her last name. Tucker Rain is an internationally renowned photographer with cover photos on all the major magazines. He is on his way back to the family home in a small Alabama town even as his agent tries to get him to go on jobs. The family home, which Tucker now owns, is called Waverly Hall. Tucker's father was a mean person, but he had a knack for making money. He was worth more than $50 million by the time he was forty.

On the trip home, Tucker meets a woman, Katie Wither with a child, first at a food stop and later when her car breaks down. It turns out she was a neighbor of the Mason's and a close childhood friend. She was a talented musician, who played the piano as a child at the Mason's home with encouragement from Miss Ella. She left to study piano at Julliard, and later married an unfaithful and abusive man, Trevor. She divorced him, but ran away to protect her five-year old son, Jase.

After rescuing Katie and Jase, and learning of their situation, Tucker talks her into hiding out at the Mason home. When they get there, Tucker finds out his brother has left the hospital where Tucker had taken him seven years earlier.

Katie, Jase and Tucker find Mutt and the three adults recall childhood memories and get together to plan a super Christmas. Moses is at there, too.

The background information is introduced gradually, as needed, without distracting the reader from the main flow of the story.

I loved meeting these characters. Tucker was able to forgive his father and that is what made him special. Mutt tried to control himself, but he couldn't. He was a good man, but unable to be like others. Katie was a good mother who let herself get tricked into marrying an abusive man. She would survive. Moses, set good examples for the brothers when they were children and when they were adults. Along with Ella, he helped them survive.

It was a satisfying story with characters you'll not soon forget.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

BOOK REVIEW: The Seraph Seal by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner

If I had seen this book in a bookstore, or read about it online, I probably wouldn't have bought it. If not for the free review copy I received from the publisher, I would have missed reading one of the better books I've read in quite some time.

There are several reasons why I wouldn't have picked this book to buy. First, it looks bulky, and perhaps too long. A closer check shows the last hundred pages are notes and supplementary information. Of course a novel requiring notes may turn off some buyers. Another reason I was not enthused about the book was that the story is set in the year 2048 and, because of my own writing, I have been reading only contemporary books for a long time.

But, as I said, I am glad I took the free book and read it. In fact, I ordered, and paid for the Kindle version soon after I started reading just to be able to more easily make notes. Also, I prefer the size and weight of the Kindle over most printed books.

I never read reviews until my own is published, but I sure hope no one tells you everything about this book. Part of the enjoyment is the way it is organized and developed. You must experience it for yourself to fully appreciate the story. What I can tell you is that it is about the end of the world as described in Revelations. There are both good and evil people, all born on the same day and time, thirty-six years earlier, who are involved in the story. Paul Binder, a historian and professor of cultural studies, was also born at the same time. However, his role is that of a facilitator, and as such, he is an important part of the story.

Even though the book is set in 2048, the authors didn't delve into the futuristic aspects too much. Oh, there are a few glimpses into what may be in our future, but all are easy to accept. Pearl, for example, is a body-mind-interface device that people wear, or have implanted, to communicate and access information. It is not far beyond technological capabilities of 2011. Other futuristic references have to do with travel and the use of avatars.

There are many interesting characters and you will enjoy getting to know them all. It is not until near the end that you will learn which ones to cheer for, however. Even so, there are surprises all the way to the very last page. I loved this book and still think about it every day.

BOOK REVIEW: Nick of Time by Tim Downs

The books I like best make me laugh, cry, gasp, and stay awake at night thinking about the characters. Nick of Time caused me to chuckle. Two or three times.

Nick Polchak, a forensic entomologist, who apparently is more comfortable around dead people than live ones, surprises his few friends by announcing he is getting married to Alena Savard. Alena, a dog trainer who lives alone in a double-wide mobile home in the Virginia woods, has fewer friends than Nick does, if you don't count her pack of dogs.

Nick is a member of the Vidocq Society, a group of forensic specialists who meet in Philadelphia monthly to investigate cold cases. He is enticed to attend a meeting just a week before the wedding. Alena is not too happy about Nick leaving her with all the wedding preparations. But he feels he must go. He gets her a cell phone and, since there is no cell service where she lives, they agree for her to go into Endor each night so he can call her.

At the meeting, Nick learns the friend and fellow member of the Society who had asked him to come to the meeting had been killed. His death is apparently related to a cold case he was working on. While investigating the murder, Nick ends up in jail and is not able to call Alena. When Nick doesn't call for several days, Alena wonders if he is in trouble or is getting cold feet about their marriage. Either way, she decides to find him, taking three dogs with her. One for protection, one for tracking, and one to find a dead body.

For the rest of the book, Nick searches for the killer while Alena searches for Nick. Both stories are interesting. She proves to be as good an investigator as he is and she would have found him quickly if she had not been misdirected by people she trusted.

Does Nick find the killer? Does Alena find Nick? Do they get married? You'll have to read the book to find out.

Nick of Time is well structured and well written. There are places where I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next. Unfortunately, there weren't enough such places.

My main criticism of the book is that the characters never came alive for me. Nick and Alena were alike as advertised on the back of the book. But there could have been some differences. Even the supporting characters sounded a lot like Nick to me.

Rating: 3 Stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” After reading the book, I donated it to a church library.

BOOK REVIEW: Heart of Ice by Lis Wiehl with April Henry

This is a story about three women, working in criminal investigative jobs in Portland, Oregon. Federal prosecutor Allison Pierce, FBI Agent Nicole Hedges, and television crime reporter Cassidy Shaw, long-time friends from school, team up to find a cold-hearted killer before more lives are lost. Time becomes more critical when the killer threatens to harm them and their loved ones.

This is the third book in a series called Triple Threat, named for the three main characters. In my opinion it is the best yet. As usual, it is suspenseful, full of action, and about interesting characters. I like the way the reader is given insights the three women don't have yet. This adds to the suspense.

Although each book in the series stands alone, I felt the characters in this one had grown emotionally since the last book. Each had gone through life events that would make anyone stop and evaluate their situation. Or, perhaps the authors have grown. I say that because I also felt the other characters, the criminal ones, were more real to me than in past books.

There is a subtle message about how different people react to God, but it does not take away from an enjoyable read. I strongly recommend Heart of Ice!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” After reading the book, I donated it to a church library.

BOOK REVIEW: A Time to Dance by Karen Kingsbury

This is the story of Abby and John Reynolds and how they got to the brink of divorce after twenty-two years of being happily married, all while keeping their marriage problems secret from their three children and their friends.

While I enjoyed reading the book and got caught up with the characters, I never fully believed this could happen. Why? Because these were spiritual people who were supposedly brought together by God. When the story begins they weren't even going to church. Surely someone would have noticed that. They went to a marriage counselor, but not a Christian one as far as I could tell.

The children were not as blind to the marital problems as their parents thought and it was their prayers that may have helped more than the counseling. Nicole, their daughter, was especially aware of there being something wrong, all while wanting to pattern her upcoming marriage to that of her parents. I enjoyed the scenes told from Nicole's point of view.

All in all, it was worth reading. I just wish it could have been more believable.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” After reading the book, I gave it to a church library.

BOOK REVIEW: Angel Song by Sheila Walsh and Kathryn Cushman

This is the story of Ann Fletcher, a New York City home and office staging designer, who finds herself at a crossroad where she must choose between success in the big city and what she knows deep down is the right thing to do.

She is happily progressing in the business world until the death of her sister Sarah brings her back to her childhood home in Charleston and the reality that she is all alone in the world.

Sarah's friends show Ann the same Christian love they had shared with Sarah, but Ann only wants to sell the house and get back to New York. She is torn between wanting to let Sarah's friends into her life and pushing them away so that it won't hurt her so much when she leaves Charleston. Sarah's neighbor Tammy and her son Keith get close to Ann as does Ethan, who feels compelled to help Ann. Keith, who has Down's Syndrome sees angels, and points out the ones who are always with Ann. Ann doesn't believe in angels, but she hears music (angel song) she can't explain.

The overall message of Angel Song is inspiring, without being preachy. Because of the way it is crafted, the angel element of the story is believable. The book moved slowly in places and it wasn't until near the last one-fourth of the book that I became more emotionally involved.

One message in the book is that we always have choices. Even when Ann had to make decisions that might negatively impact the lives of her friends and her friend's children, she had a choice. Another message is that no one is alone in the world.

This book is worth reading, just give it time to hook you.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” After reading the book, I gave it to San Gabriel Presbyterian Church Library in Georgetown, Texas.