More bloggers are raving about our novels!

Nancy Ward and Kelly Hansen reviewed Tobit’s Dog:

Tobit’s Dog is a love story amid the battle between heaven and hell for the souls of the good guys as well as the racists, murderers, rapists, thieves and connivers not portrayed in the biblical version of the Book of Tobit. In this imaginary take on the Book of Tobit, exciting enough a tale, Richard skillfully uses the characters, symbols, and scriptural principles. All the vital elements are there: Tobit’s sudden blindness and miraculous healing. Prejudice and bravery — this time, involving a lynching and Tobiah’s arrest for his compassion toward the boy hanging from a tree…. Reading the Book of Tobit a little along with Tobit’s Dog brought me great pleasure and insight into the plots of both books. The Book of Tobit, however, has no holy water from Lourdes, Negro nuns or KKK.

Read the rest of Nancy’s review on her blog or on godsdelight.org.

Goodreads reminds me today that I am currently reading three books at the same time, down from four due to a late-night finish of a novel yesterday. It takes a REALLY good book to keep my interest and Tobit’s Dog is that book…. This novel is a message of charity in the face of hatred; trusting in God’s will despite being thrust into the the worst situations imaginable. This is not a light-hearted read, so if you are looking for a fluffy inspirational story, this book is not it. The horrors that people like Tobit faced are on full display in all of their ugliness. Violence within the storyline plays a vital role, and it is within those gut-wrenching moments that I found tears streaming down my cheeks. I was touched to the core by the strength and honor of the main characters in the book. Tobit never considers himself a victim, a trait that often appears to be non-existent today.

Read the rest of Kelly’s review on her blog Catholic Ponderings.

Peggy Moen, at The Wanderer, gives a great review of Tobit’s Dog, as well:

In Tobit’s Dog, novelist Michael Nicholas Richard sets his story the 1930s South and gives a wider role to the dog, Okra, describing his eyes in a way that tie him to his owner, Tobit, and to the Archangel Raphael, appearing in the novel in the guise of Ace Redbone, a musician and distant relative…. Richard’s rendition is spellbinding and amazingly imaginative. The supernatural element is more subtle than in the Bible story, but it permeates the novel all the same…Dog lovers, devotees of the Archangel Raphael, and fans of murder mysteries will all love this book.

Patricia McKenna and Maria Garcia enjoyed The Leaves Are Falling:

This book is a beautiful work of historical fiction with descriptive detail. It is not my usual genre I read but has challenged me to investigate the real history behind the story. It is as if you are sitting at the feet of your grandfather as he tells you a gripping personal account of his life…. I recommend this book as a beautiful way to enter into this interesting time period in history and what binds us all together even with different backgrounds of religion and nationalities.

The rest of Patricia’s review can be found on her blog the Catholic bookshelf.

I dove right into reading The Leaves Are Falling by Lucy Beckett. It is a sequel to her book A Postcard from the Volcano. If you’ve not read that book (which I haven’t), don’t worry…. The Leaves Are Falling can stand on its own…. I did enjoy The Leaves Are Falling. It is definitely not a quick, fluffy beach read, but definitely a book worth reading.

The entirety of Maria’s review can be found on her blog Four Blessings Academy.

Dora Stone read and reviewed The Rising:

“With baby girl being only two months old I have not had time to do much, other than breastfeed and try to keep our 4 yr. old from destroying the house. I have, however, had time to read a lot! I recently read a book that I have to tell you about. It’s called The Rising: A Novel  by Robert Ovies…Throughout the book you will find yourself wondering whether you believe in miracles or could believe in them. I don’t want to give too much of the story away, but I will tell you that this book is a thriller, but also a love story that will evoke powerful feelings about being a parent and what we are willing to do for our children.”

You can read the rest of Dora’s review on her blog Dora’s Table or her other blog Where Grace Flows.