No, We Can't: Radical Islam, Militant Secularism and the Myth of Coexistence by Robert Stearns

Every now and then I like to take a break from reading fluffy fiction to read something that is actually relevant to my life or the world at the time.  No, We Can't by Robert Stearns came across my computer screen and I found myself very interested in reviewing it.  The world is changing and as he says, "Tolerance is prized more than truth."  Our culture is so confusing to me, and reading this book helped me understand some of the problem.  No matter how much we want to believe that coexistence between radical Islam, militant secularism, and Judeo-Christianity is possible, the bottom line is that it really isn't.  Robert Stearns addresses these three sections of our culture in great detail and then explains what it means to the believer and how we should respond.  Some of the topics he covers are the power of radical Islam to reshape Western culture, why Judeo-Christianity is losing its strength, and what believers can and must do.  He says, "The ultimate dominance of any of these worldviews will create a tipping point in global culture." 

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand more about the worldviews Christianity is up against in our culture.  It was a quick read and very easy to follow with a lot of extremely interesting and helpful information. 

I was given this book in exchange for a review by Baker Publishing Group.

Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist

Love on the Line is the latest historical fiction novel by Deaane Gist.  Georgie Gail is a switchboard operator in rural Brenham, Texas.  She is an independent woman who takes pride in holding her own in a man's world, so she is none too happy when the telephone company sends a man to work the lines (and look over her shoulder).  Little does Georgie know that Luke Palmer is actually a Texas Ranger working a case undercover to get inside a gang of train robbers who have the public's support.  He isn't exactly excited to be working on the telephone lines and taking orders from the likes of Georgie, so of course, sparks fly.   

I have always liked Deeanne Gist's books, and Love on the Line did not disappoint.  It was a little slow in parts, but overall an enjoyable read.  I found the workings of the early phones and phone lines interesting and that was a bonus to the plot.  I would recommend this book.

I received this book in exchange for a review from Bethany House.

The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund's book The Doctor's Lady follows Priscilla White's dream of becoming a missionary in the wild west of the mid-1800s.  At that time, the missionary boards determined the only way men or women could be missionaries was if they were married, but Priscilla had no interest in being a wife!    She finds herself torn between marrying in name only in order to live out her dream of telling the Indians about Jesus or staying single where she is.  Of course this is a book, so Priscilla marries Eli, a man who has big plans in the west but who also needs a spouse.  The majority of the book is their journey west and all that happens to them on the way, both spiritually and emotionally.

I really enjoyed this book.  Maybe it's because I love cheesy historical fiction, but I thought it was entertaining and had an interesting plot.  I would recommend this book.

I received this book in exchange for a review from Bethany House.

A Wedding Invitation by Alice J. Wisler

Samantha Bravencourt returns home from teaching English in a refugee camp in the Philippines to lead a quiet, uneventful life working with her mother in her boutique in Virginia.  Early in the story, she receives an invitation to attend a college friend's wedding in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but the wedding isn't what Samantha was expecting.  Instead of simply attending the wedding and heading back to her mother's house, her life is changed when she runs into a fellow teacher from the Philippines who also broke her heart.  After reconnecting they have to work together to help a young Amerasian girl named Lien find her way.  The dilemma for Sam comes when she has to decide if she can forgive Carson for his past mistakes with her heart.

I found this book interesting because I didn't know very much about the Amerasian culture or about the refugees living in the Philippines.  The author does a good job focusing on the issue of the Philippine refugees and their struggle to fit into American culture.  The "love story" aspect also kept my attention, but the book had some dull moments.  However, I would recommend this book to a friend if they were looking for something light to read. 

I received this book in exchange for a review from Bethany House.