The Outsider by Ann H. Gabhart, Revell, 2008

Gabrielle was happy living her life in a Shaker community and was steadfast in her faith until an accident brought an outsider, a handsome doctor, into her life. Her interaction with the doctor, as well as a series of events that occur within the Shaker community, result in Gabrielle having doubts as to which type of life she was really meant to live.

The insights into the now extinct Shaker faith and War of 1812 references may appeal to fans of historical fiction. This book may also attract the attention of readers drawn to gentle romances. I was alternately bored and shocked by this book and while unlikely to visit this genre again, I am now interested in learning more about the War of 1812.

Readers who like this book may also like these fiction titles: Walk by Faith by Roseanne Bittner, Steeple Hill, 2008 also is set in the 1800's and incorporates new beginnings, dangerous situations, historical themes, and romance. The Believers by Janice Holt Giles, Houghton, 1957 offers an insight into the Shaker religion by a young woman who follows her husband to a Shaker community in Kentucky in the 1800's but is forced to leave upon failing to become a believer.

Readers who like this book may also like these non-fiction titles: Union 1812: The Americans who Fought the Second War of Independence by A.J. Langguth, Simon & Schuster, 2007 is a comprehensive overview that serves perfectly as a brush-up for that information we may have forgotten since history class. God Among the Shakers: a Search for Stillness and Faith and Sabbathday Lake by Suzanne Skees, Hyperion, 1999. Author Skees spent a month at the last surviving Shaker community, which is located in Maine, and shares her observations here.

One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan, 2003

On September 11, 2001, Jake Bryan and Eric Michaels both entered the World Trade Center, but only one of them made it out alive. On the surface, both men seem to have a lot in common. Both have wives that love them, a young child, and even look eerily alike. However, Jake is a NYC firefighter following in his father's footsteps, and is as devoted to God as he is to his family. Eric is a workoholic who has left God and his family by the wayside in a misguided attempt to provide them with what he thinks they really need, wealth. In a case of mistaken identity complicated by amnesia, Eric is believed to be Jake and assumes Jake's role as father to Sierra and husband to Jamie, who lost her faith as a teenager. In reading Jake's diaries, Eric regains his faith, as does Jamie. This realization that God and religion are necessary and good comes in handy for the ultimate reality that Jake has perished and Eric has survived.

One Tuesday Morning is a quick and not an unpleasant read. However, the writing is shoddy, lackluster, and often sappy. Descriptions of the events of 9/11 seem to be quick, plagarized summaries of true accounts and in no way come off as a tribute to all that lost their lives that day. Kingsbury should be applauded for writing a novel that incorporates God and stays far away from gratuitous sex and foul language. However, if she is indeed the author of 30 bestselling books as the cover states, it seems the Christian Fiction genre is ripe for an influx of any truly talented writers.

Readers who enjoy this book may also like these fiction titles: Good Hope Road by Lisa Wingate, NAL, 2003. In this work, a tornado is the tragedy that brings strangers together to mutually search for hope. The Writing on the Wall: a Novel by Lynne Sharon Schwartz, Counterpoint, 2005 addresses the emotional trauma, survivor's guilt, and the effects 9/11 on a woman already dealing with personal tragedies.

Readers who enjoy this book may also like these non-fiction titles: The Book of Mychal: The Surprising Life and Heroic Death of Father Mychal Judge by Michael Daly, St. Martins, 2002 details the personal struggles and triumphs of a remarkable man, and beloved Chaplain, who was unfortunately the first recorded casualty of 9/11. Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope by Don & Susie VanRyn and Colleen & Whitney Cerak, Howard Books, 2008 tells of the 2006 car accident where one college friend dies and the other survives. However, when Laura VanRyn comes to, it is discovered that she is actually Whitney Cerak, formerly believed deceased. The strong faith of the two families is apparent in this work.