"Sworn to Protect" by DiAnn Mills

Warning: do not read DiAnn Mills’ newest release, “Sworn to Protect” unless you are willing to look at all sides of the issue of illegal immigration.

Border Patrol agent Danika Morales dedicates her life to protecting U.S. borders from illegal entry. For Morales, the job is more about stopping predators and drug dealers than individuals simply trying to better their lives, although she arrests those as well. When the job takes a decidedly personal turn, Morales must make hard choices about her perspective.

She lost her husband to an unsolved murder and must raise their daughter alone. Her job performance is under scrutiny with the revelation of an informant in the ranks. Now she’s discovered that she is someone’s target. Who is after her, and why?

The second book in Mills’ Call of Duty series, “Sworn to Protect” displays deep research. Mills rode with the line with Border Patrol agents, learning firsthand the magnitude and complexity of the issue. She has used that experience to weave a story of heartache, commitment and danger while showing the wide variety of forms illegal immigration can take.

Mills has put a human face on illegal immigration in “Sworn to Protect,” as she did with the tragic situation in the Sudan in “When the Lion Roars” and “When the Nile Runs Red.”  The characters are compelling as they try to balance the requirements of the law with compassion. Mills brings us into their hearts and minds, allowing the reader to experience the problem from each side of the conflict.

While “Sworn to Protect” is the successor to “Breach of Trust,” it is not a sequel. Readers will not suffer by reading them out of order. Both address the question of how a Christian might handle the demands of a secular job which seems at odds with faith. Mills tackles the question without relying on pat answers. 

“Sworn to Protect” combines the best aspects of thriller, romance and inspiration to offer an exciting and satisfying read. Join the adventure Mills promises in her slogan-read “Sworn to Protect.”

“Sworn to Protect” by DiAnn Mills

Published by Tyndale Fiction, 2010

Book Review-'Here Burns My Candle' by Liz Curtis Higgs

A candle offers illumination, and in the same way “Here Burns My Candle” illuminates subjects that might leave you a little uneasy in the short term. In the long-run, this thought provoking historical novel will shed light on Scottish history as well as Biblical truth.

Lady Elisabeth Kerr, a commoner married into nobility, keeps a secret. Although she attends church services with the family, she privately follows the ‘auld’ ways. The clash of beliefs within her heart is every bit as wrenching as the battles fought by the Jacobites and the English.

Her mother-in-law, dowager Lady Marjory, is very class-conscious, wondering at her older son’s choice of wife even as she clings to her younger son’s more ‘suitable’ spouse. Marjory has secrets and regrets which shape her life.

The Kerr sons, Lord Donald and Andrew, carry their own burdens. Donald’s serial infidelities seem to echo today’s headlines. Andrew is a spoiled young man, focused on his own pleasure.

Everything changes for the Kerrs when Bonnie Prince Charlie arrives to reclaim the Scottish throne. As their world fills with dissension and warfare, the family members must make choices and take actions with long-reaching consequences.

Higgs is a master of recasting Bible stories in another setting to share their truth from a different perspective. Here she tackles the story of Ruth and Naomi, moving the action to Edinburgh in the 1740’s. As in her previous novels, Higgs retells the story without simply rewording it – she has cultivated a fresh blossom from the familiar branch.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is the rich flavor of Scotland which permeates and seasons the story without obscuring it. There is a map of 1745 Edinburgh to help with geography. Scottish phrases are placed in an explanatory context without interrupting the flow. Higgs’ thorough research gives us descriptions and situations which ring true.

The subjects of faith, forgiveness, political allegiance, social status and familial bonds are some of the themes explored in depth through the Kerr family. “Here Burns My Candle” is an addictive book, so be warned. This is not a book to read on coffee breaks unless you are willing to risk being late back to work. Settle in with a cup of tea in a comfortable chair and lose yourself in Higgs’ latest book.  

“Here Burns My Candle” by Liz Curtis Higgs

Published 2010

WaterBrook Press

"Where the Wind Blows" by Caroline Fyffe

Equine photographer Caroline Fyffe enters the world of historical fiction with her novel, "Where the Wind Blows," a Western romance that goes beyond most romances.

Take one chivalrous cowboy, trying to do a last favor for a dead coworker. Add one new widow trying to rescue a young girl from an orphanage. Season with grief, love and joy then bake until well done. Top with pioneer spirit and serve.

Follow this recipe and you’ll get “Where the Wind Blows,” the award winning debut novel by Caroline Fyffe. Set in the Wyoming Territory a little more than ten years after the Civil War, Fyffe’s story provides a more satisfying read than many historic romances. Her plot goes deeper than simply two people falling in love.

She builds the relationships within the story layer upon layer and fills the book with a variety of characters, both pleasant and unsavory. The story explores the subject of “what constitutes a family?” with Jessie Strong, the young heroine, determined to adopt the orphaned toddler even as she learns she has been widowed. A grandmotherly woman in the nearby town offers advice and friendship to Jessie. Two teen-aged boys enter the picture as well.

And, of course, there’s our hero-Chase Logan, on his way to his next job by way of the Strong ranch to deliver his sad news. Fyffe draws him with a strong brush: imperfect but well-intended and very, very human.

Her descriptions of the land ring true in their rich detail. If you enjoy Western fiction, you will enjoy the West as portrayed in “Where the Wind Blows.” While the book won the Golden Heart award from the Romance Writers of America, it strikes a good balance between romance and Western. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that men enjoyed it as much as women.

“Where the Wind Blows”

By Caroline Fyffe

Published by Dorchester Publishing

'It Happened in Italy' by Elizabeth Bettina

When an American woman of Italian ancestry tries to discover why a rabbi appears in a photograph taken on the steps of the Italian church where her grandparents were married, she learns of a story kept nearly secret for sixty years: there were Jewish internment camps in Italy in World War II.

The woman is Elizabeth Bettina, a native New Yorker who lived for a time in Campagna, Italy. She thought she knew a lot about the area and its people, her family. The new facts she discovered led her to meetings with Holocaust survivors, monsignors and more.

“It Happened in Italy” is a book of surprises, as we accompany Bettina on her journey of discovery. While the rule of investigation is often “follow the money,” Bettina learned to follow the photos. Her book is filled with confirming photos and documents, worthy of a research paper. She recounts the thrill of finding the pieces of information and joining them into a picture of the story of a nation that did not bow to the Nazi plan of a “final solution.”

Don’t begin this book looking for a taut war thriller. It is, instead, a warm blanket. As Bettina learns more about the role of the everyday Italian people in Jewish survival of World War II, she shares her delight with the reader. Her goal is to explain the difference between treatment of Jews in Italy and most of the rest of Europe. The book is much like a personal journal, opened for our knowledge. Her thoughts, as well as her research, are there for us.

Bettina has taken on the cause of telling the story to the world. It is a story of compassion, human dignity and the triumph of goodness over evil. As much as we should remember the horrors of the death camps, we should also remember that goodness can make a stand. Bettina provides a tool toward that remembrance.

I enjoyed reading this book and learning about the Italian perspective on “prison camps.” It is a gentle yet celebratory story. While there is sadness in some of the events, the overarching emotion is happiness. I recommend it for readers in search of a true story about real people caught in world events. No flashy super heroes here, but people made more heroic by actions without special effects or benefit of a script writer’s solution.

'It Happened in Italy' by Elizabeth Bettina
Published by Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 978-1-5955-5102-3

© Mary Beth Magee 2010

Book Review-One Simple Act by Debbie Macomber

Bestselling author Debbie Macomber is known for her romantic stories, weaving crafts such as cooking or needlework into moving tales of love lost and found. With “One Simple Act,” Macomber moves into the realm of touching lives as she has so often touched hearts.

Subtitled “Discovering the Power of Generosity,” the book looks at the meaning of generosity to all involved. It is filled with tips for discovering ways to be generous both in giving and receiving. Macomber has done her homework as well, offering scriptural background for her suggestions and a wide array of stories showing how a little generosity can make a big difference in a life.

Chapter Twelve, for example, is entitled “Bread Crumbs, Minnows and Submarines: The Gift of Caregiving.” The chapter offers not only stories of caregivers, but tips to help in caregiving and ways to deal with the pressures on the caregiver. There are action points in each chapter, ways to put the lessons contained in the earlier pages into practice.

I highly recommend this book to all who are looking for a way to make a difference in the world around them. You will learn ways to plant seeds of caring in many ways, in directions you may not have considered. An easy read, the book is deceptively simple. Like the colors in a fine painting, the levels of learning are woven together so skillfully you won’t feel as though you’ve been in school. It’s more like a visit with an old friend who happens to be very wise and is willing to share the wisdom.

Through Macomber’s words, you’ll get a fresh perspective on being open hearted and open handed. She has the advantage of a wide following through her earlier works-that means the potential for touching many lives with the importance of stepping up and performing deeds of generosity, one simple act at a time.




Published 2009
One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity
By Debbie Macomber
Howard Books
ISBN 978-1-4391-0893-2

Macomber's website: http://www.debbiemacomber.com/

Movie Review- "The Blind Side"

A great sports movie focuses on the sport and players. In that regard, “The Blind Side” is a good sports movie. There is a fair amount of football playing and football lore. In all honesty, I couldn’t call it a great sports movie.

For a movie to qualify as a blockbuster, it usually has big, big names and lots of special effects. Okay, Sandra Bullock and Kathy Bates are big names. Tim McGraw has done some acting but his fame is in other fields and most of the other players in the drama aren’t big names – yet. And there aren’t any razzle-dazzle special effects.

What “The Blind Side” does accomplish is to tell a wonderful story of people touching each other’s lives, and it happens to include football. Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw are Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, well-to-do people with two children. They have it all – the big house, the cars, their kids in private school, successful businesses.

An impulsive act by Leigh Anne takes a homeless black student into their upper class home and world. Their story of connecting as human beings beyond boundaries of background, color and means is an extraordinary adventure. This is the tale of making a difference when you didn’t have anything to gain by taking action. Her “just for one night” helping hand changes all of their lives.

“The Blind Side” is the story of real-life football player Michael Oher of the Baltimore Ravens and is based on “The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game” by Michael Lewis. I haven’t read the book yet so I can’t address how accurately or inaccurately the movie follows the book. I can tell you that this is a movie about moving from lip service Christianity to Christianity in action.

While it hasn’t been touted as an overtly faith-based movie to my knowledge, faith is a big part of the characters and their motivations. I am particularly drawn to the scenes where Bullock’s character is interacting with her social peers. Her evolution from society maven to outspoken champion is a delight to watch.

I am a fan of most of Sandra Bullock’s work. She is a gifted lady who makes a role come to life in a way that I appreciate as a viewer. This film only cements my opinion of her.

McGraw is likable as the slightly bemused husband to steamroller-Bullock. I look forward to seeing him in other roles. Bates is quirky and delightful as the tutor hired to help Michael (played with great finesse by Quinton Aaron) get his grades up enough to qualify to play football. Don’t overlook Jae Head and Lilly Collins as the Tuohy children. They are great.

John Lee Hancock is the director and screenwriter. The film is rated PG-13; there are some drug references and one violent scene. None is gratuitous. I’m sorry to say that I don’t think this movie will win many Oscars. It isn’t bloody enough or spectacular enough to attract Oscar attention. That is the Academy’s loss.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The relationships, the personal growth and the courage of the people are inspirational. If you haven’t seen it yet, I strongly encourage you to see it soon. If you want to come out of a movie feeling good, this is the one.

You can learn more about this film at the website: http://www.theblindsidemovie.com/.

© 2009 Mary Beth Magee

Update: Well, the entertainment world has surprised me. "The Blind Side" and the cast have received a number of awards and accolades, including Academy Award nominations!  I am so happy to be proven wrong! Best wishes as you go into the Oscar presentations...I'll be rooting for you!