1. Gathering Shadows, Finding Sanctuary Series #1
    Nancy Mehl
    Bethany House / 2014 / Trade Paperback
    Our Price$14.40 Retail Price$16.00 Save 10% ($1.60)
    4.5 out of 5 stars for Gathering Shadows, Finding Sanctuary Series #1. View reviews of this product. 34 Reviews
    Availability: In Stock
    Stock No: WW211570
4.5 Stars Out Of 5
4.5 out of 5
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Quality:
4.4 out Of 5
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Value:
4.4 out Of 5
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Meets Expectations:
4.3 out Of 5
(4.3 out of 5)
97%
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  1. lcjohnson1988
    Indiana
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: female
    4 Stars Out Of 5
    May 5, 2014
    lcjohnson1988
    Indiana
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: female
    Quality: 4
    Value: 4
    Meets Expectations: 4
    Wynter Evans is a reporter for a local TV station. She is sent to Sanctuary on assignment from her boss, but also because she has seen a picture of a local teenager who resembles her brother who was kidnapped 10 years ago. She is determined to find out if this boy is really her brother and if so, how he came to be in a small Mennonite town. Before she can pursue her quest, she needs more information and the only one who has it is her dad from whom she has been estranged. Her dad finally meets with her and gives her much more information than she bargained for. Then, the boy disappears. Has she found her brother only to lose him again? Can her relationship with her father be repaired in Sanctuary?

    As Wynter investigates, she spends some time with the town mayor, Reuben King. After only a couple of days, he declares he has feelings for her. Can Wynter really trust this guy? Wynter also feels like she is being watched everywhere she goes around town. There is a cook in the local restaurant who gives her mean looks, but Wynter has no idea why. Is he the one watching her? Is she being followed or stalked? She keeps getting the feeling that there are many people hiding secrets and won't cooperate with her by giving her interviews for her TV station story.

    One thing I didn't like was the abrupt romance between Wynter and Reuben. It just didn't seem realistic that they fell in love so quickly. It was as if they met, spent a little time together and then Reuben declares he loves Wynter. However, one a positive note, I just love the character of Esther. What a wonderful attitude toward living a life for God! She was so gracious, hospitable and generous. I also liked how the friendship developed between Zac and Wynter and the sense of humor and teasing between the two of them. I enjoyed visiting the small town of Sanctuary and how two people who thought they knew themselves ended up questioning their lives and ultimately finding out who they are in the Lord. A very good beginning to this new series and I look forward to reading the next book.
  2. Lindsey from BFCG
    Texas
    Age: 18-24
    Gender: Female
    3 Stars Out Of 5
    Wasn't a fan of the romance, but good suspense!
    September 12, 2017
    Lindsey from BFCG
    Texas
    Age: 18-24
    Gender: Female
    Quality: 3
    Value: 3
    Meets Expectations: 3
    **This is a Books for Christian Girls content review for girls ages 9-19. The Spiritual, Negative, & Sexual Content from this book are honestly listed below. Keep in mind, when reading a BFCG review, ignore the things that don't bother you, but take notice of the things that do.**

    About this book:

    Wynter Evans is a promising young reporter for a television station in St. Louis, but even a bright future doesn't take away her pain over the disappearance of her brother nine years ago. So when she stumbles across a photograph of a boy with an eerie resemblance to him, she can't pass up the chance to track him down. With research for work as her cover, she sets out with one of the station's photogs for the place where the picture was taken: the town of Sanctuary.

    Almost as soon as she arrives, she meets the town's handsome young mayor, Rueben King, and together they begin to uncover long held secrets that could tear the small town apart and change everything Wynter thought she knew about her life. As the truth of her family's past hides in the shadows, it's clear someone will stop at nothing to keep the answers she's searching for hidden forever--even if the cost is Wynter's very life.

    Series: Book #1 in Finding Sanctuary series.

    Spiritual Content- Proverbs 31:25-31 (paraphrased) at the beginning; Scriptures are read, remembered, quoted, & discussed; A few prayers & blessings over food; Church going, songs, & sermons; Being witnessed to; Many talks about God, being angry at Him, trusting Him, & forgiving; Talks about religion & religious people; Hs are capital when referring to God; Wynter stopped going to church as a teen; *Spoiler* [ Wynter asks forgiveness near the end (hide spoiler)]*End of Spoiler*; Many mentions of God; Many mentions of churches, church going, services, worship, pastors, & sermons; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessing over food; Mentions of talks about God & churches; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of Christians & faiths; Mentions of Amish, Mennonites, their beliefs, & churches; Mentions of blessings; Mentions of sins; Mentions of religious nuts & doubting; A few mentions of thanking God; A few mentions of Heaven; A few mentions of Christmases; A couple mentions of miracles; A mention of Sunday School;

    *Note: Mentions of a man not liking religious people & being agnostic; Mentions of shrines; Mentions of evil; A mention of a man saying hes lived through hell.

    Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a shut up, a wimp, two idiots, three stupids, and seven forms of dumb; Some eye rolling & sarcasm; Prologue is when Ryan was kidnapped/tricked (not violent, just a trigger warning); Being held at gunpoint & tied up (semi-detailed); Pain, being drugged, & passing out (up to semi-detailed); A car being ran off the road, pain, & blood/bleeding (semi-detailed); All about mentions of Ryans abduction/disappearance; Many mentions of murders, kidnappings, kidnappers, a serial killer, targets, crimes, criminals, bodies, & prisons (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of threats & blackmail; Mentions of a murder, body, & how it happened (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of killing (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of murders & a break-in; Mentions of pain, blood/bleeding, & injuries; Mentions of children physically abused; Mentions of child abductions & selling; Mentions of a drunk driver hitting & killing a child (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & bars; Mentions of drugs & growing marijuana; Mentions of cigarettes & smoking; Mentions of poisons & illnesses; Mentions of nightmares & screams; Mentions of divorces & parents walking out; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip; A few mentions of an accident & deaths; A few mentions of hitmen & Mafia bosses; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of a puppy shot & almost drowned (it ends up fine though); A couple mentions of child killers & abuse in prisons; A couple mentions of vandals & graffiti; A mention of roadkill; A mention of the possibility of a dog being ran over;

    *Note: Mentions of actors/actresses, movies, TV shows, & characters.

    Sexual Content- a fingers-to-lips touch, a hand kiss, a forehead kiss, and three barely-above-not-detailed kisses; Touches & Embraces (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of blushes & flutters; Mentions of dating, dates, interest, boyfriends, & girlfriends; A few mentions of smutty video & book stores; A few mentions of a pregnancy out of wedlock; A few mentions of good-looking men; A couple mentions of women hiding from their abusers; A mention of children sexually abused; A mention of having a type; Some love, falling in love, & the emotions;

    *Note: Mentions of a baby that died during labor; A couple mentions of butting into anothers business.

    -Wynter Evans/Emily Erwin, age 23

    1st person P.O.V. of Emily

    314 pages

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

    Pre Teens- One Star

    New Teens- One Star

    Early High School Teens- Two Stars

    Older High School Teens- Three Stars

    My personal Rating- Three Stars

    While at first, I was hesitate about reading this novel due to my strong dislike of the cover (I know, I know, thats wrong) and the prologue being the abduction of Wynters little brother took me a bit by surprise, I did like this suspense novel. Overall it was a decent read. I wasnt a fan of the insta-attraction of Wynter and the guy, it felt forced to me, personally. I did think it was neat, though, that this book was in first person point of view, which I dont see too much for suspense books. There was also quite a bit of Spiritual Content, so that was nice! :)

    *BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
  3. crtnybc
    British Columbia, Canada
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    3 Stars Out Of 5
    Very slow for a suspense
    June 4, 2014
    crtnybc
    British Columbia, Canada
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    Quality: 3
    Value: 3
    Meets Expectations: 2
    I certainly wasn't blown away by this book. It was just ok. It was disappointing, I was expecting more. Quite frankly, if anything it was a little on the slow side and I just didn't really like Reuben King's character. He seemed stilted and overly in touch with his feelings. Past that, the story is ok. It's a mix of the Amish fiction that's so popular right now, and contemporary romantic suspense.

    There were just too many things that didn't add up and there was a lot of introspection and extra detail that happened, for example, in the home they stayed in that was unnecessary. Don't run right out and grab it up, but if you have the chance to read it you might still enjoy it.

    This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
  4. Ragdogs
    Age: Under 18
    Gender: female
    3 Stars Out Of 5
    Good story, but very slow
    May 27, 2014
    Ragdogs
    Age: Under 18
    Gender: female
    Quality: 3
    Value: 3
    Meets Expectations: 2
    My Review:

    This cover was very eye-catching! I really, really like the cover, that is mainly what sold the book to me. However, this book has a very slow beginning and I just cannot get into the story. I am on like chapter 6 and still trying to get involved with the characters. I know I should keep reading and really want to, but the story is just too slow for me. Now, if it was a rainy day in the middle of winter and I had a fire going, I might be more inclined to read this slower paced book, but it's not and I'm not. However, from what I've read, there is nothing remotely "bad" about this book, so the only reason I am putting it on hold is stated above.

    Thanks for reading!

    "I received this book from Bethany House Publishing for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are my own."
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