With Endless Sight

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I just finished reading Allison Pittman's latest, With Endless Sight. It takes place around the time of the Civil War. Main character Belinda, the voice of the novel, and her family are setting out on an adventure to the West. When tragedy strikes, Belinda is forced to rely on her faith to get her through the many challenges that are thrown at her.

From the minute I started this book I was hooked. The characters were engaging and interesting, and the plot had multiple twists and turns. Allison does a great job of helping you see beyond the surface of her characters, and even the darkest character has a light.

My one qualm was the end of this book. It seemed a bit abrupt and unfinished to me. I'm not sure if another book is in the works (this is the third in a series) but I left with more questions than answers and I needed more resolution.

I am looking forward to more of Allison's books, and this is definitely worth the read. Overall it's a nice balance between the suspense of a fiction bestseller and the faith of a Christian novel. See for yourself.

To purchase the book at Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1601420129

Allison Pittman is the award-winning author of Ten Thousand Charms and Speak Through the Wind. Before her recent success in fiction writing, Allison spent seventeen years teaching high school English. Now a full-time writer, Allison serves as the director of her church’s Theater Arts Group ministry. She lives in Texas with her husband, Mike, and their sons.

A Fatal Deduction

This week, I took a trip with a new author (at least to me) Gayle Roper. Her latest, Fatal Deduction, is due to come out any day, and I must say it's worth the read.

It started a bit slow for me....and used a lot of big words. As a writer, I love a big word, but as a reader, sometimes I question the use. Anyway, once I got into the book and the main characters, I found myself attracted to their humanity, identifying with the emotions they experienced.

The story is mainly told through the eyes of Libby, and identical twin who finds herself living with her insecure twin. A crime is committed right at their front door, and exposes them to a world of gambling and violence. At the end of the experience, with the murderer behind bars, Libby finds herself no closer to her twin, but she has learned to love her sister despite her flaws, in a way that would honor Jesus.

While a bit slow, and sometimes a bit too narrative-y (if that's word), Roper tells an original story with characters you want to meet. I would have liked to have spent more time with some of the supporting cast, but didn't leave the journey unsatisfied.