Sunrise on the Battery by Beth Webb Hart

This is the first book I read from Beth Webb Hart and was pleasantly surprised by it. I enjoyed the book but would not say its the best book I have ever read. The book is set in Charleston, SC and I will say it made me want to go and visit the town and see the places mentioned.

Sunrise on the Battery is set in Charleston, SC and revolves around the Scoville Family: Mary Lynn, Jackson, Catherine, Lilla and Casey. The story is told through the eyes of Mary Lynn, Jackson and Catherine. Mary Lynn feels like she has it all when she finally feels accepted into Charlestons elite society after living there for many years, yet she still feels empty. When Mary Lynn finds faith in God the emptiness starts to go away and she wants to share her faith with her husband, Jackson, who wants nothing to do with it.

When her prayers are answered and Jackson comes to faith she gets more than she prayed for. Jackson becomes radical in his faith and will do everything to share it which is hurting his social status. How will Mary Lynn accept her husbands new life and altering social status?

It makes you think what your life will be like if you would go all out for God. What would you sacrifice for it and how worth it would it be?

I received this book from booksneeze.com in exchange for my honest review.

Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock

This book had my hooked from page one, so much that I actually read the whole book in one day. I just had to know how it was going to end and I did not want to wait, so I didn't. I would highly recommend this book to everyone it is that good. It is listed as a suspense book but I wouldn't call it that at all, more of a drama and romance. Actually it is similar to the Music Man musical and it made me want to re watch it at some point.

Logan Brisco has arrived in Serenity, Texas and is a handsome, charming man who is trying to find investors to build a theme park nearby. He comes from shady past, but it won't be easy for others to find out about it since he had used several other names and identities but now he is using his own.

Carny Sullivan has been a resident in Serenity for the last nine years after being raised in a traveling carnival with her parents who like to con who ever they can. Since being raised by con artisit's she feels confident that Logan is trying to con the innocent people of Serenity.

As the story progresses she starts liking him more and more, and finds herself confused if he is a con or not. Logan also starts to change as he falls in love with the town and Carny, and does not want to devastate the town. Will she be able to stop Logan's biggest con every or will her heart get in the way? Will Logan find a way out of the con or will he leave and ruin the town?

I received this book from Zondervan in exchange for my honest review.

Forsaking All Others by Allison Pittman

Forsaking All Others is the sequel and conclusion to For Time and Eternity and I both books are amazing to read. This book being a sequel I highly recommend reading the first one before it as this one picks up right where the first left off. In all reality they could be one book. It would be very confusing to try to read this book by itself.

Camilla Fox who had just left home in the first book was caught in a snowstorm, the good news is that she is alive and currently with the US Army under Colonel Charles Brandon. After many months of healing from the affects of being in the snowstorm the Colonel helps her return to Salt Lake City to see her children she left behind while waiting for spring to be able back to her parents home in Missouri.

While back in Utah, things are harder then she was expecting but eventually finds a way to escape and head to Missouri, again with the help of the Colonel. Finally back home she builds her strength and her case to legally divorce Nathan and claim her children. Will Camilla find the freedom she needs? Will she be able to bring her children home and raise them in her faith, not the Mormom faith?

I loved this book, as well as the first, and found myself not wanting to put the books down. They are such a great story of standing for your faith and not backing down. I would recommend this book to everyone. Defiantly a 5 star book, if not higher!

I received this book from Tyndale through the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest review.

The Crossing by Serita Jakes

The Crossing by Serita Jakes is a page turner full of twists, action, and mystery. I found myself having a hard time putting this book down, every time I thought about stopping I wanted to read more. I just had to know what happens. This book is written in narratives but I found it easy to follow along with the story, there are also flash backs woven in as well. This is Serita Jakes first fiction book and has defiantly started strong. It is a shorter book at only 283 pages long, but very worth your time.

Ten years ago a masked gunman opened fire on a school bus and killed the cheerleading coach, BJ Remington and injured others, including Casio Hightower. One of the cheerleaders, Claudia, was close to the coach and to this day is still having panic attacks about what happened on the dreadful night.

Claudia's husband, Victor, decides he wants to reopen the case because the murderer was never found and Casio wants to come along and help out as well. Casio has also been hunted by that night and has been dealing with his own issues that it brought.

Will they find out who murdered BJ? Where will Claudia and Casio find there healing?

I received this book from Waterbrook's Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest review.

Tour de Force by Elizabeth White

What an amazing book! As soon as saw the picture I knew I was going to like this book, even more so once I read the description. This book did not let me down and will become a keeper. This is the first time I have read anything by Elizabeth White and would defiantly read her again.

In Tour de Force, Gillian Kincaide is an aspiring ballet dancer working her way up with the Ballet New York. When a soloist is injured she gets that chance to dance Odette in Swan Lake which leads her to become a full time soloist with the ballet.

Jacob Ferrar used to dance with the Ballet New York as well as in Spain but now he has left that world and is an artistic director in Alabama. He main focus is following God and showing Him through dance. When Jacob first sees Gillian dance Odette he is mesmerized and wants her to dance the lead for him in his new ballet about Mary and Martha.

When Gillian gets hurt while dancing with Jacob everything gets tested. Jacob questions whether he really should quit the dance world to persue physical therapy and Gillain worries of wear her career will go and what is devoloping with Jacob.

I would recommend this book to everyone, it is a great, fun, fast read and one you won't regret reading.

I received this book from Zondervan in exchange for my honest review.

Composing Amelia by Alison Strobel

Amazing, Alison Strobel has done it again! Each book she writes gets better and better. Composing Ameila is not only a fantastic book but one that makes you think and feel for the characters. This is one of those books that will always remain on my bookshelf and will be reread many times. This is a 10+ star book!

Ameila and Marcus Sheffield are newlyweds and just out of college, they are both working multiple part time jobs to just be able to pay the bills while living in LA. Neither one are really happy with their jobs and both are looking to develop their careers. Amelia wants to be professional piano player and Marcus is trying to find a pastor position. After a few months of working their part time jobs they both end up with opportunities in their fields, but problem is created. Marcus gets offered a senior pastor job in a small town in Nebraska while Amelia gets a job playing piano for a brand new theater company in LA.

Marcus stands up and plays the he is more spiritual card and takes the job in Nebraska. Amelia who is know devastated chooses to stay behind for a few months to figure out what she really wants to do. This compromise is catalyst for Amelia's struggle with mental illness. Not long after Marcus has left she falls into depression and is slowly losing hope and questioning her faith. She compares herself to her mother who also had similar problems and that is the last person she wants to be like. Will Ameila find the hope she needs to keep going on? Will she lose all her faith in God and Marcus?

While Ameila is struggling with her issues, Marcus has his own to deal with too. For his whole life he has always tried to make his father proud, but nothing ever works. When he finally finds out that his father had never wanted him he is crushed. He starts to question working as a pastor because he thinks he did it to make his father proud. He, like Amelia, starts losing hope just in different ways. Will Marcus realize that he is called to be a pastor? Will he and Amelia be able to hold on to their marriage?

I received this book through Wynn-Wynn Media in exchange for my honest review.

Cherished by Kim Cash Tate

Psalm 103:12 says "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." That verse is the theme of this book. It doesn't matter where you have been or what you have done, if you turn to Jesus and repent of your sins you are forgiven. It is that simple. In that God has forgiven you, then you must go and ask forgiveness to those you have hurt and in return accept forgiveness when offered to you.

This story picks up right after Kim Cash Tate's other book Faithful, and we continue the story of Cyd, Dana, Stephanie, Cedric and Lindell but more importantly we hear the story of Kelli London and Heather Anderson. Heather Anderson we met back in Faithful as the women who had an affair with Dana's husband, she has now found herself completely broken, after a one-night stand, and ready for God's forgiveness. Everything she has planned has begun to change and she is needing guidance. Will she receive the forgiveness she needs from Dana? Will she find the path that God has planned for her? She has alot of healing, growing and forgiving to do...but in the end she will find that she is Cherished and God has a plan for her.

Kelli London showed up at the end of Faithful for her brothers wedding and end ups moving back home. It is then when she runs into her high school sweetheart and her past is coming back again to haunt her. What is in her past that she can't move forward? What is keeping her from accepting God's forgiveness. She feels that her sins are too great to be forgiving. Will she learn that all sins are equal and to accept God's forgiveness and follow his plan.

I really enjoyed this book, and had a hard time putting it down. I just had to know what will happen. This book may be fiction but is filled with so much of God's truth that I would highly recommend any christian women to read it as well as the first book, Faithful.

The Fire in Ember by DiAnn Mills

The Fire in Ember by DiAnn Mills falls in the the category of historical romance, and like many of the historical romances out there the end is fairly predictable. It is the middle that is exciting, full of wanting to know what happens and how the girl will fall in love with the guy. This is a great book for anyone looking for a fun, quick read that is not heavy and full of romance, suspense, some action, all set in the ole' west.

Bert, a young lady, disguised as a boy in the beginning of the story. She thinks she is doing a good deed by returning a stolen horse. She quickly finds herself about to be hung, because some ranch hands believe her to be the horse thief.

John Timmons saves Bert, thinking he is a young boy, from the hanging and has in work of his debt because he doesn't think it is right to hang someone so young.

Bert is full of secrets, and will not give them up easy. Once John Timmons knows she is a woman he pry's harder and harder to find out the truth about her, all while falling in love with her.

Will John find out the secrets that Bert carries with her? How will this unlikely pair fall in love?

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and plan to read other books from DiAnn Mills. I really found myself drawn to Bert's Character. I constantly wanted to find out more about her and where she came from and her secrets that she kept so very hidden. In the end I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

I received this book from zondervan in exchange for my honest review.