Action/Adventure(897)
Allegory(377)
Amish(5,084)
Biblical(1,033)
Children(851)
Classic Fiction(377)
Contemporary(9,613)
Drama(1,317)
Fantasy/Science Fiction(2,050)
Historical(3,288)
Poetry(15)
Prophecy & End Times(1,173)
Romance(15,583)
Biblical(80)
Contemporary Romance(4,068)
Historical Romance(9,288)
Suspense & Intrigue(1,280)
Westerns(794)
Short Stories(234)
Suspense & Intrigue(10,283)
Teens(833)
Westerns(826)
Shop Now At Christianbook.com
Shop Suspense & Intrigue or
Choose a Category
- Academic
- Accompaniment Tracks
- Advent
- Adventures in Odyssey ™
- Audiobooks
- Bible Accessories
- Bible Covers
- Bible Studies & Curriculum
- Bibles
- Blooming Bargains
- Books
- Catholic
- Children
- Christian Living
- Christmas
- Church & Pastoral
- Church Supplies
- Closeouts
- Clothing & Accessories
- Crafts & Recreation
- DVDs
- Download
- Easter
- Education
- Fall
- Family
- Father's Day
- Fiction
- Focus Magazines
- Focus Resource
- Focus Reviewed
- Focus on the Family
- Gift & Home
- Graduation
- Homeschool
- MP3 Music Downloads
- Mother's Day
- Music
- New Release
- Patriotic
- Pre-Order
- Radio Theatre
- Slightly Imperfect
- Software
- Spanish
- Spring
- Subscriptions
- Sunday School
- Teens
- Thanksgiving
- VBS
- Videos
- Winter
- eBooks
Top-Rated Products
The Swan House
(5)
Full Disclosure
(10)
Customer Reviews for WaterBrook Press The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
WaterBrook Press The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
After her husband's death in Iraq, Corrie Saunders moves into his family's 150-year-old Ozark home. She just wants to bury herself in renovations---until she begins to experience strange occurrences. Could it be her dead husband trying to contact her? His cousin Eli, pastor of a small church, believes its something more malevolent. Will his faith protect them?
Average Customer Rating:
(29 Reviews) 29
Rating Snapshot (29 reviews)
5 stars
15
4 stars
10
3 stars
4
2 stars
0
1 star
0
26 out of 2990%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Review 1 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
This book was well written and published for ebook
Date:February 27, 2013
RR2011
Age:25-34
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
I was intrigued by the description I read of this book when it became available for review, and had actually planned to buy it at some point to read if I was never given the chance to review it for free! Well, it came available again in ebook form so I snatched up the chance and was so glad I did!
Tracy Bateman's book, "The Widow of Saunders Creek," is described by the publisher, "A grief that knows no boundary, a love without any limit, a need that doesn't end at death." The protagonist, Corrie, has lost her husband of seven years in the contemporary Iraqi war. It's been seven months since his unexpected death, and she has decided to move back to the Missouri Ozarks and live in the 150 year old farmhouse that she inherited through her deceased husband, who inherited it from his family.
Corrie believes that moving into the farmhouse where her husband spent his summers and much of his childhood will somehow draw her closer to the man she loved . . . . but all is not as it seems, and very soon Corrie finds herself facing what she believes could be a ghost, but what her husband's preacher cousin firmly states is anything but.
Apparently this is considered something of a "paranormal romance" genre of Christian fiction. Let me say that the paranormal is dealt with well without being overboard, and appropriately from a Christian standpoint as well, I felt. This book makes for a great read, it was just riveting enough to keep the pages turning but was also not shallow. The characters are deep enough to be well appreciated!
I would give this book 5/5 stars! That's how much I enjoyed it. I read half of it in just a couple hours!
If you would care to rate this review of mine, please visit this link. I would greatly appreciate your ratings! They help me as a blogger with Blogging for Books.
Thanks to Blogging for Books for the complimentary ebook copy of "The Widow of Saunders Creek" in exchange for my review. Please note that all opinions expressed are my own.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 2 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
Grief, loss, spirit world
Date:March 5, 2013
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Corrie Saunders is an army wife who is deeply in love with her husband Jarrod. She gave up a life of luxury and her art for Jarrod and was perfectly content to spend the rest of her life with Jarrod and raising a family. It seemed to be the perfect dream -- until Jarrod became a hero and sacrificed his life when he stopped an Iraqi suicide bomber. Now Corrie's dreams are shattered.
She retreats to the family home her husband inherited situated deep in the Missouri Ozarks. She longs for Jarrod's presence and feels that by moving back to the home place, she can hold onto Jarrod.
Corrie has hired Jarrod's cousin Eli to help with the renovations of the homeplace. Eli is a pastor of a small local church and senses Corrie's deep desire to hold onto Jarrod. Eli also has certain family members who believe in spirits and communicating with the dearly departed. He warns Corrie to be careful about getting involved with these family members, but Corrie senses that Jarrod is near and her longing to have Jarrod back is a strong pull to this spirit world. Can Eli help Corrie see the dangers and that she has to let Jarrod go? Can Eli help Corrie renew her faith and look to the One who will ultimately never leave her?
This is a enjoyable book and shows how grief can take over our lives and lead us down paths that can be harmful. Tracy Bateman has written a good story using characters and situations that we can certainly relate to and clearly shows that God is truly the only one who can ease our grief. She has also done a good job at dealing with the "spirit world" and how nothing but trouble can come from associating/communicating with demons. I'm not one who usually enjoys reading anything about the spirit or demon world. I'm not necessarily a scaredy cat about these things, but I know that they are real. The Bible is clear about our not giving room for Satan's influence, which can be very powerful and easily control a weak or young Christian. That being said, I did like this book and will probably read some of her other books when given the opportunity. (rev. P.Howard)
DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided to us in exchange for our honest review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 3 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
A man's faith protects the woman he loves
Date:October 2, 2012
Janet P
Location:El Cajon, CA
Quality:
3
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
3
out of
5
I recently read "The Widow Of Saunders Creek, a novel written by Tracey Bateman. Corrie Saunders became a widow when her military husband Jarrod was killed by a suicide bomber while on a mission in Iraq. Six months after Jarrod's death, Corrie decides to restore and live in her husband's family home in the Ozarks. Corrie starts getting to know her husband's relatives and Eli, Jarrod's cousin, begins helping Corrie work on the house. Over time he starts to have feelings for Corrie although she is still grieving for Jarrod. Corrie becomes convinced that Jarrod's spirit is still around because of different things that occur in the house. Eli is a preacher and believes that what Corrie senses is not Jarrod but a spirit with dark intentions. Eli will need all of his faith and love for Corrie to change her beliefs, but will she? My thoughts - I thought the book was okay; the pace was slow and I tend to like more fast-paced books. The book is written in both Eli and Corrie's viewpoints, so that was a little disjointed to me. Also it was never made clear what (or who) the spirit in the house was. I think this book would be enjoyable for anyone who wants to read about someone who is steadfast in their faith (Eli) and wouldn't mind the occult/demonic aspects.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 4 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
THE WIDOW OF SAUNDERS CREEK is an amazing read!
Date:September 16, 2012
Eleanor Anders
Location:USA
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
My Look:
Grieving and confused, Corrie Saunders moves from her mother's home in Texas to the place that would have been their home—Jarrod's and Corrie's place. He inherited it from his family, and since he died in the war, she inherited this place. Although not at all sure why, the house seems to have summoned her here to be closer to her husband's memory but her coming to live at Saunders Creek isn't always welcomed by the Saunders clan.
Some of his family wants her to give it up, but how could she? Jarrod grew up here.
The renovations to the home have been in process for a while and have been handled by Jarrod's cousin, Eli. Remembering Jarrod's words of trust for his cousin, Corrie wanted him to do the work because that's what her husband wanted, and Eli wasn't among those in the family who begrudged her this house. He didn't care that she wasn't born a Saunders.
From the first night in the old house, her grief seized her and made Corrie wonder what she was even doing here. Should she even stay?
Yet, Jarrod's childhood called to her here. She imagines her husband of seven years as a young child, roaming the land and having fun. However charming these thoughts are they pull her deeper into pain. Why wasn't he here with her? She couldn't even bring herself to sleep in the bed. The lonely mattress would only prevent the rest she desperately needed but never seemed to manage.
Eli Saunders came to halt. The woman who was sleeping on that rickety porch swing with rusty chains and hardware was a small thing, but he still wondered how that dilapidated contraption was still in one piece. With a chuckle, he also wondered how this woman was going to feel when she awoke. Judging by the liquor bottle near the swing, he could give an educated guess that she wouldn't be in any shape to work. Her squirming said he was soon to find out about her condition, but he still couldn't look away.
Hungover, with a tear-stained face, this woman was something to behold. Moreover, their phone conversations that had taken place about the renovations showed her caring, down-to-earth personality.
There were a few things he knew for certain. His cousin had a beautiful wife and Corrie Saunders was deep in grief. Everything about the situation made him need to keep a distance, but now that she was here in the Ozarks with him, everything about her was going to make it difficult to do just that.
However, his history and his childhood spent in this house made him concerned that Corrie had made a huge mistake.
My Take:
THE WIDOW OF SAUNDERS CREEK: A NOVEL by Tracey Bateman is an amazing read!
Tracey Bateman tackles tough, relevant subjects and provides the Christian perspective in a story where the pages could literally turn themselves and you would believe it could happen just that way. However, this author doesn't preach about things, that go bump in the night, she uses the house as a character and shows you how things are not always what they seem to be or seem not to be.
The setting is so much a part of this story that you feel what Corrie feels and could only imagine the worry of those around her. You will sympathize with Corrie and fall in love with Eli.
Meanwhile, Corrie and Eli are brought together in the most awkward of situations that the attraction naturally builds and each of these two have major reasons for keeping their distance. While family members, friends, and something not quite breathing tries to keep them a part, the result is that they are drawn together under more lethal circumstances and each has a part in keeping each other alive.
THE WIDOW OF SAUNDERS CREEK: A NOVEL by Tracey Bateman is a stand-alone novel, but you will want to catch up with some of her other titles including THIRSTY: A NOVEL and TANDEM: A NOVEL. I received this book for free in exchange my honest review.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 5 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
a great novel
Date:July 14, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Tracy has done a phenomenal job of taking a controversial subject and dealing with it realistically, and nonjudgemental in this heart warming novel of a woman who lost her husband to the war too soon. Are ghosts real? Do they talk to the living? Can we really communicate with our loved ones who have died? The story is told from two points of view, both in the first person, but it draws in the reader and you feel as if Corrie and Eli are in the room telling you what has happened in the last month. Only it becomes more intimate because you don't need to stop and say I said, she said, he said or did. And by giving the name at the beginning of section, the reader is not confused as to whose mind we are inside. The characters are all well developed, and we see the carpentergrowth in them, both Corrie and Eli to the secondary characters of Lola (Corrie's sister) and Joe (carpenter) as well as others in the community. From deep mourning and dispair in Corrie's case to reaching out to others, and in Eli's situation from envy to acceptance. I would recommend this to my friends.
I received this ebook free from Waterbrook Press through their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to give a positive review, just an honest one which I have done. The opinions stated are my own.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 6 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
Moving Forward after Great Loss
Date:August 28, 2012
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
"The Widow of Saunders Creek" by Tracey Bateman is the story of Corrie Saunders, a promising artist turned Army wife, then widow. Seven months after her husband’s death in Iraq, Corrie moves into the family home, her husband’s inheritance from his grandparents, now hers. Corrie begins to sense a presence in the house and comes to believe her husband is residing there as a ghost.
Corrie’s husband’s cousin, Eli, who is renovating the house for Corrie, knows better, though. Those who’ve inhabited the family home for decades have all sensed this presence and witnessed ghostly things. Eli believes it’s time for these beings to leave, but must convince Corrie.
Though the story has supernatural/spirit world/culture of superstition elements, it’s really a story about overcoming grief, of learning to let go of what is gone and of trusting God as one moves forward with life. Corrie must overcome what is holding her back, tempting her to hang on to her husband as if he were still alive instead of gratefully embracing God’s new gifts.
Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers sent a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review. I enjoyed reading it.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 7 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
Romantic Suspense with a Touch of Frank Peretti
Date:August 20, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
I almost didn’t pick The Widow of Saunders Creek out to review, because I thought from the title that it was going to be historical fiction. But it is contemporary Christian fiction, with a bit of romance and a bit of suspense, and I thought it was well worth reading.
Corrie Saunders was widowed six months ago, when Jarrod, her army husband, died a hero in the Middle East, leaving her with a flag and the family home in the small Ozark town of Saunders Creek. Corrie has returned to restore the old house they had planned on raising their family in. Eli is the friend, cousin and contractor undertaking the renovations. He is also Jarrod's cousin and childhood friend, and was left with a a permanent limp and an army discharge after a riding accident with Jarrod.
Strange things are happening in the house. Doors slam. Objects move of their own accord. Corrie thinks someone is lying in her bed, but when she turns around, no one is there. Several of the women of the family dabble in magic, and believe that Jarrod’s spirit has come back to care for his widow. Eli, a seminary graduate and part-time preacher, believes the source is demonic, but knows that Corrie has to make her own choice.
The story is told in the first person, alternating between Corrie and Eli. For this to work, the author has to be able to create two characters that readers both like and could relate to. Tracey Bateman has certainly succeeded in this. Corrie still loves her husband, and while she is slowly getting over the grief, the idea that he may be present in the house is very seductive. Eli is falling for Corrie, despite knowing she still loves Jarrod and that she might be tempted by the very real spirit world.
Some readers might find this almost paranormal aspect of The Widow of Saunders Creek offputting. I was a bit hesitant – some of Bateman’s previous books have skated very close to the line. But this is more in the lines of the early Frank Peretti novels, This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness, in that it makes no apologies for the fact that there is a spiritual realm, and that the name of Jesus is the answer. A touching story of a developing relationship. Recommended.
Thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah and Bloggingfor Books for providing a free book for review.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 8 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
“The Widow of Saunders Creek” – Romance Plus Ghost
Date:August 19, 2012
BethStrand
Location:Oregon City, OR
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Corrie Saunders has come home to her husband’s family home hoping that learning more about his early life will help her feel less lost. What she finds at Saunders creek begins to convince her that Jarrod isn’t really lost to her, after all….but is Jarrod really the force behind what she’s encountering?
Eli, Jarrod’s cousin, may be the only person in Saunders Creek who doesn’t remember Jarrod as fondly as everyone else. He also has reason to doubt that what Corrie is experiencing at the family home has anything to do with Jarrod and is really something much darker. As Eli comes to grips with his growing feelings for Jarrod’s widow, he wonders if something dark and sinister is keeping them apart.
For me, “The Widow of Saunders Creek” may be one of the best pieces of Christian Fiction that I’ve read. The story was interesting, intriguing, and well-written. The character of Eli presents a Christian view point without becoming preachy and the pacing of the story is excellent. The scary stuff was just scary enough to make you not want to go upstairs alone in the dark but the love story creates a nice balance. All in all, I’d have to give this book my highest possible recommendation…in other words, read it!
This book was provided to me by WaterBrook Press for this review through their Blogging for Books Program.
Eli, Jarrod’s cousin, may be the only person in Saunders Creek who doesn’t remember Jarrod as fondly as everyone else. He also has reason to doubt that what Corrie is experiencing at the family home has anything to do with Jarrod and is really something much darker. As Eli comes to grips with his growing feelings for Jarrod’s widow, he wonders if something dark and sinister is keeping them apart.
For me, “The Widow of Saunders Creek” may be one of the best pieces of Christian Fiction that I’ve read. The story was interesting, intriguing, and well-written. The character of Eli presents a Christian view point without becoming preachy and the pacing of the story is excellent. The scary stuff was just scary enough to make you not want to go upstairs alone in the dark but the love story creates a nice balance. All in all, I’d have to give this book my highest possible recommendation…in other words, read it!
This book was provided to me by WaterBrook Press for this review through their Blogging for Books Program.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 9 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
a journey through grief
Date:August 17, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Grief can make you do crazy, unexplainable things. This story tells us about Corrie Saunders after the death of her husband. We see her journey to acceptance of Jarrod's forever absence, and back to the One who loves her no matter what.
I found the "ghosts" to be a little creepy, but completely realistic. Tracey Bateman handled a touchy subject with a lot of grace and well-written words.
I highly recommend The Widow of Saunders Creek if you like suspense with a touch of romance.
***I received this book free for review. The above is my honest opinion.***
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Review 10 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
Review of The Widow of Saunders Creek
Date:August 16, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Review of The Widow of Saunders Creek
This was the first book by Tracey Bateman for me to read. As a former Army Wife the subject intrigued me, and I thought reading about a person moving on would be worth the read. I found this book to be very interesting. Not too many times do you run across a book talking about hauntings and ghost and trying to explain them vs the biblical realm. I love how it is broken down and how we must realize the evil spirits among us in this world and how the devil tries to deceive. I found myself brought in wanting a great outcome to come for Corrie since she had been through so much; I found myself on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would come next in the story. The verses before each chapter were some of my favorite to see.
I also enjoyed the character of Eli. His storyline and everything he stood for gave for a good reading. I feel it was hard in his community to keep his faith and stand his grounds, but he was a man of great faith. I think this would be a good read for anyone!
This was the first book by Tracey Bateman for me to read. As a former Army Wife the subject intrigued me, and I thought reading about a person moving on would be worth the read. I found this book to be very interesting. Not too many times do you run across a book talking about hauntings and ghost and trying to explain them vs the biblical realm. I love how it is broken down and how we must realize the evil spirits among us in this world and how the devil tries to deceive. I found myself brought in wanting a great outcome to come for Corrie since she had been through so much; I found myself on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would come next in the story. The verses before each chapter were some of my favorite to see.
I also enjoyed the character of Eli. His storyline and everything he stood for gave for a good reading. I feel it was hard in his community to keep his faith and stand his grounds, but he was a man of great faith. I think this would be a good read for anyone!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Multnomah Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 11 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
Better than I expected
Date:August 15, 2012
The J Family Mom
Location:Midwest, US
Age:35-44
Gender:female
Quality:
3
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
Tracey Bateman seems to write a wide genre within Christian fiction. Her latest book, The Widow of Saunder's Creek, will probably raise some eyebrows for writing about the supernatural. But much like Brandilyn Collins' Coral Moon, The Widow of Saunder's Creek discusses ghosts and evil spirits using a much-needed Christian viewpoint. The Widow of Saunder's Creek starts as the book blurb describes but soon descends into unmentioned territory (much like I noticed her book Tandem did). When Corrie decides to move back to her husband's grandmother's home, she doesn't realize that a spirit lives there. Could it be the spirit of her just passed away husband or the grandmother's friendly ghost friend? You'll have to read to find out.
I do appreciate how Corrie is given wise counsel about spirits, and arguments from a biblical point. We live in a world where we war not with flesh-and-blood but spirits, constantly depending on God to keep us safe. I liked how Corrie developed her hobby/talent/possible career of art. And her relationship with her sister was hilarious!
Once again, I see a trend for Tracey Bateman books of the blurb sounding very benign and then the book broaching a whole different topic. However, this time I liked it better (call me hypocritical if you want).
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Multnomah Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 12 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
Contemporary romance with so much more
Date:August 3, 2012
Tracey Bateman is back with a story that hits on many emotional levels: are ghosts real? Can a loved one come back from the other side of death? And how can we move forward after the death of our soulmate?
Corrie Saunders has returned to her husband's home after his death in Iraq. In the midst of renovations, she begins to sense a presence. Could it be her husband? At the same time her husband's cousin tries to tell her it can't be. The story weaves through deep emotion and the growing realization that something more than friendship may be developing with Eli. But their spiritual differences form a formidable barrier.
This was a story that kept tugging me back to its pages. I loved the setting in the Ozarks of Missouri. And the characters that surround Corrie and Eli make the story engaging. The spiritual questions raised by this book turn this into a romance with a supernatural twist. A great choice for those who love a romance with more to it.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 13 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
A relationship with God versus witchcraft
Date:July 31, 2012
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
A new widow, Corrie Saunders, returns to the home where her deceased military husband Jared had grown up. The Ozark area of Saunders Creek was home to descendents of Appalachia. Those early settlers brought their traditions of witchcraft and spells with them, raising their children in the beliefs they had been taught. Jared’s family was no exception, but for one cousin and his mother. Eli has taken on the task of renovating the home place for Corrie and find that he is becoming protective of her. Knowing there is a stronger source of power than the beliefs of his relatives has led him to begin preaching in the local church. Eli’s faith is well grounded and he begins to question some of the things that are happening in the house. Things that Corrie believes are Jared trying to communicate with her. As Corrie begins to suspect that maybe it isn’t Jared at all, she also realizes that Jared may not have been the person she thought he was. As Eli and Corrie become better acquainted, she starts to see that the picture Jared presented to the world was not who the man really was. Selfish and self centered in life, his only act of putting others first resulted in his death. With this revelation, she begins to move beyond mourning for Jared and see that she has a full life ahead of her.
Skeptical at first about the choice of subject in The Widow of Saunders Creek, I did finish the book. Not my favorite reading material I was curious as to how it could be a Christian fiction book and still hold true to Christian beliefs and values. What I found was a very good explanation as to the differences between a relationship with God and witchcraft. I would recommend this book to someone who needed to see those differences as they began their walk with the Lord.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for my honest review.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 14 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
Not My Normal Pick
Date:July 30, 2012
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
3
out of
5
I chose this book simply for the title. ONE BIG THING (Discovering What You Were Born To Do). I opened the pages thinking the ONE BIG THING would be Jesus Christ. After all, without Him we are nothing and through Him all things are possible. I have learned that when I totally focused on Him my vision is made clear and I find myself right where I am to be.
There was a lot of great information in this book, but without Christ, none of it would be possible. For me, there wasn't enough focus on Christ. For me to figure out where I am to be and what I am to doing, I need to be searching Him. After all, He is my Creator.
If your looking for a book based on how to make in business or how to get your name out there, this book is for you. This book focuses on making it big in that ONE BIG THING your created to do and how to do it right. Phil Cooke does a great job at that. I mean, you cannot close this book and not be ready to tackle tomorrow. It gives encouragement and gives you a sense of, I can do it!! It shows us that we will all have a legacy. So, what are we doing about that legacy? How are making our mark on this world?
For me, there was a too much self and not enough surrender. I'm not big into marketing myself. I want to be an apprentice for Christ. I want Him to be at the forefront of my life. So, when something good happens, I want all that spotlight directed upon Him.
So, in the end I suppose I did learn a great deal from this book. It made me think and refocus my efforts of what my daily life should be. The best advice in this book was find one thing and do it well. Too many times we have our hands in everything and in doing that we cannot give 100%. Basically we must learn how to say no.
This book was a gift from Thomas Nelson for it's review.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 15 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
not believable
Date:July 26, 2012
Quality:
2
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
2
out of
5
I have mixed feelings on this book. It was very well written and easy to read, but the content was too bizarre for me. It was about ghosts, demons, etc.
Corrie Saunders moves into her deceased husband's family's home that is 150 years old in the Ozarks. There are witches, mediums etc in the area and family and believe the house is haunted.
It could be that these things really happen in life, but it was just too weird for me to really enjoy the book.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 16 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
Intriguing and Powerful
Date:July 24, 2012
Jeannine
Location:New York
Age:35-44
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
I recently had the opportunity to read the enthralling novel The Widow of Saunders Creek. I was intrigued by the premise of the book. Author Tracey Bateman ventures into unusual territory for a novel. She bravely deals with the powerful topic of spiritual battle.
When Corrie, a young widow still grieving the loss of her Army hero husband, moves to her late husband's family home in the Ozarks, she is captivated by what she senses to be her husband's spirit living in the home. Reluctant to let go of her relationship with her beloved, Corrie is seduced by the idea promulgated by many in the family and geographical area that spirits of loved ones can come back after death and communicate with the living. Corrie's late husband's cousin, Eli, is a devout Christian pastor who believes only what the Bible tells us about spirits: they are either angels or demons. And he believes that the spirit that is "visiting" Corrie is disguising itself as her beloved Jarrod.
The book is quite chilling, but the message is clear. I have been doing a bit of reading on spiritual battles of late, and that is why this novel appealed to me. It clarified, in an straightforward way, some issues that the nonfiction books belabored. I was grateful for its clear stance.
Told in the first person, alternately by Corrie and Eli, the story was interesting, with the expected ups and downs of this genre, along with a couple of surprises I never expected. Corrie was likable enough, as was Eli, although I thought that sometimes their interactions were a bit sarcastic -- while that intended to show a burgeoning closeness, it sort of put me off. Additionally, there is an instance or two where Corrie reflects on her intimate relationship with her late husband, although this is extremely mild.
Tracey Bateman has written an engaging novel that possesses just the right balance of intrigue, relationships, and a strong Christian message that many are afraid to tackle.
WaterBrook Multnomah kindly provided me a free copy of this book as part of its Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 17 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
Yes, you should read it!
Date:July 21, 2012
Corrie Saunders grew up in a life of privilege. But she gave it all up for Jarrod, her Army husband, a man she knew was a hero when she vowed to spend her life with him. She just didn’t expect her hero to sacrifice his life taking on an Iraqi suicide bomber.
Six months after Jarrod’s death, Corrie retreats to the family home her husband inherited deep in the Missouri Ozarks. She doesn’t know how to live without Jarrod—she doesn’t want to. By moving to Saunders Creek and living in a house beloved by him, she hopes that somehow her Jarrod will come back to her.
Something about the house suggests maybe he has. Corrie begins to wonder if she can feel Jarrod’s presence.
Jarrod’s cousin Eli is helping Corrie with the house’s restoration and he knows that his dead cousin is not what Corrie senses. Eli, as a believing man and at odds with his mystically-oriented family members, thinks friendly visits from beyond are hogwash. But he takes spirits with dark intentions seriously. Can he convince Corrie that letting go of Jarrod will lead to finding her footing again— and to the One she can truly put her faith into?
To be honest the description really intrigued me. Tracey Bateman wrote an excellent suspense novel with some romance thrown in. I was house sitting for some friends of mine while I read this - I had to make sure I read it during the day time as I wasn't used to the sounds of the house I was in! I've read other books that are more suspenseful, but haven't read one in a while, so this spooked me - which is a good thing.
I highly recommend this book to anyone! A few things I gleaned from this book is first, the name of Jesus is so powerful - powerful enough to "get rid of" demons. This is the Christ that died for me and His name is powerful - think of how powerful He is. Another thing is that you should probably follow your gut. Several times Corrie's gut told her that something was wrong several times, yet she pushed that feeling aside when she shouldn't have and ran into trouble because of it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 18 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
More than "just" a ghost story!
Date:July 9, 2012
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Corrie Saunders is The Widow of Saunders Creek. Her husband Jarrod lost is his life protecting Iraqui villagers from a 12-year-old strapped with a bomb. To Corrie, and to almost everyone who knew him, he was a hero. His cousin, Eli, however, remembers him differently. Eli remembers Jarrod as competitive and selfish, and most importantly, as the man responsible for his leg injury that kept Eli himself from serving his country. Corrie has inherited property in Saunders Creek that has belonged to the Saunders family for generations. She moves there to see if she can find Jarrod's memory, but she seems to find his presence itself in the house. Eli warns her that humans cannot return to the earth, and that she needs to be careful of letting this spirit into her life. Will she believe Eli, who is becoming a dear friend and possibly more, or will it be too hard to finally let go of Jarrod?
This book was so much more than I expected. I hesitated to request it, because I don't typically like books that deal with demons and spirits. However, the balance in this book made it such a great story. Eli believes definitively that there should be no contact with the spirit world, that the Bible condemns witches and mediums. Even so, there are self-confessed witches within his own family who consider their gift to be from God. He manages to love them without condoning their beliefs. Corrie, understandably, is somewhere in the middle. She believes that Eli is honest and caring and that his beliefs seem sound. But she is still grieving intensely, and would like nothing more than proof that Jarrod is still with her. The demonstration of how easy it is to let demons prey on our fears and hopes is very realistic and timely. Yet the author clearly shows that Jesus is the only spiritual Power and being that we should trust, and that His Name is the Name above all.
In addition to the supernatural aspects of the book, the characters within story made it so much richer and fuller than just a ghost story. The book alternates points of view between Corrie and Eli, giving us both sides of the story, and allowing each of them to interact with minor characters that serve to enrich their personalities even further. Even though some characters appear for only short scenes, they demonstrate the town's love for Eli, who has always felt inferior to Jarrod, and they give pictures of loving relationships and committed marriages.
I give this book 4 stars. I really enjoyed all of the characters, and felt that there was such a good balance of love and struggles that the book felt neither sappy nor depressing. The relationship between Corrie and Eli develops so slowly and naturally, that even though you know from the early pages that that's where it's going, you're happy when it gets there. I would definitely look to read more works from this author.
I received a copy of this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest review.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 19 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
Wonderful story with substance and deep emotion.
Date:July 4, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Well this is a favorite for me this year. I didn't want to do anything but read this book. The love story was tender and the mystery of the house was downright creepy. The thing I liked about this story were the spiritual elements because there was truth in what the characters said. You can't dabble with spirits. There are no such things as good spirits, but only demons cloaked in whatever you want them to be so they can get close. That gave me the shivers. Anyway, there were a lot of good nuggets in spiritual thread of the book.
I also appreciated the theme of grief and loss and all of the points the author brought out in the process of showing it. I loved how you were in the heroine's head and coping as if you were the person grieving. There were a number of times when I got teary myself. Like when she visited her deceased husband's parents, and when she painted the surprise at the camp. The emotion expressed in the story was deep and believable.
Of course, my favorite character was the hero, though the heroine was very likable as well. The hero cared about others to the point where he'd set his own needs aside at times. I loved how he sometimes felt selfish himself because of his feelings for the heroine. I also loved how honest he was in his thoughts regarding his attraction her. But the best part about him was that he loved deeply and that he was so tenderhearted. The fact that he was handsome, yet imperfect, was the icing on the cake.
The bottom line is that I loved this book and I think it's Tracey's best contemporary novel to date. I was enthralled with the plot and the characters. This book had all the tension of a Dekker novel, but with a deeply romantic and emotional thread that only a woman can write in a way that women understand best. Fantastic story! It's making my best fiction list for 2012.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Review 20 for The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel - eBook
Overall Rating:
Intriguing setting, interesting storyline.
Date:June 18, 2012
NaomiGrace
Location:Beaverton, Oregon
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
I thought the book was overall enjoyable. I was struck with exactly how little power Satan really has in our lives...his only influence is fear, which we can easily reject. This is my first book by this author, but I look forward to reading more.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.