Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin

Alice Grace Ripley is a bookworm. She works in a library in the year 1936 during the Great Depression. Could anything be more boring than Alice's life? But, wait, she is also a do-gooder, and she collects books for the library in the underprivileged town of Acorn, Kentucky, in the heart of coal country. When she decides to deliver the books herself, Alice's life becomes an adventure with mystery and romance mixed in.

Alice, the city girl used to all the modern conveniences, finds herself in a mountain town with no indoor plumbing, no washing machines, or electricity. She's supposed to stay two weeks, but she ends up staying much longer. She learns to ride a horse so that she can deliver library materials to patrons in the backwoods as part of a Depression-era government program. She gets very involved in the lives of the locals---their peculiarities, their secrets, and an on-going feud.

I have been a fan of Lynn Austin's writing for a long time. She has the gift of taking you back to the historical period she's writing about. Wonderland Creek is written in the first person. I found myself smiling as Alice familiarized herself with the rustic facilities like outhouses and wringer washing machines. Her experience in Acorn makes her realize how spoiled she had been back home, and she discovers that she can make a difference. The story has everything---a great setting, romance, humor, suspense, mystery.

Read a sample and/or buy Wonderland Creek on Amazon.

Check out my other reviews of Austin's books here.

The Founders' Key by Larry P. Arnn

Subtitle is The Divine and Natural Connection Between the Declaration and the Constitution and What We Risk by Losing It, published by Thomas Nelson.

In this election year, you may have heard a lot of talk about the Constitution of the United States, how our government officials have ignored it and how we need to "get back to the Constitution." According to the author, it all started with Franklin Delano Roosevelt who insisted that the Constitution was out-dated and that it should be "a living document," changing with the times. This is the view of the Progressive movement today. Roosevelt felt that the Declaration of Independence is a document that is "set in stone" and as valid today as the day it was written. Conservatives, on the other hand, believe that the Declaration and the Constitution function as a unit and that both are as valid today as when the Founders signed them.

The author, Dr. Larry Arnn, is president of Hillsdale College and has written on public policy, history, and politics for numerous media outlets. He points out the dangers of ignoring the Constitution. For example, we are supposed to have three branches of government: legislative, judicial, and executive. However, because those in power in these branches have ceded their power to government agencies that they themselves have set up, we now have a fourth branch, the bureaucracy. These agencies are not accountable to the people at all. The people that run them are not elected but appointed by political cronies. This is not what the founders intended when they established a government by consent of the governed.

My first thought when seeing the title of this book was, "Key to what?" The answer is "hope for a free people." Arnn effectively shows how the hope we are looking for is found in re-connecting the principles contained in our founding documents. He also includes the Declaration, the Constitution with all Amendments, and several of the Federalist Papers in the appendix.

I recommend this book, although I found it hard to follow at times. It made me want to refresh my memory on the content of the Declaration and Constitution. I think that's something we all need to do periodically. We, the people, are supposed to know how our government is supposed to function. It is also our responsibility to change the personnel in the government when they stray from the founding principles.

Check it out on Amazon using the "Look Inside" feature.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Words Spoken True by Ann H. Gabhart

Set in 1850s Louisville, KY, Words Spoken True is part romance, part suspense, and quite engrossing. Adriane Darcy, raised by her father, learned the newspaper business from the ground up, and at a very early age. She's a bit of a maverick when it comes to social graces, but she still manages to impress Stanley Jimson,  the son of a wealthy politician. It's no coincidence that said politician owns Adriane's father's debt on his newspaper business. Also, Adriane's father has promised her hand in marriage to Stanley, a situation that Adriane is not exactly happy with.

Enter Blake Garrett, hired by the competing newspaper to run the Darcys out of business. I'm sure they didn't plan for Blake to be attracted to Adriane, but that's the way it turns out. And, there's a serial killer on the loose for the newspapers to keep track of amid the excitement of an upcoming election. The sparks fly between Adriane, Blake, and Stanley as the story unfolds, and the elusive serial killer continues his rampage.

I had never read any of Ann Gabhart's books until I met her at a writers' conference a couple of years ago. Now, I try not to miss each new one. She truly has a gift for historical fiction. Somehow, she makes you feel like you've been there and done that. It's a bit long, as are most of her books, but don't let that discourage you. It has the perfect blend of romance and suspense that will keep your attention to the very end.

Check out a sample chapter on Ann's website here. Purchase the paperback edition here. Or, if you prefer Kindle edition, click here.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me, unsolicited, by the publisher, Revell Books. I was not required to read or review the book, nor is my review in any way influenced by the publisher or the author.

Simply Living by Cecil Murphey

Subtitle: Modern Wisdom from the Ancient Book of Proverbs.

The book of Proverbs contains wisdom from the ancients that is relevant to this very day. Author Cecil Murphey shows us how heeding the advice in Proverbs can help us in our daily living. The book is divided into four main sections: Living with God, Living with Family, Living and Working with Others, and Living with Business and Law.

Each short chapter begins with a proverb, followed by a discussion of how the author has experienced this concept in his own life. I particularly enjoyed the stories Murphey shared, experiences that mirrored some of my own. Reading the Proverbs is one thing, but applying to our own lives is another.

I enjoyed reading a couple of chapters a day. If you read one per day as a daily devotion, it would take you a couple of months to finish. I recommend it as a study book for a small group as well as personal reading.

Cecil Murphey is co-writer of 90 Minutes in Heaven and more than a hundred other books. Learn more about him on his website.

Sample Simply Living: Modern Wisdom from the Ancient Book of Proverbs on Amazon.com.

I Am a FOLLOWER by Leonard Sweet

"It's never been about leading" appears in very small print on the cover of this book. And that's the initial message. How did we Christians ever get so obsessed with leadership when Jesus explicitly asked us to be followers? In I Am a FOLLOWER: The Way, Truth, and Life of Following Jesus, Len Sweet asks that question and provides a framework for a return to "followership."

We should strive to be followers, guides, or coaches, people who follow Jesus and help others be followers, too. A leader usually is more accomplished and/or knowledgeable than the followers. To be a follower of Jesus (or "first follower"), all you have to do is follow, model yourself after Jesus. Then, as you follow, invite others to go with you. No special credentials required.

I chose this book because I heard the author speak at a writers' conference a couple of years ago. I was impressed with his knowledge of theology and the Bible. I think I bit off more than I could chew. It took me a long time to read it. I felt that he was saying the same thing over and over, just with different words and illustrations. He goes into great detail, even providing what he calls interactives at the end of each major section to help drive home his point. The interactives might include scripture to read, quotes from poetry, discussion questions, hymns to learn, URLs for videos online, and quotes from other authors.

I AM a Follower is not light reading, but it does have an essential message for today's church. I think it appeals more to theologians and pastors than "regular" people. However, I think it would be a great resource for a small group study.

Check it out on Amazon here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

No, We Can't by Robert Stearns

  Full title is No, We Can't: Radical Islam, Militant Secularism and the Myth of Coexistence.

Author Robert Stearns methodically describes the three world-views among which the world’s cultures are divided: Judaeo-Christian, secular humanist, and Islamist. He maintains that Christianity and Islam are diametrically opposed to one another and that it is impossible for them to coexist due to the basic tenets of their faiths. The secular humanists stand between, often saying, "Can't we all just get along?” They want to live in a world where everything is relative and where the individual is king. Jews and Christians honor God by living the Ten Commandments, one of which requires that we love our neighbor. But, Islam does not require adherence to these commandments. They have their own rules set out on the Koran, and the faithful obey the rules or die. Islam does not recognize any religion besides their own, and the mission of Islam is to convert the world by force. Christians want to convert the world, but they believe it's up to the individual to decide whether to be Christian.

I could not put this book down. I know people say that all the time, but, for me, it was true. When Stearns mentioned that Muslims may lie to non-Muslims without any condemnation from their religion, I realized how serious the situation is. Judaeo-Christians assume that others are being truthful. He used Yasser Arafat as an example. Think of all the times he made promises in peace talks but failed to live up to those promises. And, the secular humanists are the ones trying to remove Christian influence from American society. They don't realize that the freedom to do and think what they want will be destroyed if they embrace the advance of Islam into the western world.

Stearns urges us all to wake up and understand what's happening to our culture and our heritage. If we truly can't “all get along,” we need to be prepared to defend our faith and our culture. Other reviewers have criticized this author for being biased toward Christianity. That's not surprising since he is the head of Eagles' Wings, a Christian non-profit organization that promotes interfaith communication and charity work. I, for one, am glad that he wrote this book, and I hope that everyone will make time to read it. It will change your outlook on “getting along.”

Sample and/ or buy No, We Can't on Amazon.com

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Chosen Books, a division of Baker Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Year with Jesus by R. P. Nettelhorst

Subtitle: Daily Readings and Reflections on Jesus' Own Words, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Last year, this author gave us A Year with God, 365 daily readings using scriptures in which God speaks. See my review here. This book follows a similar format. Each page is about half scripture and half commentary. Pages are numbered, not dated, so that you can start at any point or skip around. The book is organized in twelve topical sections. You can see the topic list here.

I found it odd that there is no biographical information on the writer inside the book or on the cover. A quick search yielded this short bio on his blog. Nettelhorst is a professor of Bible and Biblical languages at California seminary. That gives him a unique perspective from which to write his commentary.

A quote from theologian William Barclay in the front matter tells us why we should read this book. "Jesus is not a figure in a book; He is a living presence." I think it would be a great gift for anyone, but especially for someone new to the Christian faith.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”