We will use this thread to discuss possible books to be used for any of the categories for the 2012 Christian Reading Challenge. 

Each month will have its own topic.

Feel free to post any questions or comments about Christian books, authors, etc.

Peace to all who enter.

Coming Home:: David Lewis—

I enjoyed this book more than I had anticipated. The story was very unusual, focusing on cognitive impairment, but it was engaging. It was heart-warming to see the growth in the main character, Jessie, as she was able to recapture a less self-destructive way of living and thinking. I think the author could have done more to make this change more convincing and realistic to the reader. I liked the characters in the book. They were interesting people. I think the author did a good job with character development of the supporting characters. The story dealt with real issues that we all face—death of a parent, forgiveness, growing up and growing old, facing our deepest fears, and being able to give and accept love. I gave this book 4 stars.

• I used this book for the NICE TA MEETCHA category. David Lewis is married to Beverly Lewis. I think he has written 2 novels and co-authored one with his wife, so he is not a well-known author.
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• Edited--tried to fix format

I finished Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin, a favorite author of mine.  This story involves a young librarian who lives in a fantasy world of books until she finds herself in a small town in backwoods Kentucky living in primitive conditions and caught up in a set of circumstances that turn out to be more adventurous than any novel she has read.  This story has a little bit of everything...humor, adventure, mystery, a family feud, buried treasure, and a touch of romance.  It was interesting learning about packhorse librarians, a program set up during the Roosevelt administration to take books to rural families who had no other access. 

Cindy, Thank you for your review on Wonderful Creek. I have that one on my RL, but now I am more anxious that ever to read it! I haven't read any of Lynn Austin's books.

I'm sure that once you read one of her books you'll be hunting down more.  One thing I like is that her stories are all interesting but they are different from one another. 

Great! I just checked out her website and I think you are right, I probably would enjoy reading her books.

Lynn Austin

Dangerous Heart (Westward Hearts, Bk 3) :: Tracey Bateman  ISBN-13: 9780061246357 - ISBN-10: 0061246352  is the third in the series. This one focuses on the romance between Ginger and Grant.  Ginger's father and his gang attack the wagon train amd the reader wonders what will happen. Many adventures and mis-adventures follow.  I give the book 4.5 stars.  I got it from the library.  It can fit category 7 (Cowboy), 11 (Doctor), or 17 (#3 in a whole series).

A Lady Like Sarah: A Rocky Creek Romance :: Margaret Brownley  ISBN-13: 9781595548092 - ISBN-10: 1595548092  gets 5 stars from me.  It can go in category 1 (new author), 7 (Cowboy), 16 (chick lit), or 17 (#1 in the Rocky Creek series). It is the story of an unlikely relationship between a preacher and an outlaw.  I haven't decided what I will do with this one yet.

Word Gets Around :: Lisa Wingate  ISBN-13: 9780764204913 - ISBN-10: 0764204912  Lauren left Daily, TX in a hurry after her husband's death.  After having little contact with her father, she is called back to train a horse - and an actor - for a movie being filmed in Daily.  I give the book 5 stars.  The categories this one might go in are: 5 (walk & talk), 9 (spirit lift), 15 (comedy), or 16 (chick lit).  I don't know what I will do with this one yet, either.

Hearts Aglow (Striking a Match, Bk 2) :: Tracie Peterson  ISBN-13: 9780764208683 - ISBN-10: 0764208683 is the second in the "Striking a Match" series by Tracie Peterson.  I did not like this one as well as the first; it seemed more "preachy" than Tracie's other books.  I give this one 3.8 stars (almost 4); it came from the library and might be used in category 9 (spirit lift), 11 (Doctor), or 17 (#2 in a whole series) .

The Bride Blunder (Prairie Promises, Bk 3) :: Kelly Eileen Hake  ISBN-13: 9781602601772 - ISBN-10: 1602601771  is #3 in the Prairie Promises series.  Two cousins are named for their grandmother.  Though they go by different nicknames, Gavin's proposal letter uses their formal name.  The "wrong" bride shows up to join Gavin out West.  Or is she really the "wrong" one?  This one is a light and entertaining book; it gets 5 stars from me.  You might put it in category 1 (new author), 5 (walk & talk), 11 (Doctor), 16 (chick lit), or 17 (#3 in a whole series).  I got this one from the library also.

Because of what was posted, I have ordered Pope Patrick.  Prayers, Lenora

I finished listening to A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis.  I recommend this to anybody who is either going through their own grief or knows somebody who is going through grief.  While grief is never the same twice, Lewis gives a honest look at his own.  Heartbreaking and heartfelt.

I finished reading The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible - A.J. Jacobs.  I highly recommend it!  The first 9 months or so is spent on following the Old Testaments laws as closely as he can.  As he goes along throughout the year he contacts Rabbis and specialists to get a better idea of what the laws actually mean when taken in context of the culture they were originally created in.  The last 3 months are him working in the New Testament and trying to determine what exactly Jesus changed with the advisement of people from various sects of Christianity.  It's very humurous, but also very educational.

If you happen to be interested in understanding the Bible and the current state of Christianity from history I also suggest Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of Church Practices by Frank Viola and George Barna.  Also helpful in studying the Old Testament specifically is studying Jewish oral tradition and the Talmud (Book of Law).

I finished listening to The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis this afternoon.  I really enjoyed it.  It reminded me a bit of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri.

Finished listening to A Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.  It does a wonderful job of showing the historical Jesus through the use of secular and archaelogical studies.  However, I mind other readers that this kind of proof cannot and should not be used as proof of the Jesus of the faith. The Jesus of the faith cannot be proven and must be taken on faith.

I finally finished  Heaven:: Randy Alcorn. I first started reading this book a couple of years ago and read it through about 2/3 of the way. I decided to start over and read through the whole book. I really, really enjoy it. It's one that I'll probably read again. It is easy reading, but so much information that I only read a little section at a time, so I can think about what the author is saying about heaven and mull it over in my mind. If you've ever wondered what heaven will be like, then this book will answer most/all your questions. I highly recommend it to everyone, who hopes to go there after you leave this world.

I finished a book for the category: You Like me, You Really Like Me: Only the River Runs Free (Galway Chronicles, Bk 1):: Brock Thoene, Bodie Thoene--winner of the 1998 ECPA Gold Medallion Award. This is my first read by the Thoenes. It was enjoyable. The story line was interesting with good character development in the two main characters, Joseph and Kate. The setting was Ireland in the early 1840's. Although, the book deals with complex relationships and history, it is a pretty easy read. If you like Irish historical fiction, you will probably enjoy this book.

Finishing up another wonderful series by Karen Kingsbury  Book One has two books in it:One Tuesday Morning / Beyond Tuesday Morning  and book three is Every Now and Then .   All three of these books are centered around Sept 11...........The first books are about firemen who were in the towers after the attack and their families.  The third book includes these families along with a young man whose father was a fireman who responded to the attack.  The young man ran to California becoming a cop after losing his Dad....The other families are friends with him and help him find his way back to God...........

These satisfy the Salute to our Heroes challenge........for firemen and law enforcement..........

Both of these books are posted on my bookshelf..........

I just finished a really great little book, Serious Times Making Your Life Matter in an Urgent Day Author: James Emery White. It answers the question, "How can we make our lives matter?". It was exceptionally profound, well-researched, and interesting. The author shows how in ancient history the cultures were basically God/god-centered, but that is most definitely not the case today. Where does that leave us, as Christians? The author points the way. I highly recommend this book. I think it deserves 5 stars.

Edited: I used this book for Walk the walk and Talk the Talk

Forgot to add Escape to Big Fork Lake by Mary L Ball to the thread for last month.