Jennifer by Dee Henderson

Always a fan of Dee Henderson’s books, I eagerly awaited my opportunity to learn more about the O’Malley’s. A prequel to the O’Malley series, Jennifer was a heartwarming little novella giving some nice background to Jennifer’s story. I liked the way the gospel was clearly presented, the way Tom was patient with Jennifer’s exploration of faith, and the way  **spoiler alert** Jennifer grapples with her diagnosis in light of the loving God she just met. **end spoiler**

Though maintaining Henderson’s characteristically great writing, I wish Jennifer had been a full-length novel to go along with the others in the series. It was a charming love story, but didn’t pack quite the punch the other books in the series did. Having said that, reading it did make me anxious to go back and reread the rest of the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House with no expectation of a positive review.

Reggie by Reggie Dabbs with John Driver

Wow! Wow! Wow! This book was a surprising gem. An inspirational autobiography of a man from humble beginnings who found his way, his purpose, and his value in Christ. 

To be honest, this  was one of those books that I thought might be a good story, but I didn’t expect it to be a favorite. I tend to gravitate toward fiction. But I decided to give it a shot and I am so glad I did. I began reading this in a dentist’s waiting room, not the place one usually shows emotion, and by page 21, I had both laughed out loud and felt tears run down my face. And it got better from there.

Emotional, inspirational, challenging, entertaining, faith-building. Reggie was all these things. Extremely well-written, Reggie was a real pleasure to read and I will be recommending it to others. I especially want my teenage children to read it. 

A complimentary review copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers with no expectation of a positive review.