Lonestar Secrets

by Colleen Coble

Lonestar Secrets is the story of a single mother who moves back to the hometown she swore she'd left behind forever. The book incorporates mystery, suspense, and romance as Shannon Astor finds a way to make a new life for herself and her family against unlikely obstacles.

The elements in this story were interwoven successfully, although the plot was not very realistic. I enjoyed the dilemma centered around Shannon's twins. However, I think that could have made up the bulk of the plot line instead of being solved so easily. I was bothered that she was so hung up on Jack's supposed betrayal. I was expecting a huge scandal or an accidental murder and was met with a very silly and immature act which should have been left in High School.

Coble has an easy way of writing, but does give in to some cliches when developing the romance. She took a lot of random things and made them into a huge, interlinking conspiracy of sorts and there were a few details, like Mary-Beth's involvement with a certain man of note in Shannon's small community, that were a little too perfectly lined up.

The characters all seemed to be very uninteresting without the extraordinary events. That being said, Shannon's sass and confidence were very appealing in a heroine, especially one that let the reader glimpse some vulnerability behind her very genuine strength. Jack was also a likable, if predictable, character.

Overall, this book was an easy and enjoyable read, if not taken too seriously.

What's He Really Thinking?

How to be a Relational Genius with the Man in Your Life
by Paula Rinehart

What's He Really Thinking? is a "field guide" into the minds of men. The book offers advice on understanding men by understanding yourself and the differences between men and women. The book delves into the relationships between men and women and the elements that contribute to healthy interaction and better communication.

Initially, when reading through a sample chapter on the Thomas Nelson Publishing site, I thought this book showed real promise. Rinehart's writing was not over complicated and it appeared to be the beginning of a wonderfully insightful guide into the male psyche. That being said, I was disappointed with this book. It was only 160 pages, but less than halfway through I found I was looking forward to the end.

The title of this book is promising, but somewhat misleading. Rinehart has some great ideas about what women should be doing, but never actually gets down to HOW to do these things. I felt that the juxtaposition of her professional insight, scientific explanations, and religion did not work well. The flow of the book began to dissipate shortly after the first chapter and the organization of the book seemed jumbled, perhaps because the author kept throwing in scripture and lessons on relationships with God. Also, I thought the way she discussed sex and intimacy was a little tacky and very unorganized. This book reminded me a lot of something from Laura Schlessinger, but a very poor imitation.

What's He Really Thinking? is lacking, but not completely deficient. There were some excellent personal accounts and points that made me sit up a little straighter in my chair, jabbing me in the stomach, saying "You knew that all along and now there it is in black and white." One quote in particular struck me like a slap in the face:

"If we hitch our sense of feeling good onto the coattails of someone else- especially a man- then, generally speaking, we'll feel anything but good. The weight of carrying someone else's emotional life can pull any relationship down."

My overall impression: Not necessarily a waste of time, but a second time through would be.

The I Believe Bunny

by Tish Rabe

Recently I signed up to be a Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger. My first read was The I Believe Bunny, a beautifully illustrated children's book.

The I Believe Bunny is the story of a bunny that is feeling a little down during a rainy, gray day. He hears a cry for help and finds a small mouse stuck in the river. He tries desperately to help her and prays to God that he can help the little mouse. Suddenly, his friends arrive to help him save the mouse and the bunny learns a valuable lesson, summed up by the last page:

You CAN make a difference, even a bunny...your size.

I am usually wary when I read something that is classified as Christian Literature, only because, while lovely and mostly congruent with my beliefs, there are sometimes phrases that are used that I would not choose to teach my daughter. This book, however, was more non-denominational Christian and the principles were general and basic. The focus was on prayer and asking for help, two things, the importance of which I would like to impart to my daughter.

The rhythm Rabe uses is lively and effortlessly fun to read aloud, unlike, for example,Dr. Seuss which becomes quite tiring for the tongue. The illustrations by Frank Endersby are colorful and charming. The story captivated my daughter and that in itself made me enjoy it even more.