Book Giveaway: Mortal Insight by ED James

Suspense Sisters Reviews ad Rhiza Press are giving away a copy of Mortal Insight by Australian author EB James (better known to some as Meredith Resce).

Click here to pop over to Suspense Sisters and enter.

Click here to read my review.

Review: Damaged Goods by Dianna E Anderson

Thought-provoking

Damaged Goods: New Perspectives on Christian Purity starts off as a challenge to the purity culture prevalent in many American Christian churches, as typified by books such as I Kissed Dating Goodbye. I’ve never been a part of this culture: I’m not American, I come from a culture where American-style dating has never been common, and *cough* I’m too old (I was already married by the time the book was published in 1997). In fact, the first I heard of the purity culture and the concept of courtship was in a recent blog post that went viral: Thomas Umstattd Jr on Why Courtship is Fundamentally Flawed.

However, Dianna E Anderson is writing from a different perspective: as a Christian woman with feminist beliefs who grew up in the purity movement, and has subsequently come to question many of the foundational principles. Umstaddt’s article highlighted some concerns he has with the courtship concept, based on his own experience and the experiences of men and women he knows. Anderson takes this several steps further by analysing the “myths” purity culture is based on from a feminist perspective (while feminist views on Christianity are nothing new, I know many conservative Christians dislike the idea because they don’t truly understand what “feminist” means. Clue: it doesn’t mean we hate men. We do believe God created men and women equal. Different, but equal).

I don’t agree with all Anderson's conclusions. In particular, she completely failed to persuade me about one of her core points around sexual ethics in relation to her interpretation of Biblical fornication. Her interpretation has merit: I just don't agree with the conclusion she draws. However, it’s a useful argument if only to show why some people choose to believe as Anderson does. I’d be disappointed if Christian readers (and leaders) dismissed all Anderson's views simply because they disagree with her on one or two points (albeit major points).

It’s also unfortunate that she cites ex-Mars Hill pastor Mark Driscoll as an argument against the purity movement. I don’t know much about Mars Hill or Mark Driscoll beyond reading his “apologies” in regard to accusations of plagiarism and using church funds to buy his way onto bestseller lists, but I’m inclined to ignore anything he says on that basis. But Mark Driscoll being wrong doesn’t necessarily make Dianna E Anderson right.

Anderson also discusses the Quiverfull movement and modesty theology, two subjects on which she and I agree wholeheartedly. I also agree with her views on sexual violence—I find it distasteful to think that any Christian man would consider a woman who has been a victim of rape as somehow less godly than the next woman (or man). If Anderson is correct in saying “the American evangelical church has failed to equip congregants with the ability to tell the difference between sex and rape”, then something is seriously wrong.

I’m sure Damaged Goods is going to come under scrutiny from a section of the church for failing to submit to the “man knows best” propaganda prevalent in many churches. I’ve no doubt some reviewers will be mansplaining how and why Anderson is wrong. They will be missing her main point: that, too often, purity culture idolises virginity, yet salvation is through Jesus alone, and God forgives all our sins, including sexual sin.

I hope Damaged Goods opens up debate around the place of sex in the Christian life, and that virginity isn’t the sole measure of a right attitude to sex. Recommended for those open-minded enough to concede that contemporary churches aren’t perfect.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Review and Giveaway: Deadly Echoes by Nancy Mehl

Good Christian Message

Eighteen years ago, six-year-old Sarah Miller hid in a closet with her older sister, Hannah, while their parents were murdered. The killers were never found, and the murders written off as a burglary gone wrong. Now, Hannah has been murdered and there are disturbing links between the two sets of murders, links the police don’t seem interested in investigating.

Sanctuary, the setting for Deadly Echoes, has a large Conservative Mennonite population. This gives the town a particular Christian feel and allows the author to have more of a Christian focus than many Christian novels, something she manages to integrate naturally into the plot without it seeming preachy, and without over-spiritualising any of the characters or turning them into Christian caricatures. This seamless integration of Christianity was a strength of the novel, and I especially liked seeing Sarah’s growing realisation of her value in Christ.

The other strength was around Sarah and her ten-year-old niece, Cicely (although I did think some of Cicely’s dialogue seemed too old for a ten-year-old). Sarah and Cicely were both orphaned by murder, and both find the bodies, so Sarah has a unique—if tragic—understanding of what Cicely is going through. I liked the way this was dealt with.

What wasn’t so strong, to my mind, was the romantic suspense plot. I found parts of it somewhat cliché (which took away from the suspense), and the romance was perhaps too understated. That’s not to say it’s not a good book—it’s just that it was missing that ‘zing’ factor that would have made it excellent.

Deadly Echoes is the second book in the Finding Sanctuary series, following Gathering Shadows. The two books have the same setting and share some minor characters, but Deadly Echoes is a stand-alone novel.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. To find out more about Nancy Mehl, visit her website. Nancy is also a member of the Suspense Sisters.

Giveaway

Bethany House Publishers are offering a giveaway with prizes for two lucky US readers. You can see the prizes in the picture to the left. To enter the giveway, click here or visit https://promosimple.com/ps/68c6.

Review: Intensive Care by Nicki Edwards

Enjoyable Australian Rural Romance

Kate Kennedy has the perfect life: great job as an ICU nurse, trendy inner-city flat and the perfect boyfriend—until the day she finds he isn’t. She leaves Sydney and gets a job in the rural town of Birrangulla, where she meets Joel O’Connor, the handsome coffee shop owner with the cute Irish accent. But she finds it hard to be accepted in her new job at the hospital, and she finds life lonely without any friends.

A large part of Intensive Care is, as the name suggests, set in the Intensive Care Units where Kate works, and there is a fair bit of medical jargon. This never overwhelms the story (and never hit my “too much information” button with the depth of description. I wouldn’t call myself squeemish, but there are good reasons why I never entered the medical professions).

I found the beginning a bit slow--Kate doesn’t arrive in Birrangulla until around a quarter of the way through, and that’s when the pace starts to pick up. It’s not specifically Christian fiction, but is definitely written from a Christian world view, with an overriding theme of forgiveness, even though it’s obvious that neither Kate nor Joel are Christians.

However, this gives Nicki Edwards the freedom to touch on issues that aren’t often addressed in Christian fiction: alcoholism and abortion. She manages to address each of these issues from a Christian perspective while focusing on the feelings and actions of the protagonists, not by getting ‘preachy’ (as often happens in fiction aimed exclusively at the Christian market).

I will admit to moments of frustration while reading Intensive Care. Why won’t Kate talk to Marcus? Is Kate ever going to admit to herself that Joel is more than just a friend? Is Joel ever going to make a move on her? But this is a romance, and it wouldn’t be a romance without plenty of conflict and tension. Never fear: everything ends as it should, and the ending was definitely worth waiting for.
Intensive Care is the first novel from Nicki Edwards. I thoroughly enjoyed Intensive Care, and recommend it for those who enjoy contemporary romance with a touch of humour.

Thanks to Nicki Edwards and Momentum Books for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Nicki Edwards at her website.

This book counts towards my 2015 Reading Challenge as a book by an author I've never read before. 

Review: Winning Over the Heiress by Narelle Atkins

Fun Yet Thought-Provoking

Yes, the title is a little cliché, but that’s what we expect from Heartsong Presents (where references to billionaires and heiresses are almost obligatory). However, the plot is a welcome turnup on the more typical cliché of the pretty female falling for her rich male boss.

Julia Radcliffe has taken a temporary job as church secretary while the current secretary is on maternity leave. It’s a change from her previous roles, but she’s enjoying the challenge—except for the website work. The church hires an IT person, who turns out to be Sean Mitchell, the bad boy brother of her best friend’s husband. Julia soon finds Sean has changed and developed a faith in God, although he’s still as attractive as the last time they met.

Sean has the same trouble with Julia as he does with his parents: they don’t believe he’s changed, and they don’t believe he’s good enough. It’s a good reminder to see that while on one hand none of us are “good enough” for God, He loves and forgives us regardless. It’s a lesson Sean and Julia each have to learn, in their own different ways.

Winning Over the Heiress is a sequel to Her Tycoon Hero (Ryan and Cassie’s story), but can easily be read as a standalone novel. It’s an enjoyable way to spend a summer afternoon, with an almost-perfect combination of romance and Christian truth.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Narelle Atkins at her website.