Prayers of a Stranger by Davis Bunn

Prayers of a Stranger, a Christmas Journey is a book to treasure. Its rich emotions and detailed descriptions draw you in and refuse to let go. I am always pleased and surprised when I come across a book that I want to reread as soon as I finish it, and this is one of those books.

A year ago, Amanda Vance suffered a personal tragedy. It caused her to withdraw from everyone she possibly could, to leave the job doing what she loved, and to become a shadow of the joyful woman she once was. And it caused a distance to develop between her and her husband.

Chris Vance keeps up a strong front around his wife, not telling her all the troubles and problems happening at his job. But the worries are constantly on his mind, as are his worries about Amanda and her inability to move beyond her grief.

Just weeks before Christmas, the opportunity suddenly arises for Amanda to travel with a neighbor to Israel for a week. Although somewhat reluctant, she accepts the invitation. Little does she realize the healing that trip will bring about. Unforeseen events and the prayers of a stranger give her the opportunity to return to the peace and joy she once knew.

This story has a way of getting into your heart. Amanda and Chris will begin to seem like people you know well-- or maybe you will even see a bit of yourself in them and the struggles they face. This is a story of the hope and joy only found in the loving arms of our Savior.

The rich descriptions only add to the pleasure of the read. All your senses will be filled with the sights, smells, and sounds of Jerusalem. You begin to get the feeling that you are there with Amanda.

Prayers of a Stranger is a book I would eagerly recommend to anyone, and not only to read at Christmas time. It is a book for all seasons, reminding us that the joy and hope of Christmas is not only for one day a year. It is for all time.

You can find the Thomas Nelson product page here: Prayers of a Stranger 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Rare Earth by Davis Bunn

Rare Earth by Davis Bunn is a story that moves quite quick in some places, and slow in others. But it is all-in-all a good story if you give yourself time to get into it.

On page one we meet Marc Royce, a man who has come to Africa to investigate some possible corruption in a relief organization. A man has been kidnapped, and the company Marc works for is suspected of doing the crime. Marc expected to simply come to Kenya to get answers for his company and possibly to find some for himself as well. He never planned on becoming a vital piece in a puzzle that is only now unfolding.

Tribes are being removed from their ancestral lands and sent to city slums for no apparent reason. They are promised new land, but it never materializes. Now, as the crisis grows, the elders begin to look to an unlikely hero for help-- Marc Royce.

In the midst of it all, Marc finds himself being drawn to the kidnapped man's sister, a nurse at the refugee camp where he is staying. She is a woman of many secrets, and Marc slowly begins to realize that her knowledge may be one of the keys to uncovering the reason for the tribes' displacement.

As I said at the beginning of the review, this book is slow-paced part of the time. Although the characters and setting are interesting, they did not draw me in quite as much as I would have liked. I still feel that the book was definitely not a waste of my time. It was only after I read the book that I found out that it is the second in the Marc Royce series. I think that maybe if I had read book one, Lion of Babylon, first, I might have been able to understand Marc a little better. So for those reading the Marc Royce series, I would definitely say that Rare Earth is worth reading.

I received this book free from Bethany House publishers as part of their blogger book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.