Connecting Christian Readers to Christian Authors
 Author: Jesseca Wheaton Genre: YA/Contemporary Romance Ty and Jen have been friends for nearly as long as anyone can remember. But when Ty goes off to college and leaves her behind, he has to face the reality that he cares for her as more then just a friend. As graduation approaches and with only one summer left before he begins basic training, Ty must make a decision. Military life is never easy; is it fair to force it on the one he loves? In the midst of wrestling with the question and coming to the realization that summer is quickly drawing to a close, Ty struggles to face questions he cannot answer, and is forced to examine his own heart. Is it possible that God has a future for him with Jen? Or will the summer close with only memories of days gone by? Their relationship would be old fashioned. But that was okay. Because old fashioned and whimsical fit perfectly with a southern summer.
6/22/2018 The Edge of Over There Author: Shawn Smucker Genre: YA/Fantasy Abra Miller carries a secret and a responsibility she never expected. Before the Tree of Life, everything in Abra Miller's life had been predictable. Safe. Normal. But after the Tree, everything has felt fragile . . . like holding a soap bubble in the palm of her hand. After years of fruitless searching for the next Tree, she begins to wonder if it was nothing more than a vivid dream. Now sixteen, Abra finds a clue to the whereabouts of the next Tree of Life when an ominous woman--who looks exactly like a ghost from her past--compels her to travel to New Orleans where she'll find one of seven gateways between this world and Over There. But she's not the only one interested in finding the gateway. There's also a young man searching for his father and sister, who escaped through it years before. As Abra enters the Edge of Over There and begins her pursuit of the Tree once more, she doesn't know whom to fear or whom to trust. She's also starting to think that some doorways should never be opened.
1/30/2018 Bridgers a Parable
sudden decision, each boy's answer will shake the community to its core and shape its future forever. Love and truth face off against fear and pride in this modern extension of one of Jesus' best-known parables.
12/29/2017 Day Moon
him by his grandfather. Before it is destroyed, Elliott notices something is amiss with the book, or rather Project Alexandria. The two do not match, including an extra sonnet titled "Day Moon." When Elliott investigates, he uncovers far more than he bargained for. There are sinister forces backing Project Alexandria who have no intention of using it for its public purpose. Elliott soon finds himself on the run from federal authorities and facing betrayals and deceit from those closest to him. Following clues left by his grandfather, with agents close at hand, Elliott desperately hopes to find a way to stop Project Alexandria. All of history past and yet to be depend on it.
11/10/2017 Renegades
coming into his own. Logan has known since childhood that he possesses a special gift--he can detect others who have the ability to transit, or ghost-walk. Though ghost-walking has been outlawed for centuries, Logan is secretly drawing together a crew for a risky quest. The fates of these three young men will lead them, along with the entire Assembly, to the brink of destruction in this inventive tale of adventure, honor, and the things worth fighting for.
7/3/2017 A Different Kind of Black Belt
develops an affinity for The Book of Job and the way it parallels her life. She also discovers a side of her handsome, young physical therapist, Ty Townsend, she can't resist. When things begin to escalate with bullies and racism at school, her estranged mother appears which only makes matters worse. Somehow she must find the strength to overcome these adversities and win at not only love and life, but in the ring.
5/28/2017 Sink, Drift or Swim Author: Michelle Dennis Evans Genre: YA Coffee-addicted Valerina has more reason to head to Café Legato than the fact they make a great latte. There is that perfect barista—Josh. When did this childhood friend become the centre of Rina’s every thought? When did his voice become so smooth, like velvet chocolate? When did the breeze from his insanely long lashes begin to fan the fire in her heart? At Café Legato, Rina can escape from her loving and lively family. In the cool breeze of Josh’s lashes, she is able to momentarily forget her role as big sister to four-and-a-half siblings. Drowning in latte and Josh’s warm smile, she can set aside her fear that some things at home are not quite right. At Café Legato, Rina can daydream in tongue-tied bliss. But some dreams come true. Did Josh really invite her to hang out the next day? Did those words fall from his perfectly luscious lips? If he did, Valerina would be there, come hell or high water, but first she had today to get through. Today was Dad’s “special time,” with a fishing trip acting as the cover for a father to daughter heart-to-heart. Rina was changing, and so was life in her family. Did she really want to get deep and meaningful with her father? Did she want to share her fears for her brother Zach? Would Dad want to talk about her wavering faith? Valerina will face the day, one wave at a time. Until the storm hits, and Rina finds herself completely out of her depth. Will her father’s faith be enough to keep them afloat? And through it all, one thought remains … Josh.
3/2/2017 The Lady of the Vineyard
 Reviewer: Sabrina Wade
Started out great. Filled with a wonderful plot and storyline. Had me eager and leaning over in my chair with anticipation for the coming chapters. But then, the rug was pulled from under me. Suddenly, the book rushes to epilogue, leaving me the reader, wondering if I flipped Kindle pages too quickly and skipped chapters. Unfortunately, I did not. The author simply rushed the novel to its end. Where was the substance? How did we get from Adele, “be my wife,” to Judy having a fiance and sibling? Two stars. 3/2/2017 Dorian the Daring
 Reviewer: Cierra Loften
I usually don't tend to go for YA books that center on the medieval or fantasy, though Camille Esther's 'Dorian The Daring' has a believable balance of family life/drama, action and adventure, and spiritual growth. The cover contains a dark-hooded human figure with blue and black smoke enveloping him which is not what you'd expect from a Christian novel but it's a good perk! It shows that not all religious, particularly Christian, books have to be full of flowers and hearts. Overall, I found the main character, Dorian, to be an engaging teenager whose determination, humility, and ability to recognize his weaknesses made him all the more likable and believable. I thought the author did a wonderful job of creating the atmosphere of medieval times and I could tell she did her research on the times before diving into writing. 'Dorian The Daring' earns a solid 5 out of 5 stars from me. 1/10/2017 Nessie Out of Water
 Reviewer: Camille Murray Initially it was the title that drew me to this book. With a name like Nessie out of Water I was confident I could expect some sort of pun or double meaning. I also figured there was a good chance of a humorous style. The author did not disappoint! She had me and my husband laughing from the first page. She brought the faith struggle to light in a non-preachy manner, with plenty of laughs and plot twists along the way. There were a few typos, and there was one chapter where the author switches perspectives that I thought a little funky, but nothing that dampened my enjoyment. This book definitely earned its place on my favorites shelf!  Reviewer: Cierra Loften
I want to start off by saying how utterly adorable this book was. Wooten did an excellent job of creating a character, Nessie, who is so relatable, funny, and authentic. I feel so sad that she's not an actual human being because I'd love to have her in my circle of friends. For the cover, I will give 10 points because I can tell the cover artists spent some time detailing it. It's cute, simple, and gives the reader a general insight into the plot of the story. For the characters, I will give a rating of 8. This young adult novel is only about 200 pages, so I understand that it would be fairly difficult to drag on and on about the backstories of each character, and the author did do a good job of developing the main characters in general. However, I wish that I had learned a little more about Nessie's family life, including her parents (who are rarely mentioned). The plot deserves 10 points due to the fact that it was mostly clear, easy to understand, and a quick read that has exciting adventure, sweet romances, and a witty protagonist. Style wise, I'll offer 6 points. Nessie does have the habit of getting lost in her thoughts (both past and present) quite often, which adds to her funny appeal as a character, though during the more serious moments, I wish the author would have cut back on that just a tad bit. There were also a few typos and sections where I had to go back and re-read to gain better clarity on. On the addictiveness scale, 6 brings in the cake, yet again. I enjoyed it while it was in my hands, though I never found myself itching to pick it back up again after putting it down. Content wise, Nessie gets an 8. Wooten did a fantastic job of keeping Jesus as the center of the novel and, through her characters, she never comes off as preachy (which is a thing every author should avoid, especially for young adult readers). I was inspired by Nessie's story and her struggles and journey with her faith made her all the more believable. All in all, Nessie Out of Water receives a 4 star rating from me. |
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8/18/2018
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