Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Edgy Fiction

Today's Topic for Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays:

(Yes, I know this is Monday...)

Christian fiction is generally known for being clean and non-offensive, but lately there's been a lot of chatter about edgy Christian fiction and the need for Christian fiction to be more realistic. Christian fiction has certainly changed and contains a lot more edge than it used to. This makes some readers uncomfortable and I was wondering what you line is? What would push the envelope too far for a Christian fiction novel for you? Language? Sex? Violence? Main characters who never believe in Jesus? If you came across something that offended you in a Christian fiction book, how would you handle it?

I really like edgy Christian fiction. I like when a storyline feels real and deals with issues that real people could face. And real people face hard/tempting situations in this world; they're not sheltered just because they're Christians. The difference is in how they handle it. I love suspense and I love romance, and for a suspense novel to be good it has got to be edgy.

All that said, I do NOT care for foul language and sex scenes. That is what I avoid in general market books and a lot of why I like Christian fiction - I don't have to weed through that stuff. I have read some Christian fiction that had mild language and if it's sporadic that's ok, but I've read one book that had it heavily throughout the book and that was a little too much for me. But I don't like unrealistic comments from characters...something no one would really say in replacement of a curse word.

I also feel that the intimate scenes are plenty edgy in Christian fiction and do not need to get any more explicit. I like it when they are descriptive but tasteful; I don't like it when they are boring and prude. I don't mind some violence but not really graphic, gory violence.

As far as if the main character doesn't believe in Jesus, I don't really keep a "tally sheet" for that. I guess it just depends on the story and how it's done. It's not a deal breaker for me as long as the seed is there by the end of the book and it looks like it will grow. But then again I like general market books that are not "Christian" but are good, clean stories.

If I did come across something offensive in Christian fiction, I might dismiss it and just keep reading if it's minor. Or I would abandon the book all together if it's highly offensive. I also would have no problem posting it in my review on the blog as well. That is something I would want to know as a reader and would appreciate reading in a review.

Going the other extreme, I definitely do not like cheesy or preachy Christian fiction. It's as much of a turn-off as offensive language, strange as that sounds. And I have abandoned books for that reason, too. If I'm reading and all I can think is "gimme a break!" then I'm too distracted from the story to even enjoy it.

So this is a little late for the Saturday posting, but I'd love to hear what you have to say on this topic!

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Christy Nominees

This week for Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays we're talking book awards! Here's what it says:


Did you know that Christian fiction has their own award? It's called the Christy Award. Here's some information about The Christy Award from the website:

The Christy Award is designed to:

* Nurture and encourage creativity and quality in the writing and publishing of fiction written from a Christian worldview.
* Bring a new awareness of the breadth and depth of fiction choices available, helping to broaden the readership.
* Provide opportunity to recognize novelists whose work may not have reached bestseller status


The 2009 Christy Award Nominees were recently announced. Today's assignment is to look at the list of nominees and share with us whether or not you have read any of them. If you haven't read that particular novel, have you read anything by that author? Have you read all of the books in any category? What are your favorite books on the list? Are there any books you haven't heard of?

And, I'm just throwing this out there, but I think one year there was a Christy challenge. A reading challenge is basically when you choose books off a pre-set list or around a theme to read within a certain time frame. Does anyone know if this is still going on? If it's not, would anyone be interested in joining in on one? I'd be willing to host it. And lastly, I'm working on Faith 'n Fiction Saturday having our own awards for books!


The Christy Nominees:
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren • Tyndale House Publishers
Zora and Nicky: A Novel in Black and White by Claudia Mair Burney • David C. Cook

CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS
Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Summer Snow by Nicole Baart • Tyndale House Publishers
You Had Me at Good-bye by Tracey Bateman • FaithWords

CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE
Dogwood by Chris Fabry • Tyndale House Publishers
Embrace Me by Lisa Samson • Thomas Nelson
Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas • Moody Publishers

FIRST NOVEL
Blue Hole Back Home by Joy Jordan-Lake • David C. Cook
Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler • Bethany House Publishers
Safe at Home by Richard Doster • David C. Cook

HISTORICAL
Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley • B&H Publishing Group
Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin • Bethany House Publishers
Washington’s Lady by Nancy Moser • Bethany House Publishers

HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy • Barbour Publishers
From a Distance by Tamera Alexander • Bethany House Publishers
The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Binnings Ewen • B&H Publishing Group

SUSPENSE
By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer • Tyndale House Publishers
The Rook by Steven James • Revell
Winter Haven by Athol Dickson • Bethany House Publishers

VISIONARY
The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka • Harvest House Publishers
Shade by John B. Olson • B&H Publishing Group
Vanish by Tom Pawlik • Tyndale House Publishers

YOUNG ADULT
The Fruit of My Lipstick by Shelley Adina • FaithWords
I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires by Cathy Gohlke • Moody Publishers
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group


(The blue ones I've read and the red ones are on my shelf waiting to be read.)

Ok, so I haven't read very many of these! But I'm looking forward to reading the ones I have on the shelf.

Finding Stephanie - I was leery about it from the description but once I started reading I loved it and can't wait to read the rest of the series. (Of course it was nice that it was set in Montana!) I've loved everything I've read from Susan May Warren. Terrific author!

Until We Reach Home - Wonderful book and very eye-opening to life back then. Will definitely read more from Lynn Austin.

Calico Canyon - I laughed a lot in this book...especially the last half of it. I really enjoyed it and have been wanting to read the other books in the series. It's the first book I've read from Mary Connealy and I'd love to read more from her.

I've recently gotten into the suspense category and am hooked (as you can tell from my current reads in my sidebar...btw, you've GOT to read Deadlock! Wow!). The Rook and the rest of that series has been on my list and I've heard great things about it. Amy, I also have no idea what "Visionary" means. ??? I've also recently started reading the Young Adult category and have enjoyed several of them so far.

Looking forward to see what everyone else has to say about this list! But I'll have to do it later...got a toddler pulling on my arm right now saying "c'mon!"

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Christian Bookstores

Today's Faith 'n Fiction Saturday Question:

While books and bookstores in general are suffering, Christian bookstores are suffering even more in this economy. Do you have a Christian bookstore that you shop at? Why don't you tell us about your local Christian bookstore and the benefits that if offers. If you don't shop at a Christian bookstore, then please tell us where you get your books, music, and other Christian gift items.

There are two Christian bookstores that I visit regularly. One is in our small town and is a branch from another town. I like browsing through there when I can and seeing what's new and what's on sale. They also have a great kid's section. I like going there because I don't go to town very often and there's not much to do there anyway. So it's nice to go there and soak in the atmosphere and the new-book smell!

The other one is in a larger town nearby (the town with the closest Wal-Mart!). It is called Garden of Readin' and it's bigger than the local store (but still not all that big) and usually has more on sale. They also have a coffee shop and a room for kids to play in while parents shop!

If I'm going to buy new, these are the places I go...to support them and because I want it NOW! :o) Otherwise, if I buy used I either go to the local book exchange store or Amazon. The only thing I don't like about these stores is they don't have enough room to keep books around and if I need an earlier book in a series I have to order it. I hate ordering. But the plus side is they have sales more often to get rid of the old to make room for the new.

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Biblical Fiction

Today for Faith 'n Fiction Saturday...

One of area of Christian fiction that is thriving is Biblical Fiction. Biblical fiction, in case you don't know, is when an author takes a story from the Bible and imagines more of the details. Tosca Lee's Havah would be a recent example of Biblical fiction.

What I want to know today is how you feel about Biblical fiction. Have you ever read any Biblical fiction? Did you enjoy it? Do you think Biblical fiction helps us to understand people who lived during Biblical times better or do you think that it's unnecessary? Have you ever read any Biblical fiction that offended you?

I've only read a few Biblical fiction books but I have enjoyed them. I am fine with them as long as they don't distort the Bible. I did enjoy Havah by Tosca Lee. There is certainly not much information in the Bible about Eve and I thought Tosca did a great job of her "it could have been like this" story telling. I read Biblical fiction knowing full well that it is "fiction" and nothing else. But I also like how it gets me thinking deeper into the Biblical characters and what was going on in their lives and the culture at that time.

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ The Love of God

It's Faith 'n Fiction Saturday! I have kind of been slipping on these, not getting mine in, but here I am today!

Today Faith 'n Fiction Saturday says:

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Since it's the day of love and all, what better time to focus on the Giver of Love? Besides the Bible, have you ever read a book that taught you, reminded you, or encouraged you about God's love for you in a new or deep way? It can be fiction or non-fiction.

Hmmmm...well Amy said Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge and I would definitely agree with that. Off the top of my head I would say as far as fiction I think Sweetwater Gap by Denise Hunter reminds us of God's love. The main character thinks she's not worth much and I think we tend to do that to ourselves but maybe not take as extreme measures (don't want to spoil it for you if you haven't read it!).

For non-fiction I think Believing God by Beth Moore is the first book that really opened my eyes to a deeper relationship with God, and therefore his love.

Edited to add:
Oh! And of course The Shack!! I can't believe I left that one out. I think it's fantastic (as long as you remember it's fiction).

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Fictional Leaders

Today's question for Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays is:

With the presidential inauguration coming up this week, I thought it would be fun to talk about our favorite fictional politicians. Even though we generally talk about books, feel free to expand your answer to include movies and television shows. Why do you like this fictional leader? What qualities do they possess that you wish our real politicians possessed?

On the flip side, who is the worst fictional politician you've read about (or seen on TV) What makes them so bad?

Hmmm, since I haven't read too many fiction political books I'll go with movies. Off the top of my head...I really liked the president from the movie Air Force One (of course who wouldn't like Harrison Ford?) because he didn't cower down and did what it took to save everyone on the plane. I also liked the movie The American President (with Annette Bening and Michael Douglas). I'm not usually a big Michael Douglas fan but I liked how it showed the president as a human being...and with integrity.

I did not like the Vice President (don't remember his name) in the movie The Day After Tomorrow because he was pigheaded and wouldn't listen. He could have saved a lot of lives if he wasn't so full of himself and would actually listen to potential danger.

I'm sure I'll think of others later but these were off the top of my head. Go over to My Friend Amy's to see what other's are saying!

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ 2009

Today's question for Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays is:

There are a lot of great new books being published in 2009! But which ones are you the most excited about? Please pick some Christian fiction books you are excited to read this year and tell us all about them! But just to give this a little twist...be sure to visit everyone else's posts and find some books you might be interested in reading as well that are different from your picks! It will come in handy for a fun bonus question next week!

Of the books that I know coming out, I am looking forward to:

A Cry in the Night by Colleen Coble

This Side of Heaven by Karen Kingsbury

Gingham Mountain by Mary Connealy

Try Fear by James Scott Bell

Passion of Mary Margret by Lisa Samson

BoneMan's Daughters by Ted Dekker

Nothing But Trouble by Susan May Warren

Love's Pursuit by Siri Mitchell

Exposure by Brandilyn Collins

The Brides of Gallatin County books 2 & 3 by Tracie Peterson

The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey

I'm sure there are tons more but I haven't dug in too deep to find what's coming. Anyone know of any lists out there??

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else has on their lists (so my list can get even longer!!). Go on over to My Friend Amy's to check it out and add your list as well!

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Reading Plans

This week Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays asks:

What are your reading goals for the new year? Do you have plans to read through the Bible or complete any Bible studies? Do you hope to expand your reading horizons or reread some old favorites? Do you want to read more fiction or non-fiction? Do you want to increase the amount of Christian fiction you read? Do you have any goals for reading as it relates to your blog?

I'm not planning on reading through the bible this year, but I have done it fairly recently and I highly recommend it. I do plan on having more bible study time on my own, either by book or by theme, or both. It's not real feasible for me to go to a ladies bible study or anything like that but I have enjoyed them when I did them in the past. I would like to do one of the Beth Moore online bible studies.

I'd like to read some Christian non-fiction like A.W. Tozer's The Pursuit of God (re-read, highly recommend!) and The Beautiful Fight by Gary Thomas (new read). I also have a review coming up soon for Having a Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver (new read). So, not so much "self-help" but digging deeper and gaining insights.

I'll still read more fiction than non-fiction, but I don't think it would be wise to read more than I currently do because I don't want to take away from my family. Speaking of, I also want to read more with my kids. And as for my blog I'll still do mostly Christian book reviews and continue to participate in the weekly memes and discussions with other bloggers.

How 'bout you? What are your plans? Go on over to My Friend Amy's to add your link!

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Christmas Books

Today for Faith 'n Fiction Saturday we're asked:

It's Christmas time and one of my favorite things to do is read Christmas themed books. Do you enjoy reading holiday themed books? Do you have any special book you read every year? Do you have a special devotional you like to use? (not fiction..I know!) Have you read any good Christmas books this year?

I actually haven't read many Christmas themed books (fiction or devotional). I have Cosmic Christmas by Max Lucado and that's about it. I really loved reading Engaging Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn this year and would love to get the first book. I could see that becoming a re-read. It's definitely got me more interested in Christmas books now that I know there are some non-cheesy ones out there. ;o)

So that's my short, sweet, to-the-point answer! Now I'm going to go check out what everyone else is saying so I can start a Christmas TBR pile!!

Feel free to join in by answering the question on your blog and then go to My Friend Amy's to post your link.

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Segregation

This week for Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays:

Today's question is inspired by a conversation Lilly started over at Book Blogs. What do you think about labeling books as Christian fiction? As you know, the range of spiritual content in Christian books varies tremendously. Some books barely even mention God while others use a lot of Scripture. Do you think Christian fiction books should be in a separate section of the bookstore or library? Do you think this limits who might read these books? Do you have any idea of how they could be arranged differently? And a little off topic but do you have a preference about whether or not books have a lot of spiritual content or only a little?

I like that there is designated "Christian Fiction" books and that it has it's own section in the book stores. You can't always tell by reading the back cover what kind of language and scenes will be inside the pages and I like knowing that with Christian fiction there will be no surprise profanity or sex scenes.

I'm sure it does limit who might read these books, and it'd be great if a non-Christian could pick up a Christian book mixed in with general market and find that they actually liked it and want to read more. Some people steer clear of the Christian fiction section and don't know what they are missing because of stereotype (they think it's preachy and boring).

I'm not sure how they could be arranged differently, but in our small town library they are mixed in with the general market. There is no separate Christian fiction section and I like that, too, since it's a small library and doesn't have a huge selection to wade through. Karen Kingsbury is right next to Stephen King!

Sometimes I do care if books have a lot or little spiritual content. I don't care for the preachy books; they turn me off. I actually like the books with a little more subtle Christian theme (but where the character(s) grow in their faith or find salvation) than ones that go on and on and start to feel like a sermon. I mean, if a Christian is reading it, it's preaching to the choir. If a non-Christian is reading it there is a fine line of getting the message to them and it becoming overbearing or possibly condemning. I like books where the situation and resolution speak for itself and the message is in the story and you're allowed to discover the message on your own rather than ones that tell you flat out what the character learned.

Check out more responses over at My Friend Amy. To join in, just post your answer on your blog then add the link to Amy's post.

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Gifts

Here's what Amy says for Faith 'n Fiction today:

As you may know, I launched a campaign to encourage people to buy books for the holidays (you can visit that site here) and there are some fantastic blogger who have really contributed a lot of great ideas into the blog. I hope you check it out.

But now it's your turn to share some ideas! What books should be others be buying for Christmas? Do you need any gift help? You can handle this topic in two ways....either make a list of recommended books to give as gifts this year OR ask a question about what book you should get someone. (for whom you have been unable to think of a book gift for).

Keep it about books!

I'm giving my parents and in-laws The Shack by William P. Young. None of them are really readers so I hope they like it (and I hope they aren't reading this blog!).

My daughter loves the Millie books from the Life of Faith series. She's not into the scary/tense kind of books and there seem to be quite a few out there these days. There are several sets of series in A Life of Faith and each one follows a different girl: Elsie, Violet, Millie, Kathleen and Laylie. If these are new to your young reader I suggest getting the 4 in 1 volume that has the first book of 4 different series (Elsie, Violet, Millie, and Laylie) so she can see which set she would like to pursue. I think the suggested level for these books is ages 9-14.

As for other books that I recommend:

Chick lit - Sweet Caroline and Love Starts With Elle by Rachel Hauck

Historical - Heirs of Montana series by Tracie Peterson and Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin

And the three more recent books I've read and really enjoyed: Enoch by Alton Gansky, The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner, and Dark Pursuit by Brandilyn Collins (I haven't posted my review of the latter two, but I highly recommend them!).

Most of those will appeal to women, so for the guys I recommend Enoch by Alton Gansky and also Try Dying and Try Darkness by James Scott Bell.

Come join in on Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays! What would you recommend??

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Movie Time!

Today's Faith 'n Fiction Saturday Question:

We've been blessed to finally start seeing some of our favorite Christian books come to life on film. So far, these have been largely low budget films, but they generally get the heart of the books across. But my question for you is...if you had an unlimited budget, what Christian fiction book would you like to see made into a film? Who would you cast in the main roles? Would you have a preference on director? Any songs you'd like to see on the soundtrack?

Oh...well I'll have to choose more recent books because that's what I've read. One that comes to mind right away is Enoch by Alton Gansky. Maybe it's because I just finished it and it's fresh on my mind, but it was really good! I don't want to spoil it if you haven't read it, but seeing/hearing the "message" played during those scenes would be wild! It had quite a bit of action and drama that would hold anyone's attention and keep them guessing. It would also have to be done right, though.

Main roles...hmmmm. I'm not so great at that kind of thing. The actor who plays Henick would have to look good both with long hair and bald, of course! *wink* Matthew McConaughey, anyone? Eddie would have to be a young hot-head. None come to mind right now, though. Where is Rel? She's always so good at these things!

I don't have any directors or songs in mind. Since it is set mostly in Texas and New Mexico you bet there will be country songs!

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Reviewing

Today Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays says:

The past couple of days there has been a big flare-up in the broader book blogging community regarding review policies and a blogger's obligation to an author once they've received a review copy. For those of you who belong to the blogging alliance FIRST, we've also discussed this issue a little bit.

I decided to make today's question about this, because I think this is an even tougher situation for Christian reviewers who review Christian books. So here goes...do you receive review copies of Christian books? If so, do you review them honestly? How do you handle it when you don't like a book but are obligated to provide a review? Who do you see your first commitment being to in book reviewing (besides God)? Yourself? The author? Your readers? Does your review change based on the spiritual content of the book or is it solely based on technical or artistic merit? Have you ever had a negative experience with an author after giving them a negative review? (please don't name names)

I do receive review copies of Christian books from a few different sources. I have never felt any kind of obligation to post a completely favorable review of any books I've been sent. But I'm not the kind of person to slam a book or author if I didn't care for what I read. Now, I haven't "hated" anything I've read (so far) but there are some I didn't enjoy as much as others.

I always review them honestly and feel that the point of reviewing a book is to tell what I thought of it. If I were to say I loved every single book, people wouldn't believe me (for good reason!) and wouldn't trust my reviews. Then they would stop reading them. I want to be able to point people to the books they will enjoy and not just give a glossy review to everything.

Instead of bashing a book I try to include what I did and didn't like about it and why. I won't just say what I didn't like; I can always find something positive to add as well. I also know that even though I didn't enjoy it as much, other people may love it so I don't want to give a bad image when really it's just a matter of taste. In those cases I try to say something to the effect of "if you enjoy ____ then you'll like this book."

The spiritual content of the book isn't so much a factor for me (adding: of course as long as it's Scripturally sound). I review based on the entire work. However, I don't care for "preachy" books and if it feels preachy I will state that in my review.

I've never had a negative experience with an author after giving a less-than-glowing review. The only comments authors have left me have been positive (or neutral) ones. I can completely understand pouring yourself into your work and then feeling bummed by a negative review, but I appreciate authors who stay professional in their response.

Check out Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays for more responses to this question! Feel free to join in on the fun and post your response on your blog. Be sure to add your link to the Mr. Linky on Amy's post.

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays ~ Kiss and Tell! Who's Your First?

We have a new name!! Yay!! The Saturday Christian Fiction Carnival, hosted by My Friend Amy, is now called Faith 'n Fiction Saturday!

So, here's today's Question:

We all come to faith in Jesus at different times in our lives and we all come to Christian fiction at different times, too! What's the first book in the Christian fiction genre you can remember reading? What was your impression of it? Did it make you want to read more or less?

This is an easy one for me!! My first Christian Fiction was The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers. And now that I've got a few more under my belt, I think that was an excellent place to start!!

As you know from previous Saturdays, I just started reading Christian fiction last December. This was the book! My poor family. I read it over Christmas break and I couldn't put it down. Forget all those holiday festivities!

Anyway, what I loved about The Last Sin Eater was that it wasn't what I was expecting from Christian fiction at all. It was captivating, intriguing, suspenseful, and powerful. I loved the characters and how one little girl changed a whole valley of people. Stereotypes were shattered, the truth came out, and broken relationships were restored. But what it took for that to happen could have resulted in just the opposite.

I'll never forget that story and as much as I'm not a re-reader I will very likely read this one again. (Especially considering I still have my sister-in-law's copy that she let me borrow! I'm horrible, I know!) Whether I give hers back or buy her a new one, this is one book I want to keep on my shelves. It definitely made me want to read more from this genre. And I have!

So, what's the first Christian fiction you read? Go on over to Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays and add yours to the list and check out all the others, too!

Saturday Christian Fiction Carnival ~ Memorable Character

Today's question for the Saturday Christian Fiction Carnival is:

There are many outstanding characters in the books we read but often there's that one special character we remember for a long time. Sometimes it's because we relate to them, or maybe we were going through something similar to what they experienced. Or maybe they are just the sort of person we wish we were. Who is the most memorable character in Christian fiction for you and why?

Considering I've only started reading Christian fiction this past year, my pool to draw from is somewhat limited. There are a few characters I've really liked, but I'll say the one I connected with most is Elle from Love Starts With Elle by Rachel Hauck. I won't go into great detail but I'll just say that I could relate with her dilemma and I know how hard it is to see, rather heed, the flags.

Be sure to check out other memorable characters over at the Saturday Christian Fiction Carnival!

Saturday Christian Fiction Carnival ~ Thrilling!

Today's question for the Saturday Christian Fiction Carnival is:

Whether or not you celebrate Halloween, there's something about the shorter days and chilly air that makes one want to curl up with a scary book. The horror market for Christian fiction is growing in creativity and testing all sorts of boundaries. The suspense market is also very rich with many talented authors. So my question(s) for you is...what's the best Christian fiction horror or suspense novel that you've read? What book would you recommend to someone who wanted to try out these genres? What's a book in these genres you want to read but haven't yet?


Oh my! I'm afraid I don't have much to offer in this category. I used to read scary stuff when I was younger (Stephen King!) but haven't in years. I refuse to watch scary movies any more. Not sure why I've become such a scaredy cat!

I do like suspense and would love recommendations on that genre. Horror is...well, I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet!

So let me know about some good suspense. I'd love to check it out!

Updating to add: Ok, so I didnt list the suspense I recommend! I loved Wiser Than Serpents by Susan May Warren (Mission: Russia series). I also enjoyed James Scott Bell's Try Dying and Try Darkenss (Buchanan series). I recently finished Forsaken by James David Jordan. Some were milder than others though (i.e. Forsaken was milder in suspense to me than Wiser Than Serpents, and Try Darkness was milder than Try Dying). I guess I didn't add these at first because none of these are "hardcore" suspense...they're more mild.

If you haven't already, go on over to the carnival at My Friend Amy's to check out more answers to this question...and add yours to the mix!

It's a Carnival!!

Who doesn't love carnivals???

Amy over at My Friend Amy is hosting a weekly carnival every Saturday for lovers of Christian fiction. And today is the first one!!!

Go on over to Amy's to see how to join in and also to check out everyone's answers!! (...after you leave a comment on my post, of course! ;o) )

This week the question is:

Why do you read and review Christian fiction? Do you exclusively read Christian fiction or do you also read general market books?

Part 1...

Actually, for me it all happened out of the blue. A year ago I had never read Christian fiction. Not. One. Book. And I only vaguely knew it even existed. Then I thought it'd probably be cheesy anyway (or worse...preachy!).

But let me back up for just a second...I used to LOVE reading and I read a lot. Then college happened (too many text books and classes to pass), then marriage and kids happened (too many parenting books and tons of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See"...I have them memorized!).

My sis-in-law sent me home with The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers and I finally read it over Christmas last year...my first Christian fiction and I LOVED it. Not at all what I expected!

Last year I started a blog and just posted about things happening with us so that our friends and family could keep up (we had moved 1300 miles away). So a few months ago, on one of my many turn frustration to humor posts I get a comment from a publicist asking if I was interested in reviewing Christian books.

What? What's that? People do that?

I had no clue.

So I said sure!!

And that one thing has fueled in me a love of Christian fiction and the desire to get the word out to others about it. I find it very refreshing to get absorbed in a good, clean story. No profanity. No sexual content. No graphic violence. There's enough of that in the world.

When I read, I get pulled in. I relate to characters and I feel like I'm right there with them. And with Christian fiction I can relax and allow myself to do just that. I know I won't get broadsided with something offensive.

Now, don't mistake a "good, clean story" with "boring," which is what I thought. Most Christian fiction is far from that. I've read plenty edge-of-your-seat books that are not preachy but get their point across. Something I was pleasantly surprised with in reading Christian fiction is the lessons I learn from it. Not in a "cram it down your thoat" sort of way, but in a gentle "oh, I needed to hear that, too" sort of way.

So, because I've fallen in love with Christian fiction I am excited to let others know what's out there. I think there's a stigma attached to Christian fiction that says it's boring, cheesy, or preachy (like I thought), but it's FAR from that. There are some amazing authors out there and I want others to discover them too.

Ok, part 2...

Lately I'd only been reading Christian fiction, trying to keep up with my reviews. But I have started reading some general market books now too. There are a lot of really great general market books that are very moving and not offensive, but I don't know that until I read it. So when I read general market I never know if I'm going to get slapped on the next page.

I feel like there aren't just a whole lot of Christians who review general market (that I know of, anyway...if you're one of them, please leave me a comment!). I'd like to start reviewing some general market books as well so that I can let other Christians know what to expect...things that are important to Christians. I don't want to turn down a book because it "might" be offensive. Because it "might" turn out to be one of my favorites just as easily. I can always put an offensive book down and move on...and let you know why I put it down.