love to paint

I have two reviews I need to write.  I'm going to start with the easier one, but it's actually the book that I enjoyed less of the two.  Both were good books and both are ones I'd recommend.  But the first comes with a caveat.  It is not what I'd call Christian fiction.  It is labeled "Christian fiction" and it is published by  "Christian" publisher that is owned by a big, secular publisher.  But, in my opinion, it is not Christian fiction.  It is simply fiction.  In my mind, I define Christian fiction as a book that is encouraging and points people to God.  God is a primary player and events are attributed to be caused by him.  Often books that are Christian fiction don't stack up to secular fiction in how good the writing is and how well developed the plots and characters of the stories are if compared to one another.  It is also important to me that if there is twisted theology in it, that there is the counterbalance presenc...

For the most part, I choose to read Christian fiction because I feel safer.  I'm less likely to have my mind led to places it isn't wise for it to go.   A month ago, I read a book that was very disturbing to me.  It was published by a Christian publisher that is thought by many to be one of the most dependable, but there was a lot of crass imagery in the book and lustful thinking by the characters.  I literally thought the characters had made love in the book.  I set the book down and didn't realize they hadn't until I read in another person's review that they hadn't.  But, the language had been that strong.  I did contact the publisher and ask about the decision to publish the book, but I haven't received any response.   I was relating this story to a friend of mine who is single and she commented that she thought that was only a struggle for single women--why did married women need to be concerned with such things?  My response was th...