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MichelleSutton

MichelleSutton

has 1039 followers and is following 1011 people

I'm the author of over a dozen Christian novels releasing through 2012, a book reviewer, avid blogger, a member of ACFW, the mother of two young college students, a wife of over two decades, and follower of Jesus Christ.
  • AZ, USA
  • member since August 1, 2007

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 517 reviews
  • When the Smoke Clears: A Novel (Deadly Reunions)
    • Rated 5 stars

    “What a fantastic Romantic Suspense novel! Not only was it packed with romantic tension, but there were twists and turns all through the book. The hero was yummy and the way he related to Alexia was endearing. Gotta love a man who wants to keep his woman safe, right? One thing I loved most about this story was that I didn't know who was behind the killings, and at the same time I love that there will be another book in the series that ties with this one. Talk about leaving a trail of red herrings and leading the reader on a bit of a goose chase! Great job there. And the fact that Alexia even looked guilty herself on a number of occasions was sheer brilliance. The ending left me a bit speechless, but I like that, too.

    There were many characters in the story I could relate to because the author made them feel so human. I understood Alexia's disillusionment with life based on her childhood pain, and Chad's issues regarding rejection based on his divorce. I loved how God put so many people in her path to reach out to her until her heart softened on a spiritual level. That aspect of the story was very well done and felt natural. I can't understand the extreme hatred her father had toward her, but maybe that will be revealed a bit more later. There is certainly potential to explore that more in future installments.

    The romantic elements in this story were particularly yummy. I loved that there were several kissing scenes and various romantic situations. The best part was it didn't all happen at the end. Hunter played a big role in Alexia's healing, and that part of their relationship certainly helped her learn to trust a man, and one man in particular. I was feeling the love and the heat between them, but it never scorched me in a negative way. It was a warm experience for me as a reader. (Just using a bit of firefighter lingo to fit with the theme.) Anyway, I really enjoyed this story!”

    MichelleSutton wrote this review 3 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Sweeter than Birdsong (A Saddler's Legacy Novel)
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Sweeter than Birdsong had it's enjoyable moments, and there were even a few times when I was downright enthralled and didn't want to do anything but read this book. On the flip side, there were a few spots where I found myself skimming, but overall I thought the book was well-written and inspiring. I even liked it enough to put the first book in the series on my "hope to read" list, which is something I don't do often. I loved Ben's character and the adventure his family had as part of their ministry to the Underground Railroad and abolition movement.

    What spoke to my heart most in this novel was the passion that the characters had for abolition and the desire to put their own welfare at risk to save someone else. A few times I was afraid right along with them as they tried to help slaves escape to freedom, and that scene with Frank when he cried over his wife broke my heart. The description was so well-done I could hear his grief. I had a hard time liking Kate's family at all, but they did find a place in my heart at the end. Ben's family was great all along and such an encouragement to him. They seemed to be the kind of family most people wished they had.

    The romantic elements in the story were interesting. I liked how Kate was portrayed as extremely shy, which makes her overcoming the fear of speaking more powerful when it finally happens. At first I could not see the appeal of why Ben would continue to pursue Kate even though they bonded during that one risky mission. But she avoided him in obedience to her mother's wishes. I wanted to say, "scrap what your mother wants and do what you want, you're an adult" but then realized the constraints at the time made that difficult to do. I understood her mother's motivation to keep her from marrying what she perceived as the "wrong man" for her future.

    The one thing that struck me about this story was how even the littlest of touches, like a quick brush of the hands, could be sensual if that was the only contact you had with the opposite sex that you happened to be very attracted to. Simple things took on a lot more meaning. That was well done. I thought the author did a great job trying to build the romantic tension. The letters really added to the story. All in all, a good read. I enjoyed this author's style and will probably read her books again. ”

    MichelleSutton wrote this review 7 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Zoe Mack and the Secret of the Love Letters (Zoe Mack Mysteries)
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Zoe Mack and The Secret of the Love Letters was a fun mystery with a lot of twists and turns. I'm not much of a mystery fan, but this story held my attention. I enjoyed the tension between Nate and Zoe and watching their relationship develop as she agonized over his future and wanting to help him out of the mess he was in. The story had a YA feel to it because Zoe was always thinking about that next kiss. Then again, I was the same way when I was her age. I enjoyed the insanity of the chase and the way Zoe and Nate tried to sleuth even though they were novices at it. Though I suspected early on who the stalker was, it was still fun to see it play out in the end. This mystery is the first in a series of Zoe Mack Mysteries. It's another entertaining YA novel by an author who really knows how to cook up a tale of intrigue. So check it out.”

    MichelleSutton wrote this review 10 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Alienation
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Well, this was an interesting story with a creative plot. I have to admit it pulled me in. I felt like I was reading a cross between Spy Kids and The X Men, but with a unique twist that added a slight faith element as well. I thought it was fun, too, because I knew the places the author referred to in Arizona. That made the book more special to me. The mystery regarding the Thule and who was trying to kill Colt pulled me along and kept me reading. I enjoyed how the author made the teens so realistic and how they had to work together. While a bit violent at times, I still found the story captivating. I could see why it would appeal to young people who enjoy science fiction. I'm not sure sci fi is my thing, but I would probably read another book by Jon S. Lewis. In fact, I can see this as a TV series or a movie. Jon is a gifted writer. I enjoyed the crazy dialog and getting introduced to a fictional world through the author's imagination. ”

    MichelleSutton wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Chasing Mona Lisa
    • Rated 4 stars

    “This was another good book by a tight writing team. I have to say I liked it even more than The Swiss Courier. The story was smoother, I think, even though it was co-written. A few times I had to set the book down because life gets in the way of my reading pleasure at times, but when I picked it up again it wasn't hard to get back into the zone of the story. Some parts were more compelling than others, but overall it was a good read. It felt more historical than suspenseful, but I prefer it that way. The faith element wasn't very strong, but that didn't seem like it would blend as well into the storyline. It would have stuck out more so the fact that it was subtle was good.

    A couple of times I was afraid for them, like when they were in the sewers and when the Nazi thugs caught up to them. I loved the tension between Collette and Bernard and the underlying conspiracy due to the struggle for communism after the Nazis left Paris and the French got a taste of victory. I also loved the affection expressed between Gabi and Eric. Those two make a great couple. The twist at the end was pretty unexpected, but I liked it and it fit the story. Again, this was an enjoyable story with a satisfying ending. If you like WWII era novels set in Europe, you'll enjoy this one.”

    MichelleSutton wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Flying With Scissors: A Different Perspective on Childhood Cancer
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Flying with Scissors is a truly inspirational book. In fact, it's a work of art. The humor and illustrations will have you laughing and crying. Some of the true-to-life accounts of children fighting their own battles with cancer made my heart warm in a way that rarely happens when I read a book. Though non-fiction, the story read like a novel. It was honest, funny, daring at times, and extremely well-written. I am truly impressed and highly recommend Flying With Scissors to anyone who has a loved one with childhood cancer, or any other person who wants to read a truly inspirational book that will make you want to love more, enjoy family and friends more, and celebrate life to the fullest. I can't help but rave about this one. I hope to see more books from Bob Wallace. Well done!”

    MichelleSutton wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Dear John
    • Rated 5 stars

    “This is by far my favorite story by Nicholas Sparks, with The Last Song being a close runner up. I actually watched the movie first and fell in love with the actors because they did such a great job portraying all of the emotion this story contains. Since I loved the movie, I got the book. This is the first time I can honestly say that I loved them both the same. The funny thing is there are some significant differences between the two, the ending being the most critical, yet I loved the way the movie ended and I also loved the way the book ended even though they were very, very different. I've never had that experience before.

    Since this book was entirely in the first person POV of John, the only person's head you are ever in is John's. I think that was one of the things that made the book so poignant for me. It was so decidedly male in regards to the perspective of the story, but in this book Sparks shows a side of men that you can only experience from reading John's internal thoughts. You can't capture that on film, and that was what made the book so powerful.

    This is a love story in it's purest form and I found it truly inspirational that John gained so much insight and maturity from his relationship with Savannah and their experiences. He learned from the pain as well as the good times, but for John, the painful lessons made him stronger and gave his life another layer to it that he embraced. That was truly inspirational for me. The way John concluded his thoughts about what real love is would make even the toughest of hearts melt. It wasn't sappy either, but truly insightful and touching. If you've never read Sparks before and you want to see some of his best work, start with this one. It's not depressing, but rather hauntingly beautiful and I loved it! ”

    MichelleSutton wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Jerk Magnet, The (Life at Kingston High)
    • Rated 5 stars

    “I don't know what it is about Melody Carlson's YA books published by Revell that I love so much, but it probably has to do with the relevant, timely subject matter and how well she puts everything together in a story that anyone can relate to. If the rest of the series is half as enjoyable as this book was, then I'm reading them all. In fact, I read this story through in one sitting. I didn't get out of the chair until I'd turned the last page. Not even to take a break. That's a great book if I don't want to put it down for any reason.

    I loved the theme in this book about how people treat each other based on outward appearances and that all people, good-looking and unattractive alike, have feelings that shouldn't be messed with based on preconceived notions people may have about them. I discovered when I was a teenager that acting like myself and having a brain didn't attract boys. But ramp up the appearance a bit and play the ditsy blonde, and then I couldn't get them to leave me alone.

    I've been at fault myself for judging people based on their outward appearance even as an adult. I assumed once back in the 1990s that our new pastor's young wife (who was my age) had plenty of friends because she was pretty and nice, only to find out everyone else thought she had plenty of friends, too, and for the same reason. Come to find out she had NO friends. Everyone assumed wrong. We ended up becoming friends and bonded over the movie "Sense and Sensibility" with some other ladies at church who had also judged incorrectly and we finally got to know each other. I'm glad we did.

    What I enjoyed most about this book was how it showed that beautiful people have emotional insecurities too. While everyone says they want to be that way, the truth is if guys only wanted to date you because you were beautiful, and no one wanted to commit to you because they felt you were too pretty, you'd see it's a pretty lonely life. And no one likes to be surrounded by catty, competitive women, even as adults. So this book was a great reminder that even Christians fall into that trap, though I can honestly say that at my church I feel like we all blend very well and befriend each other with no biases, but I'm sure that's not always the case.

    Regardless, we need to get to know each other on the inside first, and let that be the measuring stick we use to determine whether or not we want to get to know someone better or not. The Jerk Magnet did a great job at presented all sides and reminding the reader not to be shallow and judgmental, but to love each other as Christ loved us. And most of all, to give each other a chance. We're all flawed, but we're all loved by the same God. Because this book spoke to my heart and I couldn't stop reading it, it's making my favorite fiction list for 2012. So far what I've been reading has been amazing for 2012. I'm sure it won't stay that way forever, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts.”

    MichelleSutton wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Walks Alone

    Walks Alone

    by Sandi Rog
    • Rated 5 stars

    “What an incredible, heart-felt novel! Rich with Native American culture, intrigue, and romance, Walks Alone held me captive to the end. So many desperate choices necessary for survival had to be made, but the things the hero and heroine feared most also made them stronger in the end. The variety of emotions they experienced and the developing love between them compelled me to read on, and more than that, they caused my eyes to well with tears a number of times. I felt the characters' pain and sensed their relief as their many trials made them stronger once they realized they were not alone, but that God was with them all along. Walks Alone contains a lot of realism and spiritual depth, which made me think more about my own faith. Most of all, this is a story of unconditional love and finding true freedom in Christ. He wants us to come to Him because we love Him, not because we were forced. This novel is a beautiful portrayal of Gods love for us and shows us why He gives us the freedom to choose. I loved Walks Alone so much that it's making my favorite fiction list for 2012!”

    MichelleSutton wrote this review Tuesday, January 17, 2012. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Last Song
    • Rated 5 stars

    “I read this book from start to finish in a day, and it's 463 pages long!

    This is my kind of story! And the coolest thing was the fact that even though this book is not officially "Christian" fiction, it had a strong faith message and I was thoroughly impressed with how strong it was and how the author incorporated it so seamlessly. Apparently when you've sold more than 50 Million + books like Nicholas Sparks has, you can write about faith and the Bible and it doesn't get edited out.

    I loved everything about this book and the focus on Ronnie's father's favorite verse; Galations 5:22. You have to look it up to find out what it says. I loved how it was used as a core theme in this story. There were some cool twists in this story that melted my heart when the truth regarding certain situations hit the fan. I cried a bunch toward the end, but considering the author's style of writing tear-jerker novels, I wasn't surprised.

    I have to say the ending was very inspiring even though it had its sad moments, because there was still joy at the end. It made me think about how sometimes things need to be left in God's hands and allowed to run their course instead of fighting things to get our way all the time (even in prayer.) There is a great purpose we don't understand, but Mr. Sparks nailed it by showing that in the story and writing a heartfelt, beautiful message about how love really can - and does - change people if we allow it.

    The romance in this story was delectable, heart-pounding, and sweet. Will and Ronnie's relationship was so precious and believable in the way the author presented everything. Their relationship was developed in such a way as to show how love can happen with a great hero, and it doesn't have to be just because he is drawn to a girl's pretty face. I totally adored the younger brother. He was so cute and personable and a fantastic secondary character.

    I could go on and on but I don't want to post any spoilers. Let me just say if this book had been published this year (or if I'd read it the year it released) it would have made my favorites list for sure. In fact, I loved this book so much I bought the DVD. Now to go pop it in the player and compare...”

    MichelleSutton wrote this review Saturday, January 14, 2012. ( reply | permalink )
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Displaying 1-10 of 517 reviews

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