Grounds to Believe by Shelley Bates

Last week I read and reviewed Bate's A Sounding Brass. I comment that I didn't realize it is book 3 of a trilogy... the Elect Trilogy. Grounds to Believe is book 1. I don't normally like reading books out of order. Knowing what lies ahead seems to ruin the earlier books for me. That was not the case with this one. Bates' book link and flow, but they are not connected at the hip. They will stand alone. And though I knew a bit about what would happen in this one, to be honest I would have figure it out while reading. These books are not mysteries... you can see where they are going. It is the getting there that is intriguing. The Elect Trilogy deals with a toxic cultish church... and it does so in a respectful manner. The members aren't whackos like so often betrayed in movies and such. Yes, their beliefs are skewed and some of what they do is a tad bizarre (like dressing head to toe in black), but the people themselves are basically good folks who believe they are living the life God has called them to live. Bates does a good job showing how the leadership gets and holds control over their members. In Grounds, she shows an inside look (as it were) to the recruiting of a potential member. She also shows, in more than one character, how the pressures of this lifestyle can cause a fracture within persons. And she shows that not all who belong are truly convinced.... it just takes a bit of light to dispel the darkness.

Very, very good book. Both the ones I have read in this series are excellent and I am looking forward to reading book 2 - Pocketful of Pearls.

Someday by Karen Kingsbury

Karen Kingsbury is right at the top of my favorite authors list. Her books are phenomenal! Someday is book 3 in the Sunrise series.. which is the 3rd (and last) series that focuses on the Baxter family. There is one more book coming out soon. It is going to be very difficult to say Good-bye to these folks.... and what is cool is we won't have to. Kingsbury is going to have a blog that focuses on the characters from these 3 series. A very cool idea indeed!

It is impossible to share much from the book as you need to read the entire series.. all 3.. from the beginning. They most definitely flow together. I can tell you that if you read no other Christian Fiction books, but these you will be pleased. They are really some of (if not the) best books out there.

The first book in the first series is Redemption. Grab it and get started. It won't take you long at all to catch up. These are "too good to put down" books.

One More Sunrise by Michael Landon, Jr. and Tracie Peterson

I saw this book several times in CBD catalogs and contemplated reading it. I love Peterson's works, but wasn't sure about Landon. Still my interested was peaked. Then I read a review of this book ( http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2008/03/one-more-sunrise-by-michael-landon-jr.html ) and knew it had to go on my to-read list. Last week I saw it on the new fiction shelf at my library and snatched it. I am so glad I did.

One More Sunrise is a wonderful store of restoration and healing... of letting go of the past and of mistakes... letting God heal those hurt places and then moving forward. One of the things I love is that there are characters that don't allow this to happen (which is sad) and the reader is able to see those lives in contrast to the ones who accept God's grace. There are some powerful messages in this novel and a wonderful story. The story is set in 1950s heartland America in a small rural setting with farming as its core. Many of the lives there are as dry and dusty and infested as the landscape, but then hope comes in the form of a corporate farming enterprise that is going to revitalize the town and the lives of its inhabitants, but at what cost?

There is another interesting aspect of this novel. One my friend mentions in her review also... an angel. There is no way to discuss it without giving too much away, but I will say I believe this was handled well. I was reminded a bit of Landon's father and his series... Highway to Heaven.

I was pleasantly surprised by this one and will definitely be on the look out for any others by Landon and Peterson.

Invisible by Lorena McCourtney

Ivy Malone is a hoot! She is also the main character in Invisible, which is book 1 of the Ivy Malone Mysteries. There are 4 out to date. I don't know if the author has more books planned or not, but I know I will read all of them!

I love fun mysteries... I like serious ones too... but I needed something light and fun and this fit the bill perfectly! Ivy is an widowed senior adult with no children and a lot of time on her hand. Vandals keep hitting the cemetery and it appears the police aren't doing a thing about it, so Ivy takes matters into her own hands and stake out the cemetery. But then when she witnesses a body being tossed into the river; realizes her young neighbor has disappeared mysteriously and sees her home is vandalize and a threatening message left for her, she steps it up a notch. Determined that nothing and no one is going to get in her way, Ivy dives in with a vengeance to find who-dun-it!

Lots of spunk and fun in this one!

A Sounding Brass by Shelley Bates.. PBS.. and the Library

About a year ago my friend, Cecelia Dowdy, wrote a review for this book on her blog (http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2007/03/sounding-brass-by-shelley-bates.html ). I was intrigued and added it to my "get this book to read" list. So I popped it onto my wish list at Paperback Book Swap and a few weeks ago someone listed it and I got it. I have to make a plug for PBS. It is a great way to "recycle" books. You post your books when you are done reading them. If someone wants one, you say OK.... print a label and mail it off at your cost (which runs about $2.00). And you earn 1 point. For each point you get to choose a book that is in the system and have it mail to you. You pay nothing for that book. Technically the books aren't free, since you have to pay postage when you send yours, BUT $2.13 is cheaper than more books out there.

I will add that PBS is normally my 2nd resort. I usually look at my local library first. A library is a wonderful thing and often underutilized. If you haven't been to a library in years, you might be surprised at what you will find there. Many off the ability to search their stacks online and even put in requests via the Internet. Mine even allows me to recheck books through their website.

Finding free or cheap books is much easier than you think!

So on to the review.... What peaked my interest in this book is one of the things Cecelia liked best about it.... it centered around a cultish church. I have always been a bit fascinated with cults, whose beliefs seem so ridiculous to me and yet people who seem normal follow them wholeheartedly.

In A Sounding Brass, we see a group of people who have lived their lives tied to The Elect only to find it shattering before their eyes. The leadership has been arrested and is on trial, a new charismatic lay-leader is introducing new ideas into the fellowship and many are feeling rejected by their faith and unsure of what they to believe.

This book grabbed hold of me from the start... it took me 2 days to read it, but only because I had to eat and sleep and take care of my family! LOL! One thing I wish I had known.. this is book 3 of a trilogy. It is, in my opinion, able to stand alone. The author does a great job weaving in the necessary background material without making it sound like a quick summary paragraphs stuck in to catch up the reader.

There is nothing on the book cover or in the book telling us it is book 3... I found out when I did a search on Shelley Bates to see what other books she has written. I have book 1 from the library -- Grounds to Believe and Book 2 is on my wish list at PBS (since the library doesn't have it) -- Pocketful of Pearls.

This is a wonderful book... the writing is excellent... the story intriguing... the characters rich and real.

Design on a Crime by Ginny Aiken

This is book one of Aiken's Deadly Decor Mystery series and it is a fun read! If you are looking for riveting spine chilling suspense, then this book isn't for you. BUT if you want a bit of silliness and mayhem mixed with intrigue and chaos, this is it! After searching to find and define herself, Haley Farrell is launching her career as an Interior Designer. Unfortunately she is sidetracked when her dear friend and mentor is murdered and she finds herself the prime suspect. When it seems that the local authorities aren't going to look elsewhere, Haley decides to take matters into her own hands and find the real killer.

There are 2 more adventures (so far) in this series and I am looking forward to reading them. They are light and fun and have just enough twists and turns to give my brain a light workout.

The Mahoney Sisters Trilogy by Tracey V. Bateman

I really like mysteries and the Love Inspired Suspense series mysteries have surprised me. These are good! There is just the right amount of intrigue and adventure mixed in with romance and a nice healthy dose of faith.


Tracey Bateman has written a series about 3 sisters... hence the name, The Mahoney Sisters.




Book 1, Reasonable Doubt centers on Keri Mahoney. Keri's childhood sweetheart is whisk away by his aunt after his parents are killed in a car wreck. Although they vow to stay in touch, forces beyond their control prevent that from happening. Now, 15 years later, Justin is back in Keri's life along with his twin sons and a murder investigation hanging over his head. Can Keri keep her personal feelings out of the way and be the cop she was trained to be? Did Justin kill his wife? Or is there someone else out there responsible... someone who now wants to remove Justin and his boys from the picture also?




Book 2, Suspicion of Guilt focuses on Denni Mahoney. Denni runs a home for girls who have just left the foster care program and entered young adulthood. She helps them find employment, take college classes and prepare to function independently in the real world, but someone doesn't like what she is doing. Flooded basements, fires in the kitchen, and missing items are just a few of the not-so-subtle hints he or she is leaving. Denni is determined to move forward ignoring the warnings, but Detective Reece Corrigan has other plans. Reece is determined to get to the bottom of the attacks even if that means suspecting one of the girls in the home.




Book 3, Betrayal of Trust spotlights the oldest Mahoney sister, Raven. Raven is in a high powered, fast moving career that keeps her from family and from faith. She is too busy striving to be a mover and a shaker and dealing with secrets from her past that feed her insecurities and doubts. Then a once in a lifetime opportunity presents itself. Matthew Strong is pulling out of the Senate race and he is being mum as to why. Every report wants this story and Raven, as Matt's former fiance, is sure she has an inside track. What she doesn't expect is to walk into a situation where she could loose her heart and possibly her life.




All 3 of these books were great reads! And all 3 are now available at Paperback Book Swap (look for my account! http://barbsbooks.paperbackswap.com/ )