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We'll begin with a recommendation shared by one of our avid readers. She said My Sister Dilly by Maureen Lang is a "must-read" for anyone who has a child with disabilities. Add the subjects of bad choices, guilt and emotional upheaval, and this becomes a book that everyone should read. The storyline is unique and thought-provoking, with characters who reach out from the pages of the book to the heart of the reader. It centers around two sisters with completely different perspectives on life. Hannah could not wait to leave the hog farm where she grew up and move to California. She has now returned to help her sister Dilly reintegrate into society upon her release from prison. Reminiscent of the story of the prodigal son, one daughter has lived by the rules and the other has chosen a road that sent her to prison. Dilly has changed while in prison, which is hard for Hannah to understand. Hannah is living in a prison of her own making, tied down by the chains of responsibility and false guilt. As the women rebuild their relationship, the bonds of sisterhood are tested like never before.

This month, Nancy shares a couple of thrillers with the rest of us. The first two books in Steven James' Patrick Bowers series, The Pawn and The Rook, definitely fall in the "thriller" genre. Patrick Bowers is an environmental criminologist who is using geographical clues to help solve serial murders. At the same time, he is trying to deal with the death of his wife and attempting to figure out his teenage stepdaughter. James details the characters' emotions in a way which draws the reader into the story, keeping one captivated and wanting to know what happens next. However, the coroner details are vivid, which can play on one's fears. While there are not a lot of Christian elements in these novels, there is a questioning of higher power, especially when dealing with so much cruelty and death.

"Love God. Live fully. Be happy." Stacy Hawkins Adams is a new author to our shelves, and her book The Someday List is a great way to start. Rachelle Covington has a fabulous home, a successful husband, two beautiful children and no reason to complain, yet she is finding herself restless with her 'perfect' life. After receiving an invitation from her estranged childhood best friend to "celebrate my life's journey before I go to be with God," Rachelle is more confused than ever. She has a lot of soul searching to do before she can honor her promise to her dying friend that she will "be happy."

If your summer calls for a great mystery, Nancy suggests Double Minds by Terri Blackstock. The character development and story line ensure that this selection will keep you reading late into the night. As talented singer/songwriter Parker James struggles to make her mark on the Nashville music scene, she finds the competition can be fierce - even deadly. When a young woman is murdered at the recording studio where Parker works, Parker is drawn into a mystery where nothing is as it seems. As the danger escalates, Parker begins to question her dreams, her future, and even her faith. This novel reminds you that if we follow God's plan for our life, even though it may not match our own dreams, better things happen than we could ever have imagined.

"Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." Rev. 22:17

This Bible verse is the basis of Max Lucado's Come Thirsty, Delana's most recent non-fiction choice. Lucado explores the effects of living with a dehydrated heart like temper, worry, guilt and hopelessness, then outlines God's invitation to visit the well and drink deeply. At the WELL, you receive Christ's Work on the cross, the Energy of his Spirit, his Lordship over your life, and his unending, unfailing Love.

(This book is currently on the "New Books" shelf, but can later be found at 248.4 LUC.)

Pat Winter recommends two books written by Don Piper, a man who was pronounced dead by EMTs at an accident site. In his first book, 90 Minutes in Heaven, Piper tells his true story of the time he spent in Heaven after a truck ran over his car and before his friend prayed for him to come back to this life. Have you ever wondered what Heaven is really like? Are the streets paved in gold? Will family and friends be there to greet us? This book is a "must-read" for anyone who questions life after death. We can enjoy each day on Earth with hope in our hearts as we await our own crossing of the bridge. Pat says the best thing about this true story is that our library also has the sequel. Heaven Is Real continues Don Piper's story after many painful months of recovery following his near tragic accident. Many readers will identify their own life-changing events as Piper writes about living the "new normal". This book is filled with personal stories that encourage each of us to hold onto hope. We may call these noteworthy events miracles, or the Grace of God, but none can stand alone through life's trials. Piper writes, "A true friend is one who knows all about us, loves us anyway, and has no plan to improve us."

(These books are currently on the "New Books" shelf, but can later be found at 231.7 PIP.)

Nearly two years ago, a reader recommended A Woman's Place by Lynn Austin. Kay just read it and we felt it was worthy of another mention. In this book, you meet four women from very different walks of life, all of whom end up working in a shipyard during World War II. As friendships form, they see each other through joys and sorrow, deal with a variety of prejudices, and develop a new understanding of faith, love and sacrifice.

If you have already enjoyed A Woman's Place, check out another Austin book, Hidden Places. In this Christy Award winner, a widowed mother of three is struggling to run the family orchard during the Great Depression. She believes God has answered her prayers when a stranger arrives with an offer to work for food. The rich character development and questions about the man's past draw the reader into the story. As a bonus, our library also has the Hallmark movie (DVD) which was inspired by this novel.

Delana has been reading the five book Last Jihad Series by Joel Rosenberg. This series is fictional, but the author's research and insight into both global politics and Biblical prophecy make it feel disturbingly real. Throughout much of the first book, I wondered why we found this on the shelves at Family Christian. However, as I continued through the series, the reasons became apparent. Also, while the characters are difficult to sort out in the beginning, they all fall into place as you are drawn into the page-turning plot.

Written nine months before September 11, Rosenberg's first novel opens with a hijacked jet on a kamikaze mission in the U.S. Due to the sensitive climate at that time, the publisher did not release The Last Jihad until a year later (be sure to read the introduction and the end notes). The Last Jihad introduces Jon Bennett and Erin McCoy, two shrewd Wall Street strategists and close friends of the president of the United States. As war begins in Iraq over W.M.D.'s, Jon and Erin are in Jerusalem trying to put together a secret billion-dollar oil deal that could form the basis of a historic peace treaty between Israel and Palestine.

The Last Days opens with Jon and Erin, now top White House advisors, heading into Gaza to further the "Oil-for-Peace" plans when their convoy is attacked by a massive explosion. Soon, Yassir Arafat is dead, Islamic radicals are trying to take over the West Bank and Gaza, and Iraqi terrorists are targeting America. The character development from the first novel is expanded, but there is a helpful "Cast of Characters" listing after the dedication page.

When you settle in with book three, The Ezekiel Option, you may as well plan for some late nights, especially as you near the end. After a few pages showing the relationship developing between Jon and Erin, the story weaves a dramatic web in which a new "Axis of Evil" is emerging from Moscow and Tehran, masterminded by the co-founders of a major terrorist movement called Al-Nakbah. Chills will run up your spine as Rosenberg paints an all-too-realistic picture of Russia and Iran working together to solidify control in Asia, Europe and the Middle East while the U.S. and her NATO allies are handcuffed by public opinion or blackmail.