Pedigreed Bloodlines by Sandra Robbins

Classified as inspirational fiction, Pedigreed Bloodlines of the Heartsong Presents Mysteries series is an entertaining read. The book, by Tennessee author Sandra Robbins, was a finalist in Inspirational Romantic Mystery/Suspense Category in the Daphne du Maurier Contest, Kiss of Death Chapter, Romance Writers of America.

Leigh Dennison is the heroine of this story. Orphaned as a young adult, she was "adopted" by Addie Jordan, a friend of her parents. Addie runs a kennel for prize-winning show dogs, and she ends up murdered. There's plenty of suspense and romance with Leigh suspecting everyone, including her love interest, teacher Blake Cameron. Even the dogs get into the act as the mystery is solved.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book because the author managed to weave humor into the story. I found myself smiling while reading, sometimes even laughing out loud. What more could you want? Romance, suspense, humor----Pedigreed Bloodlines has it all. Buy it on Amazon.

Visit the author's web site at www.sandrarobbins.net.

Guest Review: The Stepfamily Survival Guide

-->Guest reviewer is Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress, freelance writer and speaker, www.writingfor him.com.

THE STEPFAMILY SURVIVAL GUIDE, by Natalie Gillespie (Fleming H. Revel, 2004, $12.9) is a recommended read for families on the “stepping” journey and for those who come alongside these families. Since Ms. Gillespie decries the lack of literature on this topic, her own book, borne of personal experience and research, should find a grateful group of readers.

The honesty and transparency found in these pages will be welcome, as will the author’s acknowledgement that many dilemmas found in building healthy relationships within stepfamilies have no easy fixes or sweet solutions. Pertinent topics include dealing with custody battles, keeping the new marriage intact, and stepsibling rivalry.

Ms. Gillespie’s insights regarding the child’s eye view of remarriage following death or divorce were excellent. She asserts, and proves, that the day of a second wedding, although joyous for parents, signifies for children “all they have lost”.

The great strength of this book is the consistent conclusion that ultimately every challenge sends us back to God, the One who redeems. Especially effective is the reminder to pray that “the legacy left to your children may promote an intact family line”.I was puzzled by the book’s silence on the topic of grandparents and feel that the book’s cover does little to draw the reader. But those weaknesses are insignificant in the face of the encouragement and gentle wisdom to be gained by the reader.

Fearless by Max Lucado

Subtitle: Imagine Your Life without Fear. Published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, release date September 8, 2009. Hardcover, $24.99.
I can think of no more appropriate topic for today’s economic and geopolitical times. Nor can I think of anyone more qualified to write it than Max Lucado. Even the faithful are fearful these days. People are afraid of other people, of global calamity---you name it. Lucado addresses fifteen fears that he’s observed in his ministry, and he continually points out that fear can be overcome by faith.
Lucado’s writing is precise and to-the-point, but it’s also very reassuring. He shares a number of anecdotes to remind us that he has struggled with fear, too. Each chapter begins with a Bible verse addressing the fear that is discussed. For example, the chapter, “Fear of Disappointing God,” begins with Matthew 9:2 (NASB): Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.
The book includes a 47-page discussion guide designed to be used in group studies. The fifteen lessons correspond to the book’s chapters and are divided into three parts: Examining Fear, Exposing Fear, and Battling Fear. I can imagine this study being used extensively in churches. Perhaps it will be as big as Purpose Driven Life. I hope so.
Bonus: There’s a companion booklet entitled Imagine Your Life without Fear. Priced at $2.99, it’s designed to be an outreach tool for churches or an encouragement tool for Christians wanting to share their faith.

Let Go by Sheila Walsh

Subtitle: Live Free of the Burdens All Women Know
Thomas Nelson, $19.99

Buy		Read

-->I don’t ordinarily read “help” books for women, but I chose to review this one for Thomas Nelson because I was intrigued by the title, Let Go. Because most of the women I know take emotional responsibility for many things that should be shared with others or “let go of” entirely, I was curious as to how the author would treat the subject. She chose to use the theme "deliverance," getting rid of those burdens.
First of all, I did not know that the author because I rarely watch the 700 Club, and I was not aware of her role as a speaker with Women of Faith. Fans of hers will probably like the book. So many books these days are published because the author is famous and has a following that will buy books.

I liked parts of it, but, for the most part, it was a chore for me to read. Each chapter begins with quotes and Bible verses followed by an anecdote. The remainder of each chapter dealt with the biblical basis for the chapter topic. The anecdotes drew me in, but I found myself yawning in mid-chapter in almost every case. So much of it I had heard before, and there was no new angle. The last few chapters seemed to hold more interest for me than the rest. Perhaps the book is just too long, or maybe the chapters themselves are too long.

Use the link above to go to the Thomas Nelson site, and take a look at the sample chapters. Perhaps it will appeal more to you than it did to me.

Guest Review: Surprised by Remarriage by Ginger Kolbaba

Another review by Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress, freelance writer and speaker, www.writingforhim.com.

Subtitle: A Guide to the Happily Even After. Revell Books, 2006. 192 pp. $12.99. Reviewed by Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress.

Ginger Kolbaba has written an honest, transparent, and sometimes blunt acknowledgement of the complications generated by marriage to someone who has already experienced a broken relationship. Her own husband was divorced following his wife’s unfaithfulness, so she writes with the authority of one who has “been there”.

Kolbaba admits early on that “the surprise comes when we discover the new marriage is as difficult as the former one . . . that fresh start really wasn’t as fresh as we’d hoped”. She then develops three major sections, covering many of the factors included in remarriage. The primary topics focused on dealing with the past, adjusting to “family” life (including children and in-laws) as the second wife, and the marriage itself.

Surprised by Remarriage an easy read as it is filled with real life illustrations. Yet it is also strong in the spiritual and truth elements. One of the book’s positives is balance as it offers a lighthearted approach without being flippant. The writing is descriptive and unexpectedly humorous at times. One fun addition is her use of a variety of introductory quotes.

Those in a second marriage from a widowed status will only be helped by this book if they have married a divorced person. That is the primary focus. But those readers should find it freshly worded, hopeful, and a challenging call to pursue God’s pattern for relationships.