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ADULT FICTION ★ Heathersleigh homecoming, by Michael Phillips. (The secrets of Heathersleigh Hall; 3.) LCCN 99006750. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1999. ISBN 0764220454, PAP, $12.99. F. World War, 1914-1919--England--Devon--Fiction. 429 p. Adult. In Heathersleigh Homecoming, twenty-oneyear-old Amanda Rutherford Halifax, a prodigal daughter, finds herself in the “faraway land” of disobedience, suffering the consequences of rebellion from her parents. Upon learning that Ramsey, her unfaithful husband of one month, belongs to a spy ring working against the Allies in World War I, she flees from Vienna by train, hoping to escape through Italy or France to London. Fearful that she will reveal their espionage secrets, Ramsey and evil Mr. Barclay pursue Amanda relentlessly. After discerning Amanda’s forlorn countenance in the train station, and befriending her with a kind invitation, Gretchen introduces her to beauty and peaceful seclusion at the Chalet of Hope high in the Alps of neutral Switzerland. Here a group of Christian women dedicate their lives to the emotional and spiritual healing of others. But because healing is slow and painful and Amanda’s prideful independent spirit strong, she breaks away again to cross enemy lines. Amanda is unaware that information she possesses about enemy spies in a secluded lighthouse on the English coast is intertwined with the duties of her father and brother on the battle cruiser Dauntless, responsible for torpedoing German U-boats in the English Channel. Cleverly disguised, she outwits Ramsey and Mr. Barclay, stalking them and eavesdropping. Amanda reaches London, begs an audience with Winston Churchill, her father’s friend, and reports intelligence crucial to ending the war. Solid Christian truths and themes fill Michael Phillips’ third novel in the Secrets of Heathersleigh Hall series. In the Introduction, his thoughtful treatise on the universal parable of the prodigal son prepares the reader to participate more personally in Amanda’s homecoming. Through Amanda’s observations and experiences, Phillips brilliantly depicts her awakening to a godly sorrow leading to repentance of pride and damaged relationships. Phillips molds Amanda’s character as she learns compassion and comforts others. God answers her parents’ prayers and faith with Amanda’s healing and restoration. But sin has its consequences. Though she is reunited with her mother and sister, Amanda never sees her father or brother again; they die in the war. Phillips shows that God is always good and life goes on. Amanda looks expectantly to a new future. Readers will understand how to have a personal relationship with their heavenly Father, and think about the meaning of Christmas and differing attitudes toward divorce and remarriage. The story may be read without knowledge of the series. Phillips says we are a prodigal humanity. Heathersleigh Homecoming is a splendid story for all of us and about all of us. Rhonda Marie Lackey, Writer, Former Teacher/Librarian, Tukwila, Washington Honor’s reward, by Kristen Heitzmann. (Rocky mountain legacy; 5.) LCCN 99006867. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 076422204X, PAP, $10.99. F. Family life--Fiction; Western stories; Christian fiction. 317 p. Adult (High school). Abbie was married to Monte Farrell. Cole Jasper was a foreman on their ranch, but has known Abbie since they were teens. Cole has loved Abbie since he can remember, but after Monte’s death by a bull, Abbie dismisses Cole from his position on the ranch and vows she never wants to see him again. In book five, Abbie returns to the ranch with her new husband Cole Jasper, after outwitting the outlaw Crete Marlowe. Accompanying Cole and Abbie is Birdie, the sixteen-year-old saloon girl, with a large chip on her shoulder. Cole expects Abbie to accept Birdie as her own, and raise her alongside her niece Jenny and her son Elliot. With Birdie “making eyes” at Cole, Abbie struggles to accept and love her. Abbie knows that she loves Cole, but she continually compares him to Monte and is consumed with guilt. When Cole discovers that Crete Marlowe is after revenge, Cole is determined to see him to justice, even against the wishes of Abbie. Will Cole and Abbie’s marriage survive? Kristen Heitzmann has written an interesting, if somewhat typical story of love in the west. I found it difficult to pick up all the details from previous books and was often confused or lost in the story. The theme of reconciliation was strong as well as the power of forgiveness. Murder and prostitution is included in the content, but not with much detail or graphics. Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard, Washington Imperial legions, by Andrew M. Seddon. LCCN 99088716. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2000. ISBN 0805421807, PAP, $14.99. F. Great Britain--History--Roman period, 55 B.C.-449 A.D.--Fiction; Christian saints--Great Britain--Fiction; Boadicea, Queen, d.61--Fiction; Paul, the Apostle, Saint--Fiction; Soldiers--Rome--Fiction. 434 p. Adult. Sergius, a Roman soldier, and Ailidh, a Celt, should be dire enemies, but they’re not. Despite the conflict between their two cultures as Rome attempts to subdue the inhabitants of Britain, Sergius and Ailidh unite themselves in Christ where there is “neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free.” Appointed as tribune of a Roman legion, Sergius participates in the destruction of the Druids, the Celtic intelligentsia believed to be responsible for stirring up the British tribes to rebellion. Later, Sergius faces Queen Boudicca and her warriors as they fight to protest the injustices of the Roman empire. Dismayed by the needless bloodshed of innocents, and sickened by the tortured human sacrifices Boudicca’s warriors offer to pagan gods, Sergius is forced to question his own role as a soldier and as a follower of Christ. Ailidh, once a Druidess before her conversion to Christ, finds herself an outcast among her people and grieved by the revengeful, bloody nature of the tribes against Rome. Together she and Sergius vow to follow a better way. Imperial Legions, by Andrew M. Seddon, is a well-researched novel detailing the life and attitudes of those living in the first century A.D. The book includes a map, (very useful in keeping track of the numerous locations and military movements throughout the story), an extensive dictionary of Roman and British terms, and a list of sources. The book, which gathers intensity about midway through, is similar in style to the historical novels of Steven Lawhead, Francine Rivers, and Donna Fletcher Crow, although with more emphasis on the story than the internal workings of the main characters. The spiritual struggles of Sergius and Ailidh seem more of an afterthought rather than an integral part of their lives, resulting in a somewhat anticlimactic ending. While there are numerous characters involved, many of them historical figures, Seddon uniquely describes them so they are easily remembered. Seddon also does a good job of portraying both sides of the story—Rome’s and Britian’s. The book describes the violence of war realistically, but is reasonably non-graphic. Sherri Beeler, Teacher, Cascade Christian High School, Medford, Oregon Jenny’s story, by Judy Baer. (Best friends forever; 1) LCCN 00025562. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House, 2000. ISBN 0842319220, PAP, $9.99. F. Christian fiction; Widows--Fiction; Gambling-- Fiction. 261 p. Adult. Having lost her beloved husband of twelve years to an aneurysm, Jenny Owens finds herself mired in severe depression and grief. Barely able to function, she relies on the strength of her two childhood best friends, Libby and Tia, feeling that God has abandoned her. As Jenny works through the difficult stages of grief, she is faced with the startling news that the husband she idolized led a double life as a gambling addict who frittered away all their financial resources. Left with a heavy mortgage on her home, and no college degree or job experience, Jenny is forced to take control of her life in a way she never had to before. When Jenny hires a gardener to put her huge yard back in order, the last person she expects to see is another person from her childhood— Mike, the rebellious “preacher’s kid.” As Mike works in the soil, weeding, planting, and fertilizing, he provides a listening ear for Jenny, S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 6 2 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
ADULT FICTION enabling her to “weed out” her own life. By sharing bits of his own spiritual journey, he helps Jenny find her way back to God, one step at a time. As Jenny’s garden begins to yield an abundance of flowers, so her friendship with Mike blossoms into love, and her trust in the Lord begins to flourish. Judy Baer, an experienced novella author, wrote Jenny’s Story, her first full-length book. Although five or six pages are missing the last line at the bottom, it is worth the read. Jenny’s life shows how God never forsakes us, even in the hard times. He ministers to us through close personal friends, strangers, and through answered prayer—even though we may not always recognize it. Jenny is reminded that faith in God is dependent on fact, regardless of how she feels. Forced to come to terms with her own mortality, Jenny also comes to realize that she does not need a husband in order to be whole; God is the only one who can make her complete. Sherri Beeler, Teacher, Cascade Christian High School, Medford, Oregon Josephine’s fortune, by Kay D. Rizzo. (Serenity Inn series; 3.) LCCN 98049464. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1999. ISBN 0805416757, PAP, $7.99. F. Slavery--Fiction; Underground railroad--Fiction. 213 p. Adult. Rich Josephine Van der Mere, engaged to the politically influential Samuel Pownell of Albany, New York, is mourning his loss at sea, when she receives information that he is not dead, but recuperating from his accident and hidden away in New Orleans, Louisiana. An avid conductor on the Underground Railroad, Josephine must try to unobtrusively finish her present assignment in the freedom organization and take leave to travel to Pownell’s side without being found out. But who is the man in black who continuously shadows her? This intriguing story leads the reader on a romp through New York and its Underground Railroad system, a sea voyage, pirates, and its thrilling climax in New Orleans. The last leg of the adventure takes the reader up the Mississippi River to Missouri, and the start of a new life near Samuel’s daughter Serenity and her new husband. Josephine and Samuel must face and make hard decisions of career, politics, family, and religion. Author, Kay D. Rizzo’s lively plot in book three of her Serenity Inn Series is fast paced, but at the same time preserves the traditions and temper of historic pre-Civil War America. Judy Driscoll, Retired Teacher, Poulsbo, Washington Lethal harvest, by William Cutrer, Sandra Glahn. LCCN 00030951. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2000. ISBN 0825423716, PAP, $10.00. F. Genetic engineering--Fiction; Medical ethics-- Fiction; Physicians--Fiction. 407 p. Adult. The combined talents of Sandra Glahn and William Cutrer, M.D. have created a new medical thriller, Lethal Harvest, that’s hard to put down. It’s like Robin Cook’s books with a Christian slant. Marnie Sullivan is shocked but not heartbroken when her husband, Tim Sullivan, drives into the Potomoc River one icy day in December. Although the body is never found, death is accepted. Marnie and five year old Emily must start a new life together. In steps, Dr. Ben McKay, Tim’s silent partner, who is also a hospital chaplain, comforts Marnie, makes the memorial arrangements, and helps the little family through the difficult months. Eventually Ben introduces Marnie to Jesus Christ and the world of faith. She and Ben’s hearts begin to blend. Then through a series of oddities Marnie realizes things are not as they seemed. When Marnie receives an e-mail from her late husband Tim, she flies to Texas to meet him. She is disappointed, however, that he offers no love or apology for his staged death, just a warning. She and Emily are in danger. He wants only to concentrate on his medical research—cloning human eggs. Murder, litigation, and arson add spark to this unique novel of modern science. Lethal Harvest is pleasingly complex, religiously genuine, and clinically correct. Perhaps too much so. One may choose to skim over the scientific details; no problem, the storyline carries the tale. An intriguing element about this book is that in America’s high-tech society, cloning human eggs may some day become a reality. A wise people will consider the questions and consequences beforehand. Lethal Harvest, through an entertaining media, will help readers do just that. Ginger McGrath, Freelance Writer, Leavenworth, Washington Like gold refined, by Janette Oke. (A prairie legacy; 4.) LCCN 00008127. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 0764221612, PAP, $10.99. F. Mothers and daughters--Fiction. 253 p. Adult (High school). Like Gold Refined, set in the early 1900’s, follows the lives of the Davis family. This particular story focuses on Virginia, granddaughter of Clark and Marty. Virginia has been raising Mindy, the child of her childhood friend for over six years. Virginia and her husband Jonathan consider Mindy to be theirs. Even though they have not heard from Jenny, Mindy’s mom, for more than six years, they still pray for her each day. Little do they realize that their prayers are about to be answered. Jenny arrives and announces that she is there to claim her daughter for her own. How can Virginia give up the child? How can she fill the void that Mindy would leave in their home? Janette Oak has written a novel relevant to issues faced by women today, but in an historical setting. Not only in regards to child custody issues, but she also writes a great deal in this story about dealing with aging parents/grandparents and accepting the changes that are inevitable. I found the story sensitive in dealing with painful issues, if a bit naïve. It would have been helpful to have read the stories in this series, as it was difficult to categorize the numerous characters introduced throughout the story. Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard, Washington The list, by Robert Whitlow. LCCN 99045922. Nashville: Word Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0849916402, PAP, $12.99. F. Spiritual warfare--Fiction. 395 p. Adult. Renny Jacobson finds that after the unexpected death of his wealthy father he has been virtually disinherited except for his membership in The List, a secret group formed during the closing days of the Civil War whose descendents still meet. On his way to a coastal inn in South Carolina to find out about The List, Renny meets Jo Johnston, an attractive Christian whose ancestors were also members of The List. She challenges him to find out more about the group which signs a covenant and seals it with blood. Renny is not only falling for Jo but is intrigued by her faith in Christ. As he journeys from unbeliever to Christian, largely through the prayers of Jo, his landlady, and Mama A, a friend of his deceased mother’s, he is torn between the desire to serve the Lord and the lure of the vast wealth of those involved in The List. It soon becomes clear that this is really a battle between good and evil and that demonic forces have been at work and curses have been loosed. Is he willing to sacrifice to bring about the destruction of The List, or will he be overcome by greed and blinded by the darkness that surrounds all who are involved in the unholy covenant? Fast-paced and intriguing, The List is a mystery and a love story. Robert Whitlow has woven an involving plot that boldly discusses the battle that continually wages in the spiritual realm. Renny discovers that while evil is pervasive and strong, Christ is Light and can easily dispel the darkness for true believers. The author does an excellent job of portraying the importance of prayer. not only to our daily lives but in times of spiritual crisis. It also emphasizes the personal aspect of the believer’s relationship with Christ. Teresa O’Donley, Library Media Teacher, Scotts Valley, California Looking for you all my life, by Melody Carlson. (Whispering pines series; 3.) LCCN 99041914. Eugene, Ore.: Harvest House, 2000. ISBN 0736900632, PAP, $9.99. F. Oregon--Fiction; Love stories; Christian fiction. 304 p. Adult (High school). In an attempt to stop an ill-planned housing development project from being built in Pine Mountain, Maggie, a small-town newspaper editor, prints the truth about the developer’s other failed projects. However, she does not receive the support she expects from many of the local business owners who are desperate for C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 6 3 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
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Volume VI No.2 Christian SPRING 200
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The Christian Library Journal invit
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talking or writing books. He worked
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Children's Crown Award Reading Prog
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Celebrate the Triumph of Easter ...
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Lucado (Multnomah, 1994, ISBN 0-880
Page 13 and 14: PICTURE BOOKS tells him to catch up
Page 15 and 16: PICTURE BOOKS Ill.: Crossway Books,
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Page 19 and 20: CHILDREN’S FICTION avoid eating t
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Page 23 and 24: CHILDREN’S FICTION Michael J. Ros
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Page 33 and 34: BOOK REVIEWS MIDDLE SCHOOL FICTION
Page 35 and 36: MIDDLE SCHOOL FICTION Off-line life
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Page 41 and 42: MIDDLE SCHOOL FICTION Staple Garris
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Page 45 and 46: MIDDLE SCHOOL NONFICTION Connie Wea
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Page 87 and 88: INDEX David Livingstone 41 Davidson
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