The power of fiction, the beauty of words, and the God who made us to wield them for His glory.

Amish Sweethearts (Leslie Gould) – Review

  “Don’t you get tired of always doing the right thing?” “No,” Lila answered.  “I don’t.”  She snapped the dish towel toward him and then hung it over the back of a chair to dry.  Turning toward the lamp, she said, “Good night.” “I know you still love him,” Simon said. She froze, her hand in midair. “Jah.”  His voice rose again.  “You’re courting Reuben, but you love Zane.  How do you live with yourself?” She spun around and flicked off the lamp.  He was drunk.  He didn’t know what he was talking about. “I know you,” Simon said as

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5 February 2016

The Jazz Files (Fiona Veitch Smith) – Review

“Come in!”  A distinctive accent: transatlantic, possibly Canadian, maybe American.  Poppy opened the door. […] Her eyes focused through the dim light filtering through a filthy windowpane and she saw a shock of red hair above a moon-shaped face. “Sorry for the mess.  Here, take a seat.” The red hair moved from behind what Poppy assumed was a desk and lifted a pile of files off a chair.  Attached to the head was a very short, squat body.  Poppy, who was five foot five, towered above him.  Rollo Rolandson – if that’s who it was – couldn’t have been more

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7 January 2016

Thin Ice (Irene Hannon) – Review

  So that was his auburn-haired mystery caller. From his seat at a corner table that offered a panoramic view of the eatery, Lance did a quick assessment as the woman claimed a table.  Early thirties. Slender. Five-five, five-six. Model-like cheekbones. Flawless complexion. Full lips. Classic profile. In other words, the lady was gorgeous. And very nervous. It didn’t take an FBI agent – or former Delta Force operator – to recognize that the taut line of her shoulders, the clenched fingers, and the lower lip caught between her teeth spelled tension in capital letters. He took another sip of

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29 December 2015

Calico Spy (Margaret Brownley) – Review

  I like the premise of this series, each book following a female undercover operative for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, especially since the concept has its basis in actual history (I was a bit skeptical at first and actually looked it up!) Nevertheless there were a few things that held this novel back for me, most prominently a reliance on too many clichés, both in establishing the conflict and in building up the romance, too much time taken to explain the characters’ thoughts to the reader, and a plot that really just meandered for the first half of the book.

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7 December 2015