If You Like Beverly Lewis' Novels, You May Also Like...

Author Beverly Lewis, who sets her contemporary evangelical Christian family stories among Amish communities in Pennsylvania and Ohio, attracts readers with authentic details and fascinating insights into the Amish people and their beliefs, including the issues surrounding their lifestyle and faith. (NoveList) 

If you haven't enjoyed one of Lewis' novels yet, start with The Parting:

As her family breaks away from their church district, Nellie is torn between her family and her beloved Caleb, who is staunch in his Old Order beliefs, but if Nellie does not soon respond to Caleb's betrothal offer, she surely lose him to the deacon's daughter. (Publisher Summary)

Fans of Beverly Lewis' writing may also enjoy the following books:

The Chance by Karen Kingsbury

Vowing to meet eleven years after sealing letters they wrote to each other in an old metal box, best friends Ellie and Nolan both have reservations about seeing each other again as loneliness, personal tragedies, and a lack of faith haunt both of them. (Publisher Summary)

Uncharted: Expect the Unexpected by Angela Hunt

Six friends agree to build a Christian school overseas, and when a shipwreck leaves them trapped on an island, their inner sins are on display, showing them that being a "good person" outwardly often hides an impure interior. (Publisher Summary)

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Bestselling author Francine Rivers skillfully retells the biblical love story of Gomer and Hosea in a tale set against the exciting backdrop of the California Gold Rush. (Publisher Summary)

Hawk and the Jewel by Lori Wick
The first in the newly repackaged Kensington Chronicles series, The Hawk and the Jewel sweeps readers from the tapestried halls of Victorian England to the alabaster courts of Arabia. (Publisher Summary)

Book Review: What is Visible by Kimberly Elkins

What is Visible by Kimberly Elkins presents a fictionalized account of the life and challenges of Laura Bridgman, a deaf and blind woman who learned language 50 years before Helen Keller, and those who helped her including the founder of the Perkins Institute, with whom she was in love, and her beloved teacher.

"What Is Visible marries historical research with lyrical and sometimes starkly honest writing, creating an intriguing novel about an educational experiment that touches issues of gender, philosophy, religion and history. Elkins may occasionally venture into undocumented areas, such as Laura’s sexuality, but her choices are informed and have emotional depth and resonance. What Is Visible is a convincing portrayal of a uniquely interior world and the deeply human need to feel and connect, despite the body’s limitations." (BookPage Reviews)

New to The New York Times Best Sellers 9/21/14

Seven titles made their debut on The New York Times Best Sellers: Hardcover Fiction list this weekend 9/21/14, six of them are the next installments in on-going, popular series. (To place a hold on any book, click it's book cover. For more information about each book, scroll down.)

Personal by Lee Child: (Mystery/Suspense)

Jack Reacher finds himself working for the State Department and the CIA to track down the American sniper who took a shot at the president of France and is possibly targeting the G-8 summit packed with world leaders. (Book 19 in the Jack Reacher Series; start with The Killing Floor)

Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon: (Christian Fiction)

While Father Tim Kavanagh struggles with ambivalence about returning to the pulpit in Mitford, his adopted son, Dooley, falls passionately in love with an aspiring veterinarian against the backdrop of a mayoral reelection campaign and the opening of a new cafe. (Book 10 in the Mitford Years series; start with At Home in Mitford)

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell: (Science Fiction)

Interweaves six narratives spanning the period between 1984 and the 2030s to chronicle a secret war between a cult of soul-decanters and a small group of vigilantes who would take them down.

The Secret Place by Tana French: (Mystery)

Investigating a photograph of a boy whose murder was never solved, aspiring Murder Squad member Stephen Moran partners with detective Antoinette Conway to search for answers in the cliques and rivalries at a Dublin boarding school. (Book 5 in the Dublin Murder Squad mysteries; start with In the Woods)

The Eye of Heaven by Clive Cussler and Russell Blake: (Adventure/Suspense)

Discovering an artifact-filled, perfectly preserved Viking ship in the ice during an Arctic expedition, Sami and Remi Fargo investigate a legend about a fabled Toltec object, only to be targeted by treasure hunters and crime cartels. (Book 6 in the Fargo Adventure series; start with Spartan Gold)

Dark Blood by Christine Feehan: (Paranormal Romance)

An elite werewolf killer, Zev Hunter, begins to question both his past and his purpose after he is nursed back to consciousness by a member of the Dragonseeker clan. (Book 26 in the Dark series; start with Dark Prince)

Son of No One by Sherrilyn Kenyon: (Paranormal Romance)

Skeptic photographer Josette reluctantly takes employment with a paranormal group before being drawn to condemned immortal Cadegan, whose inner demon is determined to consume Josette's soul. (Book 24 in the Dark-Hunter series; start with Fantasy Lover)

Wedding By Design Series

Looking for breezy, fun-filled romance? Try the new Wedding by Design series by Janice Thompson:

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

• Picture Perfect - (Book 1, 2013) Wedding photographer Hannah McDermott tries to impress Bella Neeley, Galveston Island's most sought-after wedding planner, so she can take the top spot in Bella's list of recommended photographers, but what Hannah doesn't count on is falling for the competition, Drew Kincaid.
• The Icing on the Cake - (Book 2, 2013) Scarlet Lindsey is making a name for herself as the best wedding cake designer in Texas, but will a handsome guy with designs of his own derail her dreams?
• The Dream Dress - (Book 3, 2014) A seamstress at a swanky bridal boutique in Texas, Gabi Delgado's dreams include becoming a wedding dress designer and meeting the man of her dreams, but the problem is, her prospects are slim in both places, until she meets Jordan Spencer, the editor of Texas Bride magazine.

Legal Historical Fiction

The Advocate by Randy Singer: At the trial of Christ, Theophilus, brilliant young assessore raised in the Roman aristocracy, stands behind Pontius Pilate and whispers, “Offer to release Barabbas.” The strategy backfires, and Theophilus never forgets the sight of an innocent man unjustly suffering the worst of all possible deaths, Roman crucifixion. Three decades later, Theophilus has proven himself in the legal ranks of the Roman Empire. Now he must face another evil Caesar, defending the man Paul in Neros deranged court. Can Theophilus mount a defense that will keep another innocent man from execution?

"Veteran lawyer-author Singer (The Last Plea Bargain) uses the idea advanced elsewhere that the Bible books Luke and Acts were written as legal briefs to defend the Apostle Paul against the Roman emperor Nero. . .Cross James Michener's great historical fiction with a John Grisham legal thriller, and you've got this epic classic." (Publishers Weekly Reviews)

Summer Love

Check out these new romances available at the library:

The Secrets of a Scoundrel by Gaelyn Foley:
Nick, Lord Forrester, has a reputation that is legendary. But when his rule-breaking ways land him in a Scottish dungeon, he's left there to rot, until a mysterious lady offers him a way out. All he must do is risk his neck on the mission she proposes—and obey her every command.  Virginia, Lady Burke, is well aware that the powerful ex-spy will try to take command of their quest, but it's her job to keep him under control. Yet how can she keep this untamable scoundrel under her thumb when all she really wants is to unleash the smoldering passion between them? (An Inferno Club novel)

A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert:
As a model of ten years, Ivy Clark has learned a hard truth about the fashion industry—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 back home to be the new face of her stepmother’s bridal wear line. If only her future didn’t rest in the hands of photographer Davis Knight, who somehow sees through the façade Ivy works so hard to maintain. He, along with a cast of other characters, challenges everything Ivy has come to believe about beauty and worth.

Emma, Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs by Mary Jane Hathaway:
A new and comical contemporary take on the perennial Jane Austen classic, Emma! The sudden death of her father brings Caroline Ashley back to home to care for her mentally fragile mother and their aging estate. The only respite from the eternal rotation of bridge club and garden parties is her longtime friend, Brooks Elliott. Caroline is the only bright spot in the emotional wreckage of Brooks' family life and he is perfectly happy keeping Caroline as just a friend . . .until a handsome newcomer wins her heart. Brooks discovers Caroline is much more than a friend, and always has been, but is it too late to win her back?

Book Review: The Three by Sarah Lotz

In this enthralling and creepy novel by South African author, Sarah Lotz, four passenger airplanes go down on the same day, almost at the same time, on different continents. Three children (who were all flying on separate planes) survive, as well as a woman who only lives long enough to record a message on her phone that warns its listeners to "watch the dead people." The three surviving children are coined The Three by the media and it become apparent that although they survived, they are not the same people that they used to be. Theories about The Three run rampant, including that they may be a sign that the apocalypse is imminent. 

"Lotz has honed her writing skills as a screenwriter and YA author, and here she spins a tail of disaster and fanaticism that is both entertaining and scarily realistic. The Three is the real deal: gripping, unpredictable and utterly satisfying." (Book Page Reviews)

New Christian Fiction Titles

Here are a few new Christian Fiction titles that can be found at the library:

Born of Persuasion by Jessica Dotta: It is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston is orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers or husbands. A titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society and a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are a part of society, and Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets of the past on her own, but sometimes knowledge is deadly.

The Miner's Lady by Tracie Peterson:  When Chantel Panetta's younger sister falls in love with Orlando Calarco, Chantel knows there is no hope. The Panettas and Calarcos have been sworn enemies for decades.Unable to resist Isabella's pleas, Chantel agrees to help her sister which leads to a romance of her own with Orlando's older brother. This third book in the series Land of Shining Water finds star-crossed lovers trying to overcome family hatred and misunderstandings.

All for a Story by Allison Pittman: Monica Bisbaine loves being a modern girl in the Roaring Twenties. Her job as a gossip writer takes her to the best speakeasies in Washington, DC, where she can dance the night away—and find fodder for her next column. That is until new owner Max Moore takes over the tabloid newspaper and plans to revamp the newspaper with positive, uplifting stories. Monica is willing to give Max’s ideas a try. But she’s not prepared for the way Max’s challenges—and his uncomplicated faith—threaten to unravel the very fabric of her life.

Stones for Bread

Stones for Bread by Christa Parrish: Liesl McNamara’s life can be described in one word: bread. From her earliest memory, her mother and grandmother passed down the mystery of baking and the importance of this deceptively simple food. And now, as the owner of Wild Rise bake house, Liesl spends every day up to her elbows in dough, nourishing and perfecting her craft.

But the simple life she has cultivated is becoming quite complicated and when Wild Rise is featured on television and long-hidden family secrets are revealed, her quiet existence appears a thing of the past. With her precious heritage crumbling around her, Liesl must make a choice: allow herself to be buried in detachment and remorse, or take a leap of faith into a new life.

"In Parrish's (The Air We Breathe, 2012) beautifully written novel, the vitality of close relationships is powerfully depicted in Liesl's struggle to let go of her past and embrace the future right in front of her. Readers will definitely relate to her struggle of faith and confidence." (Booklist Reviews)