West Bend Community Memorial Library
 The Shack by William Young
- Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted
during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally
murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four
years later in the midst of his "Great Sadness," Mack receives a suspicious
note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend.
Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon
and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change
Mack's world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly
irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in
a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound
you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone
you know to read this book! |
 The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
- The red tent is the place where
women gather during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. Like
the conversations and mysteries held within this feminine tent, this
sweeping piece of fiction offers an insiders look at the daily life of a
biblical sorority of mothers, wives, and daughters. |
 Divine by Karen Kingsbury
- Mary Madison is a wealthy, powerful woman of
faith who is known on the political landscape of Washington, D.C., and who
often testifies before various committees on behalf of abused and battered
women. Her faith and her story make her respected by people of all political
views and beliefs. In her younger days, Mary is victimized in a way that
becomes very public. She is held hostage to unspeakable horrors, and headed
for certain death when she finds a love that knows no bounds. This great
love seeks her, pursues her, and eventually rescues her. It is a love that
is tangible, life-changing, and divine. This great love has now become the
driving force in Mary's life. It causes her to devote her future and her
fortune to helping abused women find this same love, and in the process to
be redeemed. In this modern-day parable of Mary Magdalene, Karen Kingsbury uses gut-wrenching emotion to show how only a divine love can rescue us from the depths of depravity and victimization, and the redeeming transformation that is possible when we finally . . . finally embrace that love. |
 Crystal Lies by
Melody Carlson - A Son’s Addiction. A Mother’s
Heartbreak. A Family’s Crisis. As the wife of a prominent city attorney and
the mother of two teenage children on the brink of adulthood, Glennis Harmon
lives the kind of successful, high-profile life that many people envy. But
when nineteen-year-old Jacob is drawn into substance abuse, Glennis’
“perfect” world shatters like a crystal vase rocked from its once-steady
shelf. Glennis struggles to understand the response of her family as they
seek to support Jacob’s recovery. Her husband appears more concerned with
protecting his image than with finding help for their troubled son, but
Glennis becomes determined to save Jacob no matter what the cost. Stepping
into a rescuer role, she unintentionally puts her relationship with her
older daughter, Sarah, and her already strained marriage on the line–and a
revelation about her husband will push her to the brink of what she can
bear. How far should a mother go to save her child? A compelling,
compassionate, and ultimately hopeful novel about the impact of substance
abuse and addiction, Crystal Lies is an intimate portrayal of one mother’s
attempt to simultaneously love, trust, and let go. |
 Levi's Will by Dale W.
Cramer - Will flees his Amish community at the age
of 19, leaving behind a pregnant girlfriend. He begins a new life, joining
the Army and later marrying and having two sons. Unable to regain his
father's respect, can Will learn that love, not work, will heal the past and
give hope to his family's future? |
 Judgment Day by James
F. David - ""Judgment Day" left "Left Behind" in
its dust. The greatest Christian apocalyptic series of all time makes its
debut. St. John the Divine---author of Revelations---must be twirling in his
unquiet grave on Patmas. Hotter than thermonuclear fireballs."---Jack
Anderson, Pulitzer Prize winning columnist. |
 The Celebrity by Robert
Elmer - Caught Between a Charade and the Truth.
Jamie D. Lane is many things: multi-talented, handsome-and the most
sought-after pop star in the world. But there's one thing he isn't-happy. At
the height of his singing career, a family tragedy stops him in his tracks.
And in an effort to settle a private matter and put the past behind him,
Jamie cuts his trademark blonde curls, assumes a new identity, and secretly
slips away from his celebrity lifestyle and heads to the Pacific Northwest
in cognito. But what he finds in small town Washington could open up Jamie's
future-and change him forever. A teacher to inner city kids and former high
school track star, Anne Stewart had once believed she could change the
world. Then a near-fatal accident left her grappling with both the
devastating effects of head injury and deep bitterness toward the drunk
driver who crippled her. When a man she knows as "Joe Bradley" hits town,
however, he unexpectedly helps to restore her self-confidence and passion
for life. But when the scope of The Celebrity's deception becomes clear to
Anne, will it be too much to forgive? Can The Celebrity Reveal His True
Identity- Without Losing Everything? |
 A Change of Heart
by Philip Gulley - Sam Gardner never dreamed he
would be thanking God for Harmony's self-appointed general of the religious
Right, Dale Hinshaw. God does indeed work in mysterious ways.Amanda Hodge,
who has been living with her Uncle Ellis and Aunt Miriam since her parents
abandoned her years ago, now faces their return and their desire to be a
part of her life again. Dale Hinshaw hovers on the brink of death, in dire
need of a heart transplant The whole town is abuzz as the beautiful Deena
Morrison marries the town's most eligible bachelor, Dr. Pierce. And in the
midst of these triumphs and tragedies, Pastor Sam Gardner helps the people
of Harmony negotiate the sometimes rocky road of family life, faith, and
forgiveness.Although Harmony's characters develop and grow with each novel,
one thing remains constant-Philip Gulley's ability to capture both the
flavor of small-town America and the paradoxical beauty of our own humanity. |
 Double Vision
by Randall Ingermanson - Rachel and Dillon are
about as opposite as two people can be. She is quirky, erratic, and liberal,
and he is uptight, meticulous, and conservative. But both are brilliant and
on the verge of developing a quantum computer with the potential to change
the world. On the eve of certain breakthrough, the sabotage begins--someone
knows about their discovery, and the treachery is escalating. In the wrong
hands, their discovery could destabilize the world's economy. They have no
choice but to run, are they running from or toward the enemy? Ingermanson
deftly combines action-packed suspense, intriguing scientific speculation, a
bit of romance, and delightful touches of humor in this fascinating
techno-thriller. |
 A Window to the
World by Susan Meissner - Here is the dramatic
story of two young girls, Megan and Jen, who meet in first grade and quickly
become inseparable friends.Inseparable, that is, until one of them is
snatched away by kidnappers as the other young girl watches helplessly. The
remaining child grows up with the haunting memory of her friends abduction
and absence from her life. Then, sixteen years later, the stunning truth of
the disappearance is revealed. And once again, lives are changed forever.
This wonderful and heartrending second novel endears the reader to every
character in this intriguing story. A testament to Gods ability to work all
things together for good. |
 Gods and Kings by Lynn Austin -
Gods and Kings is the story of King Hezekiah, heir to the
throne of King David. When his evil father plots to sacrifice him,
Hezekiah's mother, Abijah, searches frantically for a way to save him. But
only two men can help her, and neither of them seems trustworthy. In a time
and place engulfed by violence, treachery, and infidelity to Yahweh, Abijah
and her son must discover the one true Source of strength if they are to
save themselves and their country. |
 Edge of Eternity
by Randy C. Alcorn - Imagine Being Pulled Into the
Hereafter. While You're Still Alive. A disillusioned business executive
whose life has hit a dead-end, Nick Seagrave has lost loved ones to tragedy
and his family to neglect. Now, at a point of great crisis, he unbelievably
and inexplicably finds himself transported to what appears to be another
world. Suddenly he's confronted with profoundly clear views of his own past
and personality. At the same time, he's enabled to see, hear, taste, and
smell the realities of both heaven and hell-realities that force him to face
dangers and trials far greater than any he's known before. Pitted against
flying beasts, a monstrous web that threatens to hold him captive, an evil,
brooding intelligence, and undeniable evidence of a spiritual world, Nick
must finally consider the God he claims not to believe in. Walking between
two worlds, Nick Seagrave prepares to make decisions that will change his
life forever, as he stands on the Edge of Eternity. |
 Safely Home by Randy
C. Alcorn - Executive Ben Fielding hits upon a
perfect plan: he will make his company millions of dollars by using Chinese
labor to manufacture its electronic components. To kickstart his plan, he
visits China, where he stays with college roommate Li Quan, whom he hasn't
seen in over 20 years. From Li, Ben learns that his initial impressions of
China from his research and from visits over the years are false, but Ben
doesn't believe Li's stories of the persecution of Christians until Li is
taken to jail. As Ben rediscovers Jesus through Li's faith, he discovers the
truth that God does not promise an easy life on Earth, only eternal
happiness after death. |
 Sacred Trust by Hannah Alexander -
When
Lukas Bower accepts a position as ER doctor in Knolls, MO, he manages to
make enemies before he sets foot in the hospital. The senior doctor feels
threatened, a hospital benefactress dislikes the way Lukas handles her dying
mother, and a member of the hospital board is furious at the suggestion that
his son is an addict. Dr. Mercy Richmond doesn't know what to make of the
new guy and his discussions with patients about God, but he gradually draws
her out of her shell and gives her the courage to face her ex-husband in a
custody battle she hopes to win this time. |
 Rose by the Door by
Deborah Bedford - For years, visitors to Ash
Hollow, NE, have knocked on Bea Bartling's door and asked to see her famous
pioneer roses, which once marked the wagon train trails. Each time, Bea
hopes to see her estranged son, Nathan, but he never appears. After learning
that he has been killed in an accident, Bea loses her faith in God and
hardens her heart to the woman and child who appear on her doorstep weeks
later. Gemma Bartling was an unwed mother with a young daughter, Paisley,
when she met Nathan, and his love helped her find security again. Now he's
gone, and she has pinned her last hopes on his mother. It takes a mysterious
gardener, a pastor who never gives up, and the open heart of a small girl to
break through the shells surrounding both Bea and Gemma and lead them back
to God. |
 Trial by Fire by
Terri Blackstock - In "Trial by Fire", Pastor Nick
Foster's church burns to the ground, and in the rubble, a young black man is
found dead of a gunshot wound. Since the church is racially mixed, it isn't
clear whether the fire is a racist hate crime or a cover-up for murder.
Paramedic Issie Mattreaux thinks she knows who did it, but exposing the
killers might mean exposing people she loves. Check out other books in
Terri Blackstock's
Newpointe 911 series. |
 Out of the Shadows
by Sigmund Brouwer - Set in Charleston,
the novel introduces Nick Barrett. He is drawn home by a mysterious note
about the mother who abandoned him. |
 Child of Grace by
Lori Copeland - A successful career woman
struggling with an unwanted pregnancy goes home to Cullen's Corner. In the
quiet of her home town, she reconnects with family and God and discovers his
plans for her life. |
 True Believers by
Linda Dorrell - A Southern woman's work of charity
becomes a harsh confrontation with social expectations and racism. |
 Sadie's Song by Linda
Hall - Children are disappearing in a New England
fishing village, and a wife suspects her abusive husband may know why. Are
her own children safe? Should she tell her pastor of her fear? |
 Forgiving Hour by
Robin Lee Hatcher - After years of bitterness and
anger over her ex-husband's betrayal, Claire Conway's life finally seems to
be on track. She has raised a fine son, Dakota. Her work is going well, and
for the first time in years she finds herself attracted to a man once again!
Then Dakota brings home his fiancée, Sara Jennings, and everything falls
apart. For Sara turns out to be the same woman Claire's husband had an
affair with twelve years before. Forgiving Sara seems impossible. Yet only
in that hour of forgiveness can the three of them be truly set free. |
 Though None Go
With Me by Jerry B. Jenkins - Jenkins's latest
spiritual novel (after Left Behind and Tribulation Force) follows Elisabeth
Grace LeRoy Bishop through her life, which stands as an "experiment in
obedience" to God's will. Born on the first day of the century, Elisabeth
lives through two world wars and the advent of the automobile and telephone.
But the events of the outside world are secondary to the real story, which
centers on her spiritual development. Once Elisabeth makes her commitment to
God, the story moves quickly from one trial to another. Through no fault of
her own, Elisabeth's faith is repeatedly tested. She must weather her
father's death, her aunt's cruelty, the disappearance of her fiancée in WWI,
her daughter's chronic illness, hardship during the Depression, her
34-year-old husband's battle with Alzheimer's disease and the criminal
tendencies of her oldest son. Through these tribulations her faith in Christ
holds firm, buoyed up in part by her beloved youngest son. Even when the
most terrible things happen, apparently engineered to test her faith,
Elisabeth's devotion to God and the church are, ultimately, strengthened. |
 At Home in Mitford
by Jan Karon - It's easy to
feel at home in Mitford. In these high, green hills, the air is pure, the
village is charming, and the people are generally lovable. Yet, Father Tim,
the bachelor rector, wants something more. Enter a dog the size of a sofa
who moves in and won't go away. Add an attractive neighbor who begins
wearing a path through the hedge. Now, stir in a lovable but unloved boy, a
mystifying jewel theft, and a secret that's sixty years old. Suddenly,
Father Tim gets more than he bargained for. And readers get a rich comedy
about ordinary people and their ordinary lives. |
 A Time To Dance by
Karen Kingsbury - The decision has been made.
After 23 years of marriage and raising their family in the same lakeside
home, John and Abby Reynolds are getting a divorce. They gather their three
children to tell them the terrible news, but before they can speak, their
daughter makes a joyous announcement of her own: She is getting married.
John and Abby decide to postpone their news until after the wedding. As the
big day approaches, questions continue to haunt them. Is the decision
they've made irreversible? Or can they find once again what they've been
missing for so many years, the joy of magnificent love, the time...to dance? |
 Seasons Under
Heaven by Beverly LaHaye - Life in a quiet
cul-de-sac called Cedar Circle is pleasant, if uneventful, for four diverse
neighbors. Brenda Dodd is a happy career mom, homeschooling her children.
Tory Sullivan, more overwhelmed by her role as mother, finds her children to
be a challenge. Sylvia Bryan, meanwhile, suffers from empty nest syndrome,
and Cathy Flaherty is raising her three children alone after a divorce. When
Brenda's son Joseph is diagnosed with an enlarged heart, the women of Cedar
Circle come together to cope with life's challenges and find strength
through God. |
 The Crossroad by
Beverly Lewis - After he returns to New York,
Philip Bradley cannot forget Rachel Yoder and her daughter, Annie. As the
months pass, Philip struggles to cope, but he finds that he must know, once
and for all, if he truly loves the soft-spoken Amish widow. |
 Atonement Child by
Francine Rivers -
When
tragedy strikes Dynah, a devout Christian with a bright future, the Carey
family struggles to cope. In considering the question of abortion, Dynah and
her family must come to terms with God's provision and goodness and what it
means to live out the truth even when the cost is high. |
 When the Last
Leaf Falls by Bill Meyers - This retelling of
O. Henry's classic short story "The Last Leaf" begins with an adolescent
girl, Ally, who is deathly ill and angry at God. Her grief stricken father
is a pastor on the verge of losing his faith. |
 Transgression by
Randall Ingermanson -
While playing a virtual reality game, Rivka Meyers, an American Messianic
Jew visiting Israel for an archaeological dig, becomes trapped in ancient
Jerusalem, involved in a plot to destroy the spread of Christianity. |
 Prophet by Frank Peretti
- Anchorman John Barrett knows something is wrong;
the story doesn't add up. Prompted by extraordinary spiritual experiences,
he begins to uncover the story about abortion that no one wants to hear. |
| Christian Series |
| Love Inspired |
| Left Behind by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins |
| O'Malley Series by Dee Henderson |
| Christian Authors to Try |
| Robin Lee Hatcher |
| Beverly Lewis |
| Cindy McCormick Martinusen |
| Francine Rivers |
| Lori Wick |
| Karen Kingsbury |
| Jan Karon |
| Richard Paul Evans |
| Melody Carlson |
| Deborah Bedford |
| Terri Blackstone |
Updated
October 27, 2008
West Bend Community Memorial
Library
630 Poplar Street - West Bend Wisconsin 53095 - 262.335.5151
| Programs & Services | Policies/FAQs | Useful Sites |