Tea & Read: Kiss

Title: Kiss
Author(s): Ted Dekker and Erin Healy
Rating: One Cup of Tea

Even though I didn't give this book the highest rating, this rating is meaningful coming from me. I've been mad at Ted Dekker since House. I own Skin, Showdown and Sinner, but I was afraid to read them. I was afraid that they would exacerbate my love-hate relationship with Ted.

I loved Blink (or Blink of an Eye as it's called now) and I liked Three, although it left me with some questions (I guess crazy people need love too, but I wouldn't have be trying to see Kevin again.) But House and the Black, Red and White trillogy left me scratching my head.

I gave Kiss a chance for two reasons. First, it was at the library. When you are mad at an author, you're a little reluctant to buy another book from them. My second reason was Erin Healy. No, I didn't know who she was, but I was hoping she could remedy some of the issues I have with Ted Dekker's writing.

Kiss turned out to be better than I expected. One complaint I have with Ted Dekker is some of his writing can be very cerebral. Meaning, sometimes I get confused about what's actually happening in a scene (or in a whole book in the case of House). But the collaboration paid off. The books is Ted Dekker with a woman's touch.

The story is gripping enough. A woman who's lost six months of her memory. The suspense is good and the characters are credible, even though I thought her relationship with her father was a bit extreme for the ending. Don't worry. I won't spoil it.

My favorite scene was when Shauna runs into someone from her past. She's attracted to him, but she doesn't remember why. The romantic tension is really high.

Since I'm not so mad at Ted Dekker anymore, maybe I'll go ahead and read Skin, Showdown and Sinner now.

Tea & Read: By Reason of Insanity

Title: By Reason of Insanity
Author: Randy Singer
Rating: Spend the Day Sleepy

Ok, I'm slow. I kept seeing this book in my local Family Christian and something about it kept drawing me to it. I put it on my list of books to buy and one day while I was in the library, it was sitting on the shelf. So I checked it out.

So why do I say I'm slow? I read the whole book, which I loved before I realized that Randy Singer wrote another book I own and loved: The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney. My husband and I both loved that book and have reommended it to several people we know.

Anyways, By Reason of Insanity definitely gets a spend the day sleepy. Well written as usual, but the subject matter was very gritty. I'm in the process of broadening my subject matter reading, but still I wouldn't have dreamed that I would enjoy a book about jail so much.

Also, as in Cross Examination, the inspirational elements flow in the plot. And the plot delivers all the twists and turns you'd expect from a good legal thriller. Also, the theme of the book, justice, wasn't covered with kid gloves. It showed that justice isn't automatic, even though it should be. And it showed how things can go very bad in our legal system.

This was a great book. Maybe next time I'll remember that I love Randy Singer.

Tea & Read: The Renewal

Title: The Renewal Midlands Building
Author: Terri Kraus
Rating: Spend the Day Sleepy

This is a wonderful book. The plot was moving and the character were heartwarming. I found myself rooting for them at their biggest points of struggle.

But I had an odd experience with this book. I normally gripe about books that have forced conversions. My complaint was "if I wanted to have a spiritual moment, I'd read my Bible." Most of the time, I read books for escapism or entertainment. I'm not looking to learn spiritual lessons from a fiction book.

But this book touched me in a way that only one other book has, that being Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I have suffered loss and every writer knows about starting over after failing (and if you don't, give it a few more rejections, you'll find out.) I felt spiritually refreshed after reading this book because it was full of hope.

The realism in this book was superb. Meaning, these were real people with real problems. It wasn't about unrealistic unforgiveness or a hangnail. I am so appreciative of Kraus because she tackled the tough stuff and made it enjoyable to read.

She also scores high marks for subtle biblical themes. She shows characters applying the Word to their situations and gives a picture of how God gradually works in us, not this contrived One-Scripture-Fixes-All occurrence in Christian fiction.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of her books.