Tsar by Ted Bell

Tsar by Ted Bell

There’s a quote on the book that says “a hero to rival Bond by an author to rival Cussler”. I enjoy a good Bond movie and have read a couple of Cussler books so I felt prepared for the type of book that this would be. In fact, I just about put it down after the first couple of chapters, not really enjoying the slow start and all the introduction of characters that was necessary to set the stage. But soon enough I was drawn into the action and mesmerized by the plot which doesn’t seem so far-fetched in this computer-driven day and age.

The action spans the globe and has Hawke in various locations always rushing to the save world from the Russian threat. There’s murder and violence and just enough romance to keep things from being completely brutal. But there is also intrigue and political theories and enough espionage to sink a battle ship, I think there’s one of those as well.

It’s an intricately woven story with a plot that somehow seems plausible and I finished the book sincerely hoping that it would never be prophetic.

Let Go by Sheila Walsh

I have a confession to make. I’ve never read a Shelia Walsh book before, nor have I heard very much of her music. I tend not to listen to Christian music much and as a single woman I find that I don’t usually relate to most women’s books with their family and marriage illustrations. So it was with some trepidation that I opened Let Go.

Happily, I enjoyed the book and found much in it that I will need to think about and continue to apply to my own life. I found her to be an easy writer to read. Her style is warm and comfortable, almost like a conversation over a cup of coffee. Her topic is not always warm and comfortable. There are things to make you think and concepts to wrestle with and these apply whether you are a single or married woman.

What I liked most about the book is that she doesn’t try to give easy answers. This isn’t a how-to book. I think it’s more of a theology of freedom and deliverance. From it we learn what God can do, how He accomplished it in the life of the writer and her family and how He will continue to accomplish it until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6).

If you are a woman burdened by life this book will give you the tools to find freedom in Christ and let go.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I really like reading debut novels. Especially if they’re great books because there is a promise of more great books to come. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield is a great debut novel. I read it one weekend when I was home sick and I literally could not put the book down.

It’s a story about families, mostly dysfunctional ones. It’s a story about stories. It’s about people trying to discover their story and how that story fits into their family’s story.

The story opens in a bookshop where the main character, Margaret works with her father. She has received an invitation to write the biography of a reclusive well-loved author with a mysterious background; a story that others have always wanted to hear. Margaret accepts the invitation and sets out to find a tale that will also help her tell her own story.

One of the more intriguing themes that run through the book is the theme of twins and their twinness. Another theme is childhood cruelty; this is not always an easy book to read. But the twists and turns of the mystery keep the reader coming back to the book for a thoroughly satisfying ending. I hope Diane Setterfield is well on her way to publishing another book; I for one will buy it.

Thanks for the Memories by Cecilia Ahern

A blood transfusion leads to an encounter with stranger which leads to well, if I tell you any more than I will give away the plot. This is a creative and imaginative book with a really good story

I've just started to read Cecelia Ahern, this is the second book of hers that I've read and I'm hooked. Normally I'm not a fan of romance novels but Ms Ahern's imagination and skill with prose has made me a fan. If you are a literal thinker with little imagination you might be slightly confused by the twists and turns and downright unbelievable story line. But if you can let your imagination engage with this book you are in for a treat.

Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson

The book opens with Heather coming face to face with a past that she has tried to bury. Her life as a young wife and mother living in a mansion on a lake seems perfect. So what if she has a shopping addiction, doesn't everyone? So what if her relationship with her church and God seems hollow, it's just a busy stage of life, right? She knows she has "issues" and some problems but life is just too busy to deal with all of this now. She'll do it later. Then she confronts her past and her present starts to crumble.

It's interesting (to me at least) that my first review is a Christian novel. Traditionally I've had low expectations of Christian Fiction as a genre finding it to be mostly shallow and preachy. My views are slowly changing with authors like Ted Dekker and now Lisa Samson (whose book is nothing like Ted Dekker's just to be clear!)

What I loved about this book is that the life questions are confronted head on and there are no easy, pat answers. Heather has to completely redefine her life and her walk with God to start down a path that ulitmately makes sense to her. The characters are well written and likeable. There is action and angst. There is humor. There is a christianity that is messy but believable and desirable. God comes through in these pages for Heather.

This book will make you laugh and cry but mostly it will make you think and for me that is the sign of a great book. Enjoy!