The Valley of Dry Bones

The Valley of Dry Bones is the latest novel by Jerry Jenkins.  The author takes you to a futuristic scene where the state of California has been vacated of the majority of its citizens due to a lack of drinking water and the tragic results of the out-of-control fires and earthquakes!


Remaining on the scene is a group of Christians, who call themselves The Holdouts. They feel that God has called them to share His hope with any who have remained in this uninhabitable place.  As this group attempts to fulfill their calling from the underground compound they built to protect themselves from the elements and from the Mongers, the criminals who are out to steal and pillage wherever they can find anything of value, you wonder how they will be able to survive!

The tale leaps into high speed by the final pages of this book.  What will happen when a member of the Holdouts suspects that there might be an enemy in their midst?  How will the Holdouts respond when they discover that the U.S. government is planning to arrest the leaders of their group?

Wait and see as Jerry Jenkins tells a tale that will show how God can work through men to fulfill His ultimate purpose in these days!

I received this book from Worthy Publishing in exchange for my unbiased review.

The Beautiful Pretender

The latest novel by Melanie Dickerson, The Beautiful Pretender, opens with Reinhart Stolten, the Margrave of Thornton, returning from hunting down the wolves in the forest on his property.  As he enters his home, he discovers that he has received a letter from the king.  The king is suggesting that Reinhart marry in an attempt to bring unity between the noblemen of the country. He cannot believe that the King expects him to marry a woman he has never even seen!

Lord Thornton decides to host a party so that he will have time to meet some of the daughters of his fellow noblemen and hopefully find his bride.  After Lord Primmwald's daughter, Dorothea runs away with one of his knights, he decides to order her maidservant, Avelina, to fill in and pretend to be his daughter.  Avelina also learns that she must not allow the Margrave to propose to her, but only to leave him with a good impression of Lord Primmwald.  Unfortunately, Avelina is unable to hold up her end of the deal.  Not only is she unable to point Lord Thornton toward another one of the hopeful daughters, but Avelina soon finds herself starting to develop feelings for Lord Thornton herself!

After Lord Thornton actually selects Avelina as his future bride, the truth finally comes out that Avelina is not a nobleman's daughter!  When another nobleman, the Duke of Geitbart, attempts to capture Lord Thornton and take control of his property; you will be anxiously waiting for this tale to come to a closure!

This is a great tale for the young-adult audience.  The tale is fast-paced as you attempt to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.  Enjoy the ride!


I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my unbiased review.

The Alliance

On the first pages of Jolina Petersheim's latest novel, The Alliance, you will see Moses Hughes's plane crash in the middle of Leora Ebersole's property.  Leora cannot understand what in the world has just happened.  When the Englischers cars and cellphones stop working as well, the people of this old-order Mennonite community realize that something very serious has occurred!

When Moses finally regains consciousness, his military background tells him that perhaps an EMP has struck the area. Moses begins to encourage this community to form an alliance with the few Englischers in the area to protect their homes from the potential danger that may be coming.  As you watch these two groups of people with very different moral backgrounds attempt to work together, you have no idea what will happen!

What will Leora and Moses do when they discover that someone within their community is actively working against them?  What actions will the leaders of this community decide to take when they learn that a large gang of thieves is headed their way?  Finally, how will Leora respond when she looks into her father's eyes again, years after he abandoned his family!

This was an interesting tale with an ending that you will never expect!


I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my unbiased review

Dawn at Emberwilde

You are introduced to Isabel Creston on the opening pages of Dawn at Emberwilde, the latest novel by Sarah Ladd.  Isabel is a young woman who was left at the Fellsworth School as a young girl.  As Isabel waits for a new opportunity to open up for her to work as a governess, a stranger arrives at the school with the news that Isabel has an aunt, unknown to Isabel, who has invited Isabel to relocate to live with her family at Emberwilde. Walk along with Isabel as she travels down this new path to a destination that she knows nothing about!

As Isabel attempts to familiarize herself with her new home and lifestyle at Emberwilde, she finds herself missing her former world.  Life was harder in a lot of ways at Fellsworth; however, the rules that her aunt insists on in her new world are almost suffocating!  Isabel soon senses that her aunt's primary goal is to get Isabel married off as soon as possible.  Mr. Bradford, the supervisor of the foundling home located on Emberwild's property, is her aunt's first choice for her future husband; however, when Isabel meets Colin Galloway, a man her aunt would never select, her eye seems to be turned his way instead!

There is a lot of action and mystery contained in the tale.  Who is involved with the criminal activity  in the depths of the forest surrounding Emberwilde?  Why is Isabel's aunt pushing so hard for Isabel to be married by a certain date?  What could be the mystery involving Isabel's grandfather's estate?  Hang on until the last page of this tale to learn the answers to these questions and so much more!


I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my unbiased review.

Her One and Only

Her One and Only is the last entry in Becky Wade's most recent series.  I thoroughly enjoyed the first three books in this series and this final book did not disappoint!

Dru Porter grew up in a male dominated world with three older brothers; however, she has managed to make a unique name for herself working as a bodyguard.  Her latest client is Gray Fowler, a superstar in the NFL who has been receiving threatening letters from a stalker, yet unidentified.  Dru takes her job very seriously, so she does not know how to handle it when she starts to be drawn toward Gray.  When you learn that Gray and one of his teammates make a bet concerning which one will be able to get Dru to kiss them first, you are on pins and needles waiting for Dru to erupt in anger when she learns the truth!

When Dru's feelings for Gray grow to the point that she feels that she should be taken off his protection detail, Gray does take this decision very well.  Everyone is relieved when Gray's stalker is finally identified and charged; however, Dru does not stop looking at all the angles because something tells her they should still keep an eye out for Gray's safety!

Will danger eventually make its presence known in Gray's world and will Gray finally be free of the demons from his past?  This is a great tale that wraps up the details of the lives of the Porter family!


I received this book from Bethany House in exchange for my unbiased review.

I Really do Miss Your Smile

I Really do Miss Your Smile, written by Susan May Warren, is a novella that tells the tale of when and where the saga of the Christiansen family began.  This short story contains a fun tale that must not be missed!

I have read and enjoyed each novel in the Christiansen Family series.  It was great to also read this story about how John and Ingrid first met when she vacationed with her family every summer at his family's lodge, how they fell in love and after a bit of difficulty, how they finally decided to build a life together!

This novella is definitely worth the read!