The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere

This is the first time I have read this author and I will be looking for her books again. A delightful story full of interesting twists – the solution of many that will not revealed until near the end of the book.

Gretchen Daniels and her two young sons have just moved into a condo so she can be closer to her mother, Miriam. Her next-door neighbor, Melissa, keeps to herself and does not seem interested in meeting Gretchen and her sons. One day a man shows up looking for Melissa to let her know her mother has passed away and she needs to come and clean out the apartment. Since Melissa isn’t home, Gretchen takes the message and offers to accompany her. As they clean out the apartment, Melissa finds a note her mother left letting her know that she was adopted. With this knowledge, Melissa now begins a search for her family, allows a friendship with Gretchen to develop and discovers she has a sister and a brother. Add Gretchen’s mother and her ex-husband along with her mother’s neighbor and you have a story full of laughter, discovery, healing and forgiveness.  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Doctor’s Lady by Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund took the story of the overland trip to Oregon in 1836 of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, a young missionary couple, as the basis for The Doctor’s Lady. Narcissa is known for being the first woman to make the overland journey, thus opening the door for the many women who went west. While she had fictionalized the trip, the events given in Narcissa’s diary did provide a basis for much of the story.

With a heart for missions, Priscilla White and Eli Ernest find they must marry in order to be allowed to travel overland to Oregon. Eli is a doctor who has been treating the Nez Perce Indians and has brought two boys with him on his return east to raise funds. But, now the Mission Board says he cannot return if he is not married. Priscilla has her heart set on India and also finds that is impossible without marriage. Eli and Priscilla strike a business bargain, marry and begin the journey.

As the journey continues this couple find they are falling in love, but due to the business agreement do not feel they can violate the terms of the arrangement. Priscilla is given an Indian baby to raise by her mother, only to have the white trapper father take him away from her. She contracts cholera, suffers from flea bites, almost drowns and learns that while raised as a lady, she is made of sterner stuff. Eli makes every effort to protect her and still seeks to maintain a distance that keeps his heart safe.

One of the best books I have read dealing with the overland journey many took during the settlement of the western part of our country.

I received this book to review for free from Bethany House.

The Crossing by Serita Jakes

The Crossing is about two people whose lives were drastically affected by an event that took place in their high school years. On their way home from a football game, their school bus stopped at a railroad crossing. While there a masked gunman comes aboard and shoots the cheerleading coach. A female cheerleading student tries to help her teacher while one of the football players attempts to stop the gunman from shooting anyone else. Now, ten years later the football player and cheer leader finally come to realize that as they turn to God they are able to begin to the healing process. As the book progresses, the reader finds out who was ultimately responsible for the chain of events that lead to the shooting.

A well written book Mrs. Jakes begins each chapter with the thoughts of the female teacher in the moments and months prior to her death. Very realistic and not out of the realm of being possible, I had a difficult time getting into this book. I finally skimmed the rest of the book to get the story line without having to get into the emotional life of the characters.

This book will appeal to those who enjoy programs and movies dealing with real life situations.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Your 100 Day Prayer by John I. Snyder

At first I thought this was just another one of those daily devotionals that sound great but have no impact on my day to day life. Not so. John Snyder begins by asking the reader to start with a prayer request. This request becomes the theme, the focus throughout your 100 days of prayer. This is not a dated devotional – you pick up wherever you left off. Miss a day or so? No problem, just start where you last left your bookmark.

Starting with a scripture, the reading for each day applies the scripture to our lives in a fresh, modern way. We can relate to what we are reading. A short prayer follows and then you have a place to write what God has spoken to our heart during your prayer time.

I recommend this devotional to anyone seeking a resource to use in their prayer life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”