Tag: Dee Henderson

What books have you read that are unforgettable?

Bookish Question #294 | What books have you read that are unforgettable?

One of the downsides of being an avid reader is there are So. Many Books. And it’s impossible to remember all the details. This means I only remember the very best … or the very worst.

(But I’m not going to mention them.)

There is also this little issue called age which means I’m more likely to remember a book I read years or decades ago than a book I read last week or last month?

(Or is that just me?)

Having said that, there are a lot of books I do remember for different reasons (mostly good).

Here are a few that have stuck with me over the years:

Danger in the Shadows by Dee Henderson, the prequel to her well-known O’Malley romantic suspense series. I read and enjoyed the whole series, but the prequel and first two books (The Negotiator and The Guardian) were by far my favourites.

Christy by Catherine Marshall, based on the her mother’s story. Christy was is one of the first Christian fiction novels and was later turned into a television series. Now, the annual Christy Awards recognise the best in Christian fiction.

Frasier Island by Susan Page Davis, a military romantic suspense with a very low-key romance, a book I’ve read and re-read because I loved the premise and the characters. I recently re-read and enjoyed as much as I remembered.

Confessions of a Teenage Hermaphrodite by Lianne Simon, a coming-of-age Christian novel set in the 1970s which raised my awareness and understanding of some of the complex issues around gender and God.

And for something more recent, When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer, a unique twist on Christian historical romance (followed by the even-better sequel, In This Moment).

That’s five books I’ve read, re-read, remembered, and enjoyed.

What about you? What books have you read that are unforgettable?

Bookish Question #142 | Which authors or novels to you think best illustrate healthy Christian family relationships?

This is another excellent question.

Fiction is about conflict, and that conflict is often in the context of a family relationship. It may be a stage-of-life thing, but I’m over books where the teenage protagonist has #FirstWorldProblems with their (in my opinion) reasonable parent or parents. I’m also not keen on books where the parents are made out to be some kind of ogres … who have magically produced a well-adjusted child or teenager. #YeahRight.

But there is more to family relationships than parents and children.

There is also siblings … and there are a lot of stories which feature siblings.

Susan May Warren’s Christiansen Family series features the Christiansen siblings (and their parents). Now, it has to be said that they aren’t always “healthy” family relationships, but the emphasis is on acknowledging problems and doing whatever you can to fix the relationships. That’s healthy.

Dee Henderson’s O’Malley romantic suspense series features seven adopted siblings, so that’s a different kind of family. They also disagree, but they’re all noble adults who would do anything for each other.

And, of course, there are Clarke and Marty’s family from Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke, and the Baxter family by Karen Kingsbury, as I mentioned last week.

It’s interesting that all the examples I can think of are series.

Can you think of any standalone novels that do a great job of showing healthy Christian family relationships? Or any series I’ve missed?

Bookish Question #7: Standalone or series?

Bookish Question #7 | Do You Prefer a Standalone or Series?

Bookish Question #7: Do you prefer to read standalone novels, or books in a series?

In general, I prefer to read books which are part of a series. If I like the characters, then I want to meet them more than once. And a series is a great way to do that.

My preference is a linked series, where there is some relationship between the main characters in each book (e.g. siblings, workmates). An example is The O’Malley series by Dee Henderson.

But I’ve also read and enjoyed series about a single character, with each book a complete novel but also contributing to an overall story arc. An example is If I Run and If I’m Found by Terri Blackstock. This series follows a fugitive trying to prove her innocence. Now I’m waiting for the third book!

But I don’t always like series.

If I don’t like the first book in a series, I’m not going to read the rest of the series. I guess this is one reason most publishers keep their series short—trilogies are popular. This is especially true if the series has an overarching storyline. The first book has to grab me, or I’m unlikely to be interested in the sequels.

Also, I’m no longer a fan of those romance series where it takes three novels for the hero and heroine to get their happy-ever-after. The exception might be if the romance is actually the subplot (e.g. The Smart Chick Mysteries by Mindy Starns Clark).

I recently read and loved a romance novel that was the first book in a trilogy. When I looked up the sequels, they were both about the hero and heroine in the first book. What? I thought they’d got their happy-ever-after at the end of book one. The next two books seemed to be introducing and prolonging unnecessary conflict. I didn’t buy them.

If I’m going to read a series, even one with an overarching storyline, I need each book to have an ending. A proper ending, where the mystery has been solved or the couple have got together. Not a cliffhanger ending where one or more major characters are left in major peril while the author writes the next book in the series. It’s annoying on TV, and it’s even more annoying in a novel.

So do you prefer to read standalone novels, or books in a series? What might make you prefer one over the other?

What's your favourite fiction series?

Bookish Question #4 | What’s Your Favourite Series?

What’s your favourite fiction series, and what makes it so special?

I have two possible answers to this question. Or maybe three favourite series. Yes, definitely three. All Christian fiction, which shouldn’t come as any surprise.

 

The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers

I loved Hadassah, I loved Marcus, and I loved the way her quiet witness had such an impact on him. An Echo in the Darkness remains one of my favourite Christian novels.

 

The Love Comes Softly series by Janette Oke

I loved Clarke and Marty and the way two strangers came together and form a strong, godly family. I loved the way Clarke introduced Marty to God. And I loved the way the series covered generations, and didn’t shy away from the trials of life.

 

The O’Malley series by Dee Henderson

These were the first Christian romantic suspense novels I read, and I loved the mix of faith, romance and suspense. I especially liked the relationship between the seven O’Malley “siblings”, and the way each of them had a different journey to  Christ. I also read and loved the two prequels—Danger in the Shadows, and Jennifer.

 

What’s your favourite fiction series, and what make it so special?