Mist of Midnight by Sandra Byrd - REVIEWED

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing

About the Book: In the first of a brand-new series set in Victorian England, a young woman returns home from India after the death of her family to discover her identity and inheritance are challenged by the man who holds her future in his hands.

Rebecca Ravenshaw, daughter of missionaries, spent most of her life in India. Following the death of her family in the Indian Mutiny, Rebecca returns to claim her family estate in Hampshire, England. Upon her return, people are surprised to see her...and highly suspicious. Less than a year earlier, an imposter had arrived with an Indian servant and assumed not only Rebecca's name, but her home and incomes. 

That pretender died within months of her arrival; the servant fled to London as the young woman was hastily buried at midnight. The locals believe that perhaps she, Rebecca, is the real imposter. Her home and her father's investments reverted to a distant relative, the darkly charming Captain Luke Whitfield, who quickly took over. Against her best intentions, Rebecca begins to fall in love with Luke, but she is forced to question his motives—does he love her or does he just want Headbourne House? If Luke is simply after the property, as everyone suspects, will she suffer a similar fate as the first “Rebecca”? 

A captivating Gothic love story set against a backdrop of intrigue and danger, Mist of Midnight will leave you breathless.

My Thoughts:

“Doona be afraid to ask Him the hard questions.  He oft poses them Himself.”  (p. 87)

Mist of Midnight is the debut of Daughters of Hampshire series.  Sandra Byrd has taken the Victorian-Gothic novel to an epic level of intrigue!  The entire premise begins with a stolen identity (the 19^th century has its own set of woes when it comes to identity theft!), then takes on a hint of romance that then becomes suspect .This novel is truly smoke and mirrors much of the time! Byrd casts doubt in every direction, then adds some unexplainable occurrences that keep the reader a bit tense thinking that death lies just around the corner for some unexpecting  character.  I can honestly say that Mist of Midnight is quite the thrill ride – all within the context of high society England.

To add another layer of intrigue and spiritual depth, Byrd incorporates historically accurate depictions of the mission work being done in India by wealthy English citizens.  It is fascinating, and, at times, convicting, to realize the sacrifice people make to ensure that the gospel reached the Indian people. Byrd keeps it honest though.  The missionaries faced their own trials, and sometimes those trials left them with doubts about God’s love and mercy in their lives.  This is a very multi-layered novel that readers will find intriguing on many levels.

I want to encourage readers everywhere to pick up a copy of Mist of Midnight.  You will definitely burn through some midnight oil trying to figure out who can be believed in this story!  Enjoy!

About the Author:

Sandra Byrd is a noted author of historical fiction, including the first book in her Tudor series, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. She lives near Seattle, Washington. Visit SandraByrd.com.

A.D. The Bible Continues - REVIEW of the first episode - premiering April 5th on NBC!

My Thoughts:

“Truth. What is truth?”

 So begins the new NBC series A.D. that premieres Sunday night, April 5th, at 9pm EST. I’ll admit to being skeptical, because many film versions of Jesus’ life concentrate solely on historical accuracy, but this film attempts to capture the spiritual significance of Christ’s ministry here on earth. The show doesn’t fail to capture the historical accuracy needed for this to be impactful to the world, and this gives the opening episode of this new series a powerful appeal.

 Just prior to the crucifixion, the role of Christ only speaks the words that the Bible reveals. The other characters draw very realistic and biblically accurate conclusions from all the events taking place. The disciples are portrayed in a very accurate and human way, and their spiritual insight is reflected deeply and faithfully. They remain faithful even when approached by the religious zealots to fight against the oppression of Rome. Their character development takes nothing away from their spiritual strength and faithfulness to Christ’s teachings.

 I know the resurrection itself is difficult to portray using any and all earthly effects. How can the power and glory of God be portrayed? The guards were as dead men, according to the Bible. That is powerful! The events at the tomb itself were only briefly portrayed, and were, in fact. the only hint of Hollywood drama. Not surprising, but it was effective enough to make the final moments of the show poignant and expectant for what life in Jerusalem will look like when a resurrected Christ walks among his followers again.

 I think this promises to be a very thought-provoking series! I hope that God uses this as a powerful evangelical tool to draw many to Him in salvation! Don't miss it!

Buried Secrets by Irene Hannon - REVIEWED

About the Book:
They both wanted quieter, safer lives.
But crime never sleeps . . . 
and killers keep killing.
After years as a Chicago homicide detective, Lisa Grant is ready for the kinder, gentler life of a small-town police chief. But the discovery of a human skeleton by a construction crew at the edge of town taxes department resources. Enter ex-Navy SEAL Mac McGregor, the detective sent by the county to assist on the case. As they work to solve the mystery behind the unmarked grave, danger begins to shadow them. Someone doesn't want this dead person telling any tales--and will stop at nothing to make certain a life-shattering secret stays buried.

My Thoughts:

“Secrets could create very odd…and unpleasant…alliances.”  (p. 94)

Lisa Grant and Mac McGregor make a very daunting task force when it comes to crime solving!  When a set of bones turns up at a construction site and these two begin to unravel a fifteen-year-old murder mystery, their lives intersect in some very intriguing ways!  The bad guy hasn’t gotten any less self-centered or deviant since the body was buried all those years ago, and as the noose tightens the choices made become increasingly more dangerous.  This is a crime that someone means to keep buried!

As always, Irene Hannon ramps ups the suspense as the mystery is unraveled.  She also turns up the heat in the romance department .  Her stories always include a healthy dose of both, and Buried Secrets is no exception.  Both Lisa and Mac are making an honest effort to dial back the danger in their respective line of work, and they are also seeking to strengthen ties between those who are dear to them.  Hannon can always be counted on to build an intriguing foundation for her main characters, and Lisa and Mac’s families provide a lot of rich background for the reader to enjoy.

The villain also has a rich background from which to build, and this particular villain is pretty ruthless!  It makes the reader question the integrity of others, because to have someone so wicked hide beneath a very respectful and successful set of accomplishments is rather unsettling.

Buried Secrets is another stellar beginning to a brand new series…Men Of Valor.  I have my suspicion who the rest of the men in the series will be, and I am anxious to see what develops!  Enjoy the journey with me, won’t you?

About the Author:
Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than forty-five novels, including That Certain Summer, One Perfect Spring, and the Heroes of Quantico, Guardians of Justice, and Private Justice series. Her books have been honored with two coveted RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, a Carol Award, three HOLT Medallions, a Daphne du Maurier Award, two Reviewers' Choice Awards from RT Book Reviews magazine, a Retailers' Choice Award, a Booksellers' Best Award, and a National Readers' Choice Award. In addition, she is a two-time Christy Award finalist, and Booklistincluded one of her novels in its "Top 10 Inspirational Fiction" list for 2011. She lives in Missouri. Learn more at www.irenehannon.com.

Does Christianity have a place in today’s world? Against the Flow by John C. Lennox

Professor and seasoned debater brings important discussion about God and the public square.

Seattle: The concepts of tolerance and political correctness are having a chilling effect on the public practice of Christianity. That’s why readers will find Dr. John C. Lennox’s new book Against the Flow: The Inspiration of Daniel in an Age of Relativism (Monarch Books/March 27, 2015/ISBN: 978-0857216212/$19.99) incredibly timely. Lennox, who has defended the Christian faith in debates against the likes of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, gives every follower of Christ the intellectual foundation they will need to argue the role their faith should have in the public discourse.

While anyone who has spent time in a Sunday-school classroom is familiar with the biblical story of Daniel, Lennox mines this classic historical account to encourage cultural bravery in Christians trying to find their place in a postmodern society. The story of these four young men born in the tiny state of Judah around 500 B.C. and captured by Nebuchadnezzar, the emperor of Babylon, is one of extraordinary faith in God lived out at the pinnacle of executive power. The book of Daniel describes in detail how each of them eventually rose to senior positions of administration.

Yet despite their lucrative positions, Daniel and his friends were not content simply to maintain their private devotion to God. Instead they maintained a high-profile witness in a pluralistic society that was highly antagonistic to their faith, and they would eventually be forced to face the possibility of paying the ultimate price for their religious bravery. Lennox proposes their story carries a powerful message for us today as Christians living in a society that tolerates the practice of Christianity in private homes and in church services, but increasingly deprecates and in some cases even punishes public witness.

“Strong currents of pluralism and secularism in contemporary Western society, reinforced by a paralyzing political correctness, increasingly push expression of faith in God to the margins, confining it if possible to the private sphere,” Lennox says. “It is becoming less and less the ‘done thing’ to mention God in public, let alone to confess to believing in anything exclusive and absolute, such as the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as Son of God and Savior.” Lennox believes if Daniel and his compatriots were with us today they would be in the vanguard of public debate.

Against the Flow is a truly fascinating examination of the life of Daniel from a leading expert on faith and science. In his first biblical work, Dr. Lennox provides a unique perspective on both Western society and biblical exegesis that will make Against the Flow an instant classic encouraging Christians to speak out in our modern Babylon. Learn more about John C. Lennox and Against the Flow at www.johnlennox.org.

About the Author:
Dr. John C. Lennox is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College. He studied at the Royal School Armagh, Northern Ireland, and was Exhibitioner and Senior Scholar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University from which he took his MA, MMath and PhD. He also holds an MA and DPhil from Oxford University and an MA in Bioethics from the University of Surrey.

Lennox lectures on faith and science for the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and has traveled throughout North America, Eastern and Western Europe and Australasia lecturing on mathematics, the philosophy of science and the intellectual defense of Christianity. He has debated Richard Dawkins at the University of Alabama (2007) and the Oxford Museum of Natural History (2008), as well as Christopher Hitchens at the Edinburgh Festival (2008) and at Samford University (2010), among others.

 Lennox’s hobbies include amateur astronomy, bird-watching and walking. He and his wife, Sally, have three grown children and seven grandchildren. They make their home near Oxford.

Halo Found Hope: a memoir by Helo Matzelle - REVIEWED

About the Book:
Machines beeping, the blur of medical staff running, a crash cart whizzing into an ICU room---was there any hope? 

A young woman lay, packed in ice, as doctors attempted to somehow stop the swelling in her brain that threatened to take her life... and her family waited. 

Six days turned into eight weeks. She awoke to discover that she was not the same. She saw two of everything, couldn't feel half of her face, couldn't hear from one ear, and could not speak. She couldn't even tell anyone that she felt hopeless... or could she? 

Halo Found Hope is the story of a beautiful, busy wife, and mother of three whose life changes instantly with the diagnosis of a rare brain tumor. An exceptional ENT, a brilliant neurosurgeon and a dedicated medical team tackle the tumor, setting off a series of unbelievable miracles. Helo's story is not one of survival, or of salvaging a life through a broken body. It is not about endurance through pain, but victory because of it. While the family heard her silence, God heard her prayer. Helo's story is simply this: Wherever you are and whatever you are going through, God is right there. He doesn't need to be recognized by you, to be there for you. He can replace fear with courage and discouragement with determination, if you let Him. Helo did, and that is how she found hope. 

My Thoughts:

“Resilience followed by encouragement inspires us to press on when challenges surround us.”  (p.82)

Resilient is most certainly the word I would choose to describe Helo Matzelle.  The strength, the perseverance and faith it took for her to overcome the devastation of a very invasive brain surgery  was inspiring to read!  It really struck home with me, because I am very close to her age, and her story makes me very aware of how thankful I should be every single day I enjoy good health.  Even after years of hard work, Helo still faces daily challenges.  She speaks honestly about those challenges.  Doubt, fear, exhaustion  and a host of other challenges face Helo every single day, and she has learned to turn completely and quickly to God alone for everything she needs.  She has learned to cherish each day and to be genuinely thankful for her many blessings.

I love the way God has given her so many, many opportunities to share her story everywhere she goes.  I love how tenderly and specifically God answered her deepest heart cry by using complete strangers to give her just the words she needed to hear at that specific moment.  Her entire story is truly incredible, and I am very thankful to have the opportunity to recommend it to everyone!  This has intersected my life in a difficult place, and has given me hope and strength to go forward when I needed a special touch from God in my own spirit.  What an amazing, tender God we serve!! How He loves us!!

Thank you Helo for sharing your story with the world!

About the Author:

Helouise "Halo" Matzelle led a charmed life until receiving a shocking diagnosis in 2011 of a rare brain tumor sitting over the main artery in her brain. Matzelle's passion is helping those who face various challenges and afflictions discover where true hope is found. She resides in Redmond, WA, with her husband and their three children.

Find Halo online HERE, HERE and HERE

Purchase your copy of the book HERE

SHATTER STEREOTYPES!

The Boy Who Loved Rain by Gerard Kelly - REVEIWED

About the Book:
They say that what you don’t know can’t hurt you. They’re wrong.

Colom had the perfect childhood, the much-loved only child of a church pastor. Yet he wakes screaming from dreams in which his sister is drowning and he can’t save her.

Fiona turns to her husband, desperate to help their son. But David will not acknowledge that help is needed—and certainly not help from beyond the church.

Then they find the suicide pledge.

Fiona, in panic, takes Colom and flees… but when will she acknowledge that the unnamed demons Colom faces might be of her and David’s own creation?

This beautifully written and searching novel by poet Gerard Kelly explores the toxicity of secrets, the nature of healing, and the ever-present power of rain.

My Thoughts:

“Yes,” she said, knowing that her world, in that one word, would be unraveled.  (p. 189)

The circumstances that lead Fiona to say “yes” to releasing the hold of a lifetime of secrets on her heart and mind, does, indeed unravel quite a bit.  This story is about a family held in bondage to secrets that almost destroy them.  In each instance, it seems, the truth was deferred in an effort to protect the ones they love.  Yet, each time, the harm done by hidden truth is far greater and farther reaching than if the truth had been confronted originally.

This book was filled with surprises and hair pin emotional turns.  This is not a book for the faint of heart, because it deals with very delicate emotional situations that, unfortunately, are probably not that unfamiliar.  Colom bears the brunt of this emotional pain, and his actions escalate enough that his parents, particularly his mother, becomes desperate to find the root cause and deal with it no matter the cost.  It is a brutal battle emotionally.

There is not a strong, constant thread of faith throughout the story, but, like everything else, faith becomes something to be wrestled with and, sometimes, against.  Tragedy, injustice and cruelty cause every character of this story to stop and consider everything from a variety of very painful standpoints.  In the end, the battle is worth the pain and effort involved to fight.

This was a rather dark read, but it is told with honesty and sensitivity.  There is much to be learned if you allow yourself a time of looking inward to your own well-kept secrets.  What will the ultimate cost be to you and those you love?  Isn’t truth the only real way to live life?  I think Colum would tell you it is a much lighter load to bear than a life lived in the shadows of secrets. 

This is a good, but difficult book to read.  I will recommend it to those who are not afraid of some honest introspection.

About the Author:

Gerard Kelly is a well-known speaker and author of fourteen books. He and his wife live and work in France and co-founded the Blessed Network, a movement of young leaders committed to God’s mission on mainland Europe.