A Broken Kind of Beautiful: A Novel by Katie Ganshert

Book Description:
Sometimes everything you ever learned about yourself is wrong

Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four year old model Ivy Clark. Ten years in and she’s learned a sacred truth—appearance is everything. Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows—so when it starts to unravel, she’ll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother’s bridal wear line—an irony too rich for words, since Ivy is far from the pure bride in white. 

If only her tenuous future didn’t rest in the hands of Davis Knight, her mysterious new photographer. Not only did he walk away from the kind of success Ivy longs for to work maintenance at a local church, he treats her differently than any man ever has. Somehow, Davis sees through the façade she works so hard to maintain. He, along with a cast of other characters, challenges everything Ivy has come to believe about beauty and worth. Is it possible that God sees her—a woman stained and broken by the world—yet wants her still?

_____________________________________________________

A compelling tale, with grit, heart and a message for us all. Ganshert's characters are real and honest and broken. And who doesn't love a good story where the broken are lifted up and made new - I know I do!  The romance is sweet but even greater is the BIG LOVE STORY woven throughout! This is the first of Katie Ganshert's novels that I have read, but I look forward to reading more!

Love's Fortune: A Novel (The Ballantyne Legacy, Book 3) by Laura Frantz

    Picking up one of Laura Frantz's novels, is like stepping into another time and place. You become immersed in the beauty of her writing, the depth of her characters and their dialogue and you are completely swept away into the story setting itself. Frantz has yet to write a novel, that I have not thoroughly enjoyed! This, her latest release, is no different. I was completely enraptured with the story and found my heart pulled, my mind captive and myself dreading its' completion. 

Frantz pens characters that hold your heart and breathe as they tread through life and difficult choices. Her characters have depth, passion and ring true. I love seeing the build up of relationships, the complexity, and the tender moments that touch us all. I also love seeing characters evolve and/or hold true to what is unique or good in themselves. In this novel, I was even more blessed, as we had not only two main characters but also two very large secondary characters' stories playing out through the pages. It was exciting all the way until the very end, to say the least. 

I am not one to give spoilers, so I am not quiet sure what else to say... Except, dive into this novel and find yourself captivated and delighted within its' pages! A fantastic read and well worth every moment!

Raptor 6 (The Quiet Professionals, Book 1) by Ronie Kendig

Book Description:
Captain Dean Watters keeps his mission and his team in the forefront of his laser-like focus. So when these two things are threatened by hackers, Dean’s Special Forces training kicks into high gear. Failing to stop the hackers from stealing national security secrets from the military’s secure computers and networks isn’t an option. Zahrah Zarrick is a missionary teacher to Afghan children in Mazar-e Sharif. And a target. When Zahrah is captured because of her expertise in quantum cryptology, endangering the US national security, Dean is forced to crack the lockbox around his heart—a move that might come at the highest cost.

_________________________________________________________

I really enjoyed this novel! I have yet to read a novel by Kendig that I haven't enjoyed. I wish I could have breezed through this one uninterrupted but life has gotten very busy for me lately and sadly I had to read it in snatches. Still I had no trouble getting back into the story. I do remember however, that the first few chapters just felt like you were thrown into the middle of something with not enough information. But after that the flow and cohesion were good.

This story had well written, strong lead characters. That I really hope we will see more of their story played out in the course of the next book or the series. Otherwise, I think I will be a little disappointed. Still overall, well done, engrossing read. Kendig handled tough situations well, giving enough information but not too much when needed. I look forward to book 2 in this series!

Operation Zulu Redemption (5-part Serial Novel) by Ronie Kendig

Description:

The Explosive Brand-new 5-part Serial Novel!  

They never should’ve existed.  Now they don’t.  In the aftermath of their first highly successful op, the first all-female special ops team, known as Zulu, discovered that innocent civilians—women and children—died at their hands. Zulu was set up to take the devastating fall.  Fearing for their lives, the Zulu team vanished. With new identities and spread across the globe, they live in relative but isolated peace—yet still haunted by the past. Terrified of being discovered.   Five years after that horrific night, they’ve begun to hope they might be safe and the tragedy forgotten.  Until two of them are murdered.

Start the mission with Operation Zulu Redemption: Overkill--The Beginning.  This FREE episode drops you into the rapid-fire action where the women of Zulu are trying to figure out who is targeting them.   Who really set Zulu up to take the fall years ago?  Are they one and the same? Now the remaining members of Zulu have no choice but to regroup and stop their enemy--before it's too late. And Overkill is just the beginning...   

Start the mission with Operation Zulu Redemption: The Beginning and don't miss any of these extended 200 page episodes....
Available Now -- Operation Zulu Redemption: Collateral Damage -- Part 1
Available Now -- Operation Zulu Redemption: Out of Nowhere -- Part 2
Available Now -- Operation Zulu Redemption: Hazardous Duty -- Part 3
August 8 -- Operation Zulu Redemption: Act of Treason -- Part 4

Ronie Kendig will leave you needing the next!

__________________________________________

Instead of doing a post on each individual serial novel, I am doing one on the whole series. While I do not want to give anything away, I do want to add my two bits. First of all, I thoroughly enjoyed this series! However, if you are a fast reader, and go through books quickly you may want to read these back to back, like one very large novel. Which fortunately for you, you can now do as they are all available! For me having to wait a week for each one to come out, while reading other books in between made it hard to keep the story fresh in my mind. I found I got more out of the ones I waited to read with another immediately following it. 

If you are a Kendig fan, you will find her trademark writing throughout. Well written characters, suspense, action, mystery and a dash of romance and faith round out her novels well. I have to admit that she kept me in particular suspense in regard to how a couple of the love interest stories would work out. Now for me, things didn't exactly end the way I wanted with one of them. But hey, that may just be me, and it didn't take away from the story. Also, for me the ending while very good, was a little too rushed. I felt there were a few loose ends I would have liked to see wrapped up and wished the story would have had a few more chapters doing this. 

All in all, I found this to be a very entertaining read!

Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption by Katie J. Davis

Book Descrpition:

What would cause an eighteen-year-old old senior class president and homecoming queen from Nashville, Tennessee, to disappoint her parents by forgoing college, break her little brother’s heart, lose all but a handful of her friends (because the rest of them think she has gone off the deep end), and break up with the love of her life, all so she could move to Uganda, where she knew only one person but didn’t know any of the language? A passion to make a difference. Katie Davis left over Christmas break her senior year for a short mission trip to Uganda and her life was turned completely inside out. She found herself so moved by the people and children of Uganda that she knew her calling was to return and care for them. She has given up a relatively comfortable life—at a young age—to care for the less fortunate of this world. She was so moved by the need she witnessed, she's centered her life around meeting that need. Katie, a charismatic and articulate young woman, is in the process of adopting 13 children in Uganda, and she completely trusts God for daily provision for her and her family. 

Despite the rough conditions in which Katie lives, she has found a life of service to God to be one of great joy. Katie's children bring constant delight and help her help others by welcoming whoever comes to their door. As the challenges grow, so does Katie's faith and her certainty that what she's doing in Uganda, one person at a time, will have far-reaching rewards. It isn't the life she planned, but it is the life she loves.

To further her reach into the needs of Ugandans, Katie established Amazima Ministries. The ministry matches orphaned children with sponors worldwide. Each sponsor's $300/year provides schooling, school supplies, three hot meals a day, minor medical care, and spiritual encouragement. Katie expected to have forty children in the program; she had signed up 150 by January 2008; today it sponsors over 400. Another aspect of the ministry is a feeding program created for the displaced Karamojong people—Uganda's poorest citizens. The program feeds lunch to over 1200 children Monday-Friday and sends them home with a plate of food; it also offers basic medical care, Bible study, and general health training.

Katie Davis, now 22, is more than fascinating, she's inspiring, as she has wholeheartedly answered the call to serve. 

_________________________________________

Inspiring, gripping and heart felt! Katie Davis didn't set out to be a missionary, a person bringing change and hope, an example... She just loved Jesus and she followed where He led her. She pursued His love and the love He gave her for this place and the people there. Home is where the heart is and Katie's home is wherever Jesus would call her to be and right now that is in Uganda. 

I found this story to be not only well written, with an easy, conversational style flow, but also very encouraging and inspiring. Inspired to do what God calls me to do, and to know that yes, even just one thing, one person, can have a huge impact. Not just here on earth but for eternity. No, we don't all need to pack our bags and move. Some of us may, but for many, God is calling us to love the people He has placed in our lives and areas. To reach out and seize the opportunities He brings our way. To live and love, beyond ourselves. To live and love, filled with His love and strength at work in us. To share.

There are some critics out there, but when are there not?! The main thing isn't about pleasing people but pleasing God. And that is what Katie Davis is living to do. She's didn't set out to do some awesome thing, she just followed God. Where He leads her she goes and she obeys. I thank God for her and others like her who are out there being the hands and feet of Jesus. Not just serving, but showing and sharing the love of God, and telling them about Jesus; not just in words but in actions too. If your hearts not in it, if there isn't love, as 1 Corinthians 13 tells us, it's all empty.

Again, this book is to inspire not tell you how to do ministry but to follow God where He leads you and to be obedient. I love how she shares her heart and how God captured it so completely, giving her a passion and love not only for Him but for this place and its people - for these children. She is honest, refreshingly so. Life is hard but God is good. He is faithful. Let us rejoice!

Dead Reckoning by Ronie Kendig

Book Description:
Dead Reckoning is the story of a young woman anxious to abandon the crushing effects of her father’s espionage career only to find herself tangled in the very web of mystery and intrigue that consumed his life. Underwater archeologist Shiloh Blake is consumed with passion for the water and inflamed at the injustices of life, blaming her secret agent father for her mother's death. When her first large-scale dig traps her in the middle of an international nuclear arms clash, she flees for her life and is followed by an unknown man. Who is he? How is he always one step ahead? Reece Jaxon is a former Navy SEAL, who now serves his country as a spy. His mission is threatened by the beguiling Shiloh Blake as he hunts down the sources to a nuclear dead drop in the Arabian Sea. The only way to end this nightmare and prevent a nuclear meltdown is for Shiloh to join forces with Reece. Will Shiloh violate her vow to never become a spy like her father?  Will she reconcile with her father? Will her trust issues destroy her chance for love? And will she allow God to help her through this ordeal?

________________________________________

Kendig's debut novel blew me away! This is no light weight story, and I for one was glad. Even at the end I still did not want to part with this novel and its' characters. Dead Reckoning will draw you in and have you speeding through the pages. In fact reading this novel is like watching an action, suspense, romance movie.

Thrilling story, engaging characters - all the way around, a well written novel. Kendig knows how to balanced a story. One in which you don't feel as if you are reading about people, as much as you feel you are in the story. She knows how to gear up the suspense, when to add the romance and how to write characters & emotions that seem real and fleshed out. In fact, Kendig has yet to write a novel that I can't say this about - She has found a fan in me!

Captured by Love by Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund has yet to write a novel that I haven't loved! She did not disappoint with her newest novel, crafting once again not only a well told story but one rich in history, depth, characters and emotions! From the beginning she captured my attention and held it steadily throughout the novel. Even when I had to put the book down, it still lingered on my mind and I could not wait to return to its' pages. 

Hedlund has a way of bringing History to life in her novels, she not only makes it interesting but engages your mind and emotions as you journey through a place and time period. Learning about Michilimackinac Island and the people held there during this time of unrest was fascinating. Her characters seem to live and breath, and garner a place in your heart. I so enjoyed Pierre and Angelique's story. Their struggles, failings, hopes, and desire to do what is right, all pull at you. They are characters you love and root for. Characters who manage to help you see yourself and examine truths, all the while being completely captivated by their story, as you hungrily devour the pages to see what will become of them! All I can say is that this novel is SO good, a definite keeper!