Chirp and Chatter Pages

Monday, November 16, 2015

Eve (Wm. Paul Young)



Captivating. A little confusing, at times, but not enough to lose the reader. Nothing like The Shack, and yet...there are strains and shadows of "sameness" that make it wonderful. I loved it!

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Beguiling (Nolan Carlson)




If you're looking for a good book for your teens to read, just in time for Halloween and all the "scary" stuff, you've found it! I'm certainly not a teen, but I enjoyed the story line immensely. Good writer!

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Gabriel's Atonement (Vickie McDonough)



LAND RUSH DREAMS SERIES, BOOK 1


Vickie McDonough simply never disappoints. Gabriel's Atonement had me in its grip from the beginning, and never let go. Gabe and Lara are such fun, interesting, and REAL characters, one can't help but root for them...cry for their losses (and both had more than their share), and rejoice in their hard-won victories. Even the secondary characters are fully developed, and capable of inciting emotion in the reader. I loved Lara's four-year-old son, Michael. Children always add something wonderful to a book, and this author has a perfect handle on how to portray little ones.

McDonough also does a beautiful job of weaving in the love, grace, and goodness of God without turning the novel into a very long sermon. A perfect start to the Land Rush Dreams series, and I eagerly await the next book, Joline's Redemption. (That gal's gonna need some!)

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Falling for Her (Debbie Macomber)



(Short Story)

Debbie Macomber doesn't know how to write badly. I don't like to rate a story this short, as it doesn't provide the author enough leeway to fully depict the characters. But the author did a great job, and left me wanting to read the rest of the series. That says plenty.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Paisley's Pattern (LoRee Peery)



She's Paisley Robbins. He's Robin Paisley. She's a bit of a free spirit. He's completely uptight. Only LoRee Peery could bring these opposites together so beautifully. I've been impressed before with Peery's smooth flow and keen insight into human emotions, quirks, and foibles...but she outdid herself in Paisley's Pattern. I loved the flawed hero, and the outspoken heroine with few boundaries and little-to-no filter between mind and mouth. Paisley's candid approach is a refreshing change from the cookie-cutter heroine too often found in book after book after romance book. Note: This is not your everyday Christian romance. Be prepared for new and different; fresh and fun; exciting and irresistible. Paisley's Pattern is just plain good reading, with an added blessing in the skillfully woven life lessons. Don't miss this one!

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Jett (Dana Pratola)



DESCENDED Series, Book 1


I rarely read a book that literally holds me captive, incapable of laying it aside until the very last page. Dana Pratola’s JETT made it happen in a really big way. The story line is unique, to say the least, with supernatural elements so skillfully implemented that the reader forgets how far from reality they’ve traveled. Intense, gripping, powerful, and very well-written. JETT is a perfect opener for the Descended series. I loved it so much I ordered the rest of the series immediately, and read them all, one right after another. In my opinion, that’s the highest praise I could possibly give. Kudos to the author on a job incredibly well done!

Friday, January 23, 2015

Hush, Little Baby (Debora M. Piccurelli)



I LOVED this one! Very well written romance with a hefty dose of suspense. The main characters are "little people," which is something different, and yet opens the reader to the reality that they're people, with the same feelings, hopes, dreams, goals, careers, and emotions as anyone else. This one homes in on the inner workings of an abortion clinic, so while the subject matter is controversial, it is handled with grace and is not written with a judgmental mindset. Very well done. Highly recommended.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Angels Walking (Karen Kingsbury)



ANGELS WALKING SERIES, Book 1

What a wonderful, touching, REAL story! I love tales of angel encounters, and find it fascinating, the different ways in which they manifest themselves. Karen Kingsbury delivers her version of angel activity so beautifully. Her characters are wonderfully real, and the situations so true to life. I genuinely felt a part of the story, and can't wait to see what happens next with Angels Walking.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Ever After (Karen Kingsbury)



LOST LOVE SERIES, Book 2

Lovely, lovely story! Karen Kingsbury knows how to touch hearts. Ever After ties up the loose ends of Even Now very nicely, and carries their daughter’s storyline on. I came away with an even greater appreciation for our military – and short a box of Kleenex. It’s a tear-jerker, but threaded with enough joyful moments to make it bearable. I’m in awe of this author’s talent.