Homeward by Melody Carlson

Meg Lancaster is return to her Oregon coast home. She'd left twenty years ago after the death of her grandfather and a squabble. She'd become a successful corporate executive, all on her own. She'd even been engaged to the owner's son – until she found out he was sleeping with another woman.

Meg wasn't sure why she was going back home after all those years. The relationship with her mother, Sunny, had never been all that good. And she was returning to a farm of cranberry bogs. From San Francisco to cranberry bogs. But she needed her family. A month's leave of absence to get her life back together at the cranberry bogs.

Much to Meg's surprise, she is welcomed by her sister, even after her abrupt escape from home and lengthy absence. Seeing her mother again made Meg nervous. But the reunion was better than she had expected.

Meg goes to the family farm where her grandmother still lives. She is saddened to see her grandmother bedridden, perhaps near death. As she walks out to the bogs, she is shocked to see that they have been left unattended for years.

With cranberry juice “flowing in her veins', Meg is determined to get at least a couple of the bogs cleaned out and producing again. She enlists the help of Cal, an old cranberry farmer himself now feed and seed store owner. Along with Cal comes his son Matt and granddaughter Clive. It takes a while for Meg to learn that Matt lost his wife years ago...

But opposed to Meg's plans for the bog is cousin Abner. A wife beating alcoholic, her is determined to see to it that the land is developed. He can only see future houses where the cranberry plants now lie buried in weeds.

Carlson has woven a good story of a “lost” woman returning home to find herself and the God she once loved. In the process, Meg discovers her long lost love of cranberry farming and reunites with her family. Not all of the relationships go well, however, as her mother dies before Meg can re-establish a close relationship. Meg senses her ailing grandmother is hiding a dark secret. As the story progresses and all the family secrets come out, Meg finds out how active God has been in her life. She returns to faith in Him, trusting Him for her future and that of the farm.


This Melody Carlson novel is a RITA Award winner.  It is a well crafted story and, as a bonus, you learn about farming cranberries on the side.

WaterBrookMultnomah Publishers, 450 pages.  This book is currently available as a Kindle ebook for only $2.99 or used paperback.

I received an egalley of this book for the purpose of this review.

Mirror Ball by Matt Redman

Matt Redman wants us to live a big, bold, bright life of worship. He has written this book so that we would have a heightened view of Jesus and our lives would be to the glory of His name.

The mirror ball may be small (our life, our church), but it is all about the light, His light. “...God is looking for a people who will take their passion to the next level and begin to shine His light in their everyday lives.” (26)

Redman wants us to be passionate worshipers, not for an hour on Sunday but as a way of life. “If our habit is to love God only in the convenience of a Sunday church service...we're in for a shock. For that may not be love at all.” (35) “Love gives of itself whether it's convenient or inconvenient.” (36) We can say we love God, “But in the end, only a life of devotion will breathe meaning into these words.” (36)

Redman encourages each of us to be an active part of the church. Together we can do much.

“The way we look at God deeply affects our whole perspective on life.” (74) Redman encourages us to always be ready to worship God. “If I wake up one day and cannot think of a reason to bring praise to God, then something is wrong with my spiritual outlook.” (82)

“We are all worshipers of something or someone...” (90) We must put the kingdom of God first and prioritize it and His righteousness above anything else. (93)

The strength of this book is the fifty page discussion guide. It is divided into the eight chapters of the book and contain questions aimed at serious group study. This would be a great book for a small group wanting to pursue passionate worship.

Matt Redman has been leading worship full time since he was twenty. He has written hundreds of worship songs and three books centering on worship. Matt, his wife and their five children currently live on the south coast of England.

See more at: www.mattredman.com.

David C Cook, 192 pages.

I received a copy of this book from The B & B Media Group for the purpose of this review.

Young and in Love by Ted Cunningham

I have many issues with the teaching in this book. I'll outline his teachings and give my comments along the way.

Marriage is in trouble today. Cunningham thinks early marriage is not the problem. In fact, it might be the solution to the problem of staying sexually pure.

He believes Satan has convinced people the lie of delaying marriage. Cunningham married at twenty-two. “Unprepared? Yes. Too young? No.” (19)
His book is for young people wanting to marry yet who are being told they are too young to do so. His heart is to “validate young love and provide a framework to make sure you are ready...” (20) Cunningham wants “to challenge you to embrace maturity and adulthood at an early age.” (21)

A major problem with the book, in my view, is that he never explains the process of becoming mature and “adult.” Young people are on their own to become mature.

His advice to young women waiting to be asked on a date? In the words of his wife, “Girls need to learn how to appropriately flirt.” (23) (So much for the sovereignty of God and trusting Him.)

Cunningham has strong words for those advocating delayed marriage. “Some are simply misled. But still some others are false teachers.” (31) He says, “And I would go so far as to say that encouraging young people to abstain from marriage falls into the category of demonic doctrine.” (31) (Wow! That's strong. Does Cunningham really think Paul was teaching demonic doctrine when he encouraged single women not to marry in 1 Cor. 7:25,26 and men not to marry in 1 Cor. 7:27?)

“Marriage is the greatest tool on earth for maturing us and making each of us like Jesus.” (58) (Sorry, Holy Spirit, and the Word. And wait a minute. I thought back on page 21 he wanted young people to be mature before marriage. In fact, on page 123 Cunningham encourages young people to, by their behavior, prove people wrong who say they're too young. Doesn't that require mature behavior? So which is it – be mature to marry or marriage is the best tool to mature? Am I the only one who thinks this is confusing?)
“The reason I believe you can get married at a young age is because I believe you can accept personal responsibility at any age.” (69) (So, how young? Fourteen? He does admit on page 116, “Determining the right age to marry can be difficult...is a major challenge.”)
He does “not encourage couples to marry in high school.” (87) But, if you want to, “First of all, make sure you grow up and leave your adolescence behind.” (88) Again, no instructions as to how this is done. He says to gals, “Be sure he is ready to grow up and let go of the Xbox...before you marry him.” (147) He gives similar advice to guys. Again, there is no path to get to that place.
He does admit, “If you're not careful, you may jump into marriage with haste.” (84) “Marriage only works with character and commitment.” (84) And, “A secure, maturing faith is the foundation for character.” (90) Again, what this book lacks is explaining to young people how to get the mature faith, the character, the commitment necessary for marriage.

Cunningham gives a glance at 1 Cor. 7:8 (“good for them to stay unmarried”) and answers with a number of Old Testament passages. He never goes through the entire passage, especially verses 23 onward where Paul really argues for devotion to God through staying single. Cunningham says “...the ability to stay single and celibate is for the few who can exercise self-control.” (76) He says if a Christian can exercise that control, “...you are the exception, not the rule.” (76) So, one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control. (Gal. 5:22) I guess Cunningham thinks the Holy Spirit's empowerment does not cover sex. Also, I live in a navy community where spouses go out for eight or nine month cruises. We certainly expect them to stay celibate while they are away, don't we? I disagree with Cunningham's weak view of a Christian being empowered by the Holy Spirit to remain celibate.

Cunningham uses Scripture out of context to support his view of marriage. One example is his discussion about work and marriage. He quotes Col. 3:23 to show that Paul advocated “working a job with seemingly no eternal value in order to fulfill an ultimate purpose of extreme eternal significance.” (184) He argues, “If necessary we must be willing to adjust what we do in the working world for the sake of our marriages.” (184) So, it would seem, the “extreme eternal significance” of marriage trumps your job. The only problem is that marriage is not of “extreme eternal significance.” Marriage is significant only for this earthly life. Ravi Zacharias, in Has Christianity Failed You?, reminds his readers, “This amazing gift to experience sexual love is built-in only as a transitory expression.” (Zacharias, 92) He understands that God has established marriage only for this earthly life. (Matt. 22:30; Mk. 12:25; Lk. 20:34,35)

Cunningham makes much of God's description of the man and woman being together as “good.” Zacharias, unlike Cunningham, takes into account the fall of man and what that has done: “But the price of rejecting God's law is that marriage is no longer the beautiful thing it had been intended to be.” (Zacharias, 96) Zacharias also puts marriage in its proper perspective in relation to one's life of devotion to God. He speaks of “...that lesser act of worship which is marriage...” (Zacharias, 97) And let's not forget Exodus 9:15 where people had to abstain from sex for three days in preparation for meeting God. That example shows the place of marriage in comparison to one's relationship with God.

And what of ministry passions? Cunningham says his wife to be, before they got serious, served in an impoverished village on the island of Moloka'i. “I received several letters from her while she was there and knew that her heart was being directed toward missions. Her letters were filled with passion and vision for her life.” (191) So what happened? She married Cunningham. Did they go to the mission field? No. I have a friend who wanted to go into missions but married instead. She still has that desire to be on the mission field – unfulfilled because of marriage.

How about this? “Between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four, we spent four years and a lot of money on an education that we weren't yet mature enough to choose.” (191) So you weren't mature enough to choose a career (you can change) but you were mature enough to choose a wife (for life)? Am I the only one troubled by this?

College: “College isn't wasted because we are not yet matured. You could argue that college actually plays a part in the maturing process.” (191) So why is it wrong to encourage young people to finish college before marriage, when you say maturity is a requirement for marriage?

Cunningham gives counsel as to how to make the marriage work and last for life. (201-203) The only problem with his counsel is that it requires maturity. “Live out your commitment to each other...plug into a solid church... Give those in the community the freedom to speak into your lives. … Follow their leadership by obeying... Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.” (201-203) So one needs to be mature to make marriage work? It is rare indeed, I think, to see that kind of maturity right out of high school.

“Most people would point to Ephesians 5 as the primary marriage text of the Bible. But to do so overlooks a major marriage nugget in the Old Testament. I get that we are to lay down our lives for our wives, guys, but I think God never intended for us to choose between our life and our wife. Solomon said we can and should enjoy both.” (205) Hmmm. Didn't Cunningham read Ephesians 5:25-26? Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and He gave up His life for her! This is a good example of Cunningham's philosophy of basing his marriage teaching on Old Testament passages.

And I just cannot pass up this strange plan of his on page 153. He notes, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality” (Eph.5:3).” He encourages young guys to treat a girl on a date like he would his sister. If he's going to kiss her, “it'd better be like kissing your sister.” Then he says, “Here's my plan for Corynn's very first date. As I'm walking her and her date to the car, I will walk between them with my arms around them both. As we approach he car, I'm going to kiss him right on the lips. And I mean a good one. Then I'm going to say, 'Whatever you plan on doing with my daughter tonight, I will do to you when you get back. So you just keep that in the back of your mind.'” (153)

First of all, there's not to be even a hint of sexual immorality and he is kissing a guy on the lips? What kind of a message is that? And if the guy has already gotten kissed on the lips by Cunningham... The whole thing is just a bit strange to me.

There is good news and bad news about this book. The good news is that Cunningham does a very good job of defending marriage even as we live in a time when respect for marriage is declining.

The bad news is that I feel he has not, by any means, proven his case for young marriages. If anything, his repeated call for maturity tells me most young people are not ready for marriage. I would read this book with a great deal of caution. I just cannot recommend it.

See more from Cunningham at youngandinlove.com

David C Cook, 216 pages.

I received a copy of this book from The B & B Media Group for the purpose of this review.

River's Song by Melody Carlson

Anna Larson grew up on the Siuslaw River in western Oregon. Her parents had established a store along the river, serving those living nearby. Now, in 1959, after the funeral of her mother, Anna returns to her remote childhood home.
Anna is sorting out her life. Anna and her daughter have been living with her mother-in-law, Eunice, even though Anna's husband died years ago. He had been wounded in WW II and the medical bills had been extensive. Eunice had convinced Anna there was no money left for Anna's independent living. Anna thought the only way to survive was to live with Eunice, a bitter and prideful woman. Anna had dutifully cooked and cleaned, maintaining Eunice's house.
She had even endured her mother-in-law's hurting comments about Anna's Indian heritage. Her grandmother had been full Indian, a heritage Anna ignored in her adult life. Anna's relationship with her college bound daughter is in shambles and the tension with her mother-in-law is rising. She decides to go to her childhood home to deal with her mother's possessions and perhaps sell the property.
Even as Anna is getting used to being on the quiet river she meets up with Hazel, a woman doing Indian studies. It seems Anna's grandmother may have been the last full blooded Siuslaw Indian and Hazel is passionate about discovering as much of the Indian heritage as she can.
As Anna enjoys the slower pace of the river life, thoughts of turning the old store into an inn begin to surface. Then Anna meets Hazel's son, Clark, a handsome man who may be interested in more than remodeling the building.

Carlson has created a good story of a middle aged woman trying to sort out her troubled life. I wish there had been more about the history of the Siuslaw Indians, since Anna re-embracing her heritage was one theme of the book. We readers hear a few personal stories but end up knowing nothing of the Indians, how they lived, etc.

I am a bit troubled by Anna's believing her mother-in-law's claim that there is no money for Anna after the death of her husband. In some respects Anna seems a little dumb. I do need to remember this would have been in the fifties and Anna had married right out of high school. Still, it seems forced that Anna had to live with her wicked mother-in-law.
Also, the Siuslaw River must be a beautiful place. While there was some description of it, you'll find a little more at this dated website, www.siuslawriver.com.
Some of the relationship issues are not solved at the end of the book so we will be looking for the sequel. It seems we will then learn why Eunice is so mean. You can find out more at www.melodycarlson.com.

Melody Carlson published her first book in 1995 and she has been writing prolifically ever since. To date, Melody has published over 200 books, making her one of the top 20 most prolific authors of all time. With total sales of over 1.4 million her award-winning books include: Homeward, Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon; Limelight; the Diary of a Teenage Girl series; the True Colors series; and the Charter House Girls series.

In her professional life, Melody has worn many hats: from pre-school teacher to political activist to senior editor. Currently, she writes full-time, and freelances from her home. She has two grown sons and lives in Sisters, Oregon with her husband, Chris, and Bailey, her chocolate lab. They enjoy skiing, hiking, and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains.

Abingdon Press, 274 pages.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The Second Messiah by Glenn Meade

Some years after the mammoth task of translating the Dead Sea Scrolls had begun and some of the controversial content had been realized, the Vatican and Israel have set aside their differences and agreed in a secret pact. What if the Scrolls contained incontrovertible evidence that Jesus was the Messiah? Such a find would rock Israel and the Muslim nations. On the other hand, what if there was evidence that Jesus was not the Messiah? It was agreed that archaeological digs would be closely monitored and material considered controversial would be withheld.
Such was the scroll that Jack's parents had found, revealing a second messiah, a man who assumed the identity of Jesus, casting doubt on the narrative of the Bible. But Jack's parents were killed in an automobile accident shortly after the find. The scroll was burned up in the vehicle, or was it?
Now, years later, Jack is also an archaeologist and his group has found a controversial scroll. But that night a scholar is killed and the scroll stolen. Jack is determined to find the stolen scroll. He is “convinced that religion, history, everything could be changed by the scroll's contents.” (337)
At this same time a new Catholic Pope is chosen. He is a revolutionary. He refuses the gold-threaded gown and diamond encrusted papal hat. “In a world scourged by poverty, I should have no need of these expensive garments.” (412) He wants to open the archives of the Vatican and make all known.
These two story lines converge. Those surrounding the Pope are unsure of he is the church's deliverer or its traitor. What is more important to the Catholic Church – truth or protecting itself? And will Jack find the scroll and the truth before someone kills him?

Meade has written a pretty good novel of intrigue revolving around archeology and the deadly fight surrounding ancient scrolls and their contents. Meade is an Irish author and this may explain his emphasis on the Catholic Church needing to come clean, so to speak.

Evangelical Christians will be sorely disappointed in the Pope's final speech: “I want us to go forth in peace, to pronounce the brotherhood of all men, without exception of country, creed, or race, and in the belief in one God.” (474)

Also, Meade has been reading a different Bible than I do (perhaps a Catholic Bible). In his Author's Note he says, “As for the account of a second messiah, it has existed since the time of Jesus. Numerous references survive in Scripture...” (481) I am not familiar with any references so I have no idea what he is talking about here.

Howard, a division of Simon & Schuster, 481 pages.

I received an egalley of this book from Simon and Schuster for the purpose of this review.

Barcelona Calling by Jane Kirkpatrick

Annie Shaw is a romance writer. She has had one book sell well but is now struggling. Her last didn't sell all that well and her publisher is stalling on the present manuscript.
Annie has four close friends who help her, giving her ideas of how to promote her upcoming novel and then participating in the schemes. Annie wants to be a famous author and is willing to do just about anything to see that happen.
The top choice is getting Oprah to recognize the book – that would make it an instant bestseller. One friend knows Oprah's dog groomer so Annie gets a dog and an appointment. Disaster (and repair bills) result. Another try is Oprah's previous chef. A tipped candle and fire sprinklers douse that plan. No matter what Annie and the friends try, another disaster results.
Annie stumbles on and on, trying to get her latest novel to “work.” She meets with her editor and is slightly attracted to him. They try to rewrite parts of the novel and spruce up the ending.
Annie's newest novel is somewhat biographical, telling the story of her trip to Barcelona and meeting the handsome man who wants to marry her. When her friends arrange for him to visit her in the United States, Annie must make a choice.

For me, this was not a rewarding read. I have read several of Kirkpatrick's historical novels and, in general, liked them. This contemporary, humorous style is something new for her. It was silly. The humor in the book is sort of “slap stick” comedy. It is almost as if Kirkpatrick heard of a funny disaster, (like a dog getting loose at a pet groomers, knocking down things, breaking bottles) and then was determined to find a place for it in her novel.

The romance in the book was unrewarding. We hear of this mysteries Jaime, a character in Annie's book based on the real fellow she met in Barcelona. When he comes to visit Annie, the whole scene is very anticlimactic, kind of odd, actually.
In the end, the novel is redeeming in that all five women realize a change in their lives for the better – something they did not even know they were looking for. One finds a man. Another starts eating healthier. One decides she and her husband will adopt a child.
And Annie realizes she does not want the fame she craved. She'll go back to teaching and perhaps write children's books.
But then the very last scene in the book kind of ruined it for me. Oprah comes to hear of Annie's book after all. I see that Kirkpatrick might mean this to be a “lay it all on the altar” kind of experience. Annie has given up promoting her book, then, boom, Oprah hears of it.
However, throughout the novel the level of Annie's struggles were not spiritual at all. She never struggles in prayer to God about her writing. The novel is pretty light hearted, no serious ruminations about what God wants for her life. So for the last scene to have spiritual overtones is totally out of character for the rest of the novel.
I think the last scene is just supposed to be funny – you tried so hard yourself, Annie, and now it just happens, almost accidentally. To me, it almost validates Annie's attempts to promote her book. The answer to success is Oprah after all.
Some may find this style of writing fun to read. I did not.

Zondervan, 320 pages, releasing September, 2011.

I received an egalley from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Safe from the Past by Patricia Mauro

Patricia came from a very poor family, earning her first paycheck through a federally funded summer youth program. That summer she learned that if you do everything in your power to achieve, people will notice. She set a goal of making it through college, her only hope for having a “normal” life.

She relates growing up in an anger filled home. When divorce loomed, her father kidnapped Patricia and her sister. Their mother fought to get them back but then abandoned them, leaving them in the care of an abusive woman. When her mother did come back, they lived on welfare and the kindness of others. Her mother met a man but the relationship quickly turned into drunken fighting.

Her mother encouraged her to go to college, instilling in Patricia a sense of survival and resourcefulness. Although her step-father had money, Patricia was given none and had to rely on aid and loans. She made up her mind she would succeed.

She tells of her college years, working, and having her meals provided during breaks, when the cafeteria was closed. It seemed like her mother was heading toward a second divorce. Patricia dreamed of graduating and providing her mother and sister with a decent place to live and with food to eat (without food stamps).

But her dreams were interrupted by an incident where her mother, drunk, fought with Patricia's younger sister, Kim. Their was taken in for rehab. Their step-father left. Kim began college. Their mother, alone, ultimately became so unstable she was taken to mental health facility. Through Kim, Patricia was reunited with her birth father. At first nervous, she found him to be a nice man.

Patricia did graduate from college and managed to obtain a job in New York City, working for the DTC for thirteen years. She obtained her MBA, met a man, married and moved to Texas. She now has two children.

She wrote this book for her children to remind them that with God, all things are possible.

As is often the case with a self published book, this one lacks the polish of a well written book. The story is inspiring but not captivating. The reading level, I would guess, is about high school. Patricia does not explicitly talk about her faith, nor does she talk about going to church etc. A reader looking for faith in God as the stabilizing factor in Patricia's achievement will be disappointed. This might be an encouraging book for a teen in a troubled family although Patricia got many “breaks” in her college experience.

Author: Patricia worked in New York City's financial district for thirteen years in the field of securities operations. At that time, she went on to obtain an MBA from New York University. She and her husband moved to Dallas, TX in 2001 where they are raising their two children.

During her time in NY, Patricia wrote an article entitled "A Tribute To My Mother" which was published in "The Recovery Journal" in 1999. Her book is a continuation of that tribute and serves to spread the message to those in similar situations that good news is on its way to children considering a higher education but who are afraid to dream. 

I received a copy of this book from the author for the purpose of this review.

The Six Liter Club by Harry Kraus

There are so many problems with this novel I don't know where to start.

First, the author is a man and the main character is a woman, Camille. Both are M.D.s and perhaps Kraus thinks that's enough. But it is not. At one point a secondary female character says, “A man cannot possibly understand what I'm going through.” (89) Exactly. Kraus may think he understands women and how they act and what they think, but he has missed it by a mile.

As an example, this book is way too sexy to be a “Christian” book and to be seen from the woman's viewpoint. The male's sex drive is much stronger than the woman's (I think) and Kraus must have projected his own desires onto Camille. At one point Camille touches sexual areas of herself, so to speak, in the shower. This scene was not necessary and totally outside what I would call Christian fiction.
Camille is hesitant to have sex with her boyfriend, not because of morality but because of mental issues stemming from her childhood in Africa. Ultimately, Camille does not have sex with her boyfriend, not on moral reasons but because his “two timing” her is found out. Kraus missed a good opportunity to have Camille (at least) think about the moral nature of sex.

And Christianity in the book? The only Christian seen throughout the book is the wife of an alcoholic wife-beater who sticks with him. She is portrayed as having the faith that her son, the patient of Camille's who lost six liters of blood, will live. But again, Kraus missed an opportunity to have her as a stronger Christian influence.

At the end of the book, the last three pages, Camille has a spiritual turn around. It is almost as if Kraus remembered this was supposed to be a Christian book and added those last three pages. Upon finishing the book I had the same sensation as when I hear a testimony where someone spends twenty minutes graphically telling of their sinful life and then ends with, “Oh yeah, then I got saved.” The end.

I'm in a reading group that read this book and to a person, we would not recommend it. You cannot pass it on to a nonbeliever because there is nothing about the gospel in it. You wouldn't want to give it to a fellow Christian.

There is nothing I can recommend about this book to the Christian reader.

Howard Books (a division of Simon & Schuster), 384 pages.