A Girl of Many Colors

Freedom Is Here

2012-01-30T18:37:00.000-06:00

Don't you wanna sing it too? "Sing it out, sing it out...Freeeeedommmmmmmm Is Heeeeere!!!!"

Love this song.

"Freedom Is Here" - Esterlyn

Blessings,

Review of Alienation

2012-01-26T07:35:00.002-06:00

Alienation by Jon S. Lewis is the second book in the sci-fi young adult C.H.A.O.S. series, which is based on the biblical story of David. (See my review for the first book here) Colt McAlister is just beginning to get past the shock of his parent's death and defeating aliens in charge of a super-corporation. A world he once though wasn't possible- one filled with aliens and very advanced technology that enables flying, mind control, and many other things- is quickly becoming the reality of earth. As the Thules, a type of alien, becomes more dangerous in their mission to take over the world, some believe that Colt and his friends Oz and Danielle may be able to stop them.

But there are some that will stop at nothing less to kill Colt McAlister. Dangerous, seemingly random acts against Colt are rapidly being carried out, but who is responsible behind it all? Meanwhile, Colt and his friends are recruited to become C.H.A.O.S. agent trainees, and Colt makes some shocking discoveries about himself and his friends.

Can he trust anyone anymore? And is he really the one chosen to stop the alien invasion?

I love the fast-paced storyline. This book carries smoothly from the last book, and the characters are as original as ever. The whole idea of C.H.A.O.S. and the alien invasion is pretty unique, and what's even more unique is that it's based on the life of David! I didn't know this until I was told, but I saw some of the similarities when I read. I'm glad that the author keeps the story original while still being able to incorporate some parallels from David's life. I'd have to say my favorite character is Danielle. She's very intelligent and loyal, and her computer know-how is a great addition to the story. The dynamics between Colt, Oz, and Danielle is excellent. They are the ideal team. Oz with his strength and alien-know-how, Danielle with her computer skills, and Colt as the strong, likable leader. Some things that I felt improved from the last book was dialogue with Colt's grandfather and more faith. We get to know Colt's grandfather better, especially in a scene where Colt is given a special medallion that meant much to his grandfather. Also, we see more of their Christian faith in this book. It's not preachy, but it's there and affects their decisions to do right. I liked that.

All in all, I rate this book five out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Hardcover: 288 pages
~Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 3, 2012)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

EXTRAS!

About the Author:
Jon S. Lewis is the coauthor of the Grey Griffins trilogy (over 500,000 books in print) and the upcoming Grey Griffins Clockwork Chronicles. He also writes for the DC COMICS family of publishers. He resides with his family in Arizona.

For more about Jon and the series, visit www.chaosnovels.com.

~*~

The invasion was only the beginning! Jon Lewis is celebrating the next
adventure in his fast-paced C.H.A.O.S. series with an explosive giveaway!

One thrill-seeker will receive:

iPad2 with Wi-Fi
Copies of the C.H.A.O.S. novels, Invasion and Alienation

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway
ends at noon on February 7th. Winner will be announced at the Alienation Facebook Party
on 2/7. Jon will be hosting an Author Chat, giving away copies of the books and
gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don't miss a second of the intrigue!

Grab your copy of Alienation and join Jon on the evening of February 7th for an
author chat, spy training (How much do you know about alien invaders?) and lots of
giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends
via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of
winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

Blessings,

Review of Chasing Mona Lisa

2012-01-17T18:43:00.002-06:00

Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey is a historical novel about the nearing of the end of WW2 and the race to get the priceless Mona Lisa. The setting is Paris. As the resistance grows stronger and the Nazis are driven back, a top official in the Third Reich is determined to steal as many art pieces as he can. However, he has not yet achieved his biggest goal and huge postwar bargaining chip- the famous Mona Lisa painting.

Yet she has eluded him still with the help of one determined protector who will not allow her to be kidnapped by the enemy. Yet the Nazis are becoming closer and closer to discovering her location. Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler, Swiss OSS agents, must race against time to get to the Mona Lisa before it falls into German hands.

This book was fast-paced, and it was obvious that the authors had done extensive historical research. The characters are clear, and I felt as if I were watching, not reading, a historical show or movie. The details are that clear. The characters were all determined and dedicated, and the last part of the book is really intriguing to readers to see how everything resolves in the end. It was nice to get a glimpse into WW2.

I picked up this book expecting the best. Tricia Goyer is a great author, the book is historical, it's a race for the Mona Lisa... who wouldn't be intrigued? That said, I'm sad to say that I never really got to like any of the characters. There wasn't a buildup of sympathy or really getting to know the characters. Perhaps it is because this book is the sequel to a book titled The Swiss Courier, but I had to dig around to find that out. Fast-paced is a great thing, but not when it sacrifices the characters. I really had a hard time getting into the book, and it didn't become a "must-finish" until the very end. Also, there are some elements that would not be appropriate for young readers.

All in all, I rate this book three out of five.

Specifics:
~Paperback: 325 pages
~Publisher: Revell (January 1, 2012)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

LOVE these videos :)

2012-01-17T16:09:00.000-06:00

Which Jane Austen Character Are You?

2012-01-13T16:10:00.000-06:00

Take the Jane Austen Character Quiz here!

I've seen this quiz around, but I never really took it... I just skimmed over the questions.

Now that I've got my results, I must read that book again... :)

Blessings,

Ormie the Pig

2012-01-10T16:19:00.002-06:00

Poor thing... don't we all feel like this sometimes?

Blessings,

Beautiful Love

2012-01-05T11:02:00.000-06:00

I have no idea why I like this song so much, but I have since I first heard it about four years ago. Christian band, but it's a love song. I just found the music video today. The video itself is okay, but I just like to shut my eyes, listen, and smile.

Beautiful Love - "The Afters"

Far away, I feel your beating heart
All alone, beneath the crystal stars
Staring into space, what a lonely face
I'll try to find my place with you

[chorus]
What a beautiful smile
Can I stay for awhile?
On this beautiful night
We'll make everything right
My beautiful love, my beautiful love

Larger than the moon, my love for you
Worlds collide as heaven pulls us through
The secret of the world is written in the stars
I'm carrying your heart in mine

[chorus]
What a beautiful smile
Can I stay for awhile?
On this beautiful night
We'll make everything right
My beautiful love

Maybe a greater thing will happen
Maybe all will see
Maybe our love will catch like fire
As it burns through me
[3x]

[chorus]

What a beautiful smile
Can I stay for awhile?
On this beautiful night
We'll make everything right
[2x]

My beautiful love
La la la la love
La la la la love

My beautiful
La la la la love
La la la la love

My beautiful love

Blessings,

P.S. Sorry for the lack of posts! I've been super busy. Happy New Year!

Review of Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks

2011-12-30T10:46:00.000-06:00

Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks by K.D. McCrite is the second books in the Confessions of April Grave juvenile fiction series about an eleven year old girl living in the south in 1986. (See my review for the first book here) April Grace has just gotten over the weirdest summer ever, and now she's getting ready to start middle school. But, of course, things get weird. Their snobby to-be neighbor, Isabel, gets into an accident, leaving April Grace's family and Isabel's husband to deal with her theatrics. Add a friend turned enemy, her grandma's many boyfriends, an annoying boy who has taken interest in her, and the fact that her mother is steadily becoming more and more ill but no one but April Grace seems to care... Definitely not a normal start. But April Grace deals with it all with her usual sense of humor and frankness...

I mean, how else do you deal with the trouble of cliques, hicks, and ugly sticks?

This book is perfectly imagine-able. Allow me to explain. Ever read a book, and all you "see" are the words? Either the book leaves nothing to the imagination or has too sparse details to allow the reader to picture what is going on. Well, this book doesn't have those problems. It's perfectly set in the time period but understandable enough that young readers can see April Grace's world. In fact, with the exception of a few references to items from the 1980s and absence of new items now, I wouldn't be able to place this book as taking place about thirty years ago!

The characters are all unique and as loveable as in the first book. It carries smoothly, but readers won't have trouble picking this book up without reading the first book. Isabel becomes more understandable and (is it even possible?) nicer in this book, and it was neat to see Isabel and April Grace begin to develop a friendship.

I love how this book deals in its own way with things tween girls nowadays still may have to experience. For example, as the story progresses, April Grace discovers that she will no longer be the baby of the family, and she has to struggle with mixed feelings about the baby and her parents' love for her. However, when her mother becomes very ill due to the pregnancy, April Grace really steps up to act mature and sacrifice of herself to help her mother as much as she can. Also, she has to deal with a new clique at her school lead by Lottie, who used to be her friend but seems to have changed over the summer. Things heat up when Lottie gets jealous over a boy at school liking April Grace, when all April Grace would rather do is take an ugly stick to him. April Grace's humor is still very apparent of this book, and her character carries the storyline beautifully. I believe girls middle school and even older will love and be able to relate to her.

To be honest, though, the book did seem to move slower in some parts. I still was engaged and read to the end, but it seemed like the first book wasn't as slow.

Great themes, perfect for the target age group. All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com)
~ Paperback: 288 pages
~ Publisher: Thomas Nelson (December 6, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day Twelve

2011-12-25T09:07:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us at Pearl Girls™! We hope you enjoyed these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from the authors who were so kind to donate their time and talents! If you missed a few posts, I hope you'll be able go back through and read them on this blog over the next few days. If you'd like to keep up with Pearl Girls and our new book project, Mother of Pearl, coming this spring, just click this link and sign up for our newsletter (lower left sidebar).

Also, just a reminder that today is the last day for the pearl necklace and earrings giveaway! Enter now by filling out this {form}. The winner will on 1/1 at the Pearl Girls blog.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Jesus -- The Reason For the Season

By: Rachel Hauck

Through the narrow scope of 2000 years, Mary, the mother of Jesus, appears to be one lucky woman. Chosen by God to give birth to His son, the Savior of the world? All right, Mary, way to go.

“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you,” Gabriel said.

How many of us would like a declaration like that? Highly favored. The Lord is with you. But Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

The angel told her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Mary’s seems confident and resolved when she responds, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

She’d just been told the Holy Spirit will come upon her, that God’s power will overshadow her, that she’d become with child even though she wasn’t married, and she said, “I’m the Lord’s servant. Let your words be true.”

I find this amazing! A young woman. Ancient Bethlehem. Unwed mother. They stoned women for such things in her day. But Mary believed in God. And submitted to His will. He gave her the Holy Spirit – the same Holy Spirit given to us. If He gave her confidence, He will give us confidence. Even though, like Mary, our situation seems impossible.

Listen to Mary’s song later on in the first chapter of Luke.

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me Holy is his name…”

Conceiving a child out of wedlock, by Divine intervention. Not a girl’s every day existence. Yet she had a Yes in her heart to God. She rejoiced. She boldly said, “Generations will remember me!”

How we struggle to trust God with our children. Our finances. Our emotional well-being. We worry. We fret. And wonder why we have no peace.

Christmas is the season where words like joy, peace and love are bantered around like Christmas candy. Let’s not take them as just words, but as truth. Let’s be like Mary and embrace God’s favor on our lives. Boldly declare "He’s done great things for me!”

Out of the grit of our own souls, we can reach His heart, and feel Him reaching for ours. No matter the pain of our past, present or future, God is there for us. He is able. Best of all, He is willing. “My soul glorifies the Lord this Christmas!”

***

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, best selling author who believes God has done great things for her. She lives in Central Florida with her husband and ornery pets. Her next release is Love Lifted Me with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, January 2012. Then in April, look for The Wedding Dress. www.rachelhauck.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day Eleven

2011-12-24T09:05:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

The Panhandler's Breath

By Robin Dance

He slipped in sideways between the closing elevator doors, as if he were late to a meeting; he pressed the "5" without looking. Instead of suit and tie, though, baggy pants and faded navy hung on his tall, slim frame...and his stealth entry stiffened the hairs on the back of my neck.

I had noticed him a few seconds earlier, just after we had parted a sea of clamorous teens. He was smiling, grandfatherly, standing maybe 30 feet away where the electric shuttle picks up.

I had no idea he had been watching us, studying us, predator patiently awaiting his next prey.

The four of us were sealed in a four- by six-foot metal tomb. Tomb--that thought really scampered across my mind. I wondered if he had a knife in his pocket. I wanted to protect my son. Fight or flight pumped adrenaline but there was no where to run.

Extreme and ridiculous, these thoughts - and more - flashed through my mind. The Stranger began speaking.

"Yessir, I see you're a family man with your wife and your son here..." and he nodded in my and my son’s direction.

"...you see I'm homeless and all I've got..." and on queue, he reached into his left pocket and pulled out two old pennies blackened with age. Two cents to his name?! It was all too contrived, too practiced, and I didn't believe a word he was saying.

It was then I smelled it ~ the small space lent itself to that ~ and I doubted my doubt.

His breath.

It wasn't the scent of alcohol. His eyes weren't red, his voice didn't waver; his wizened face matched his graying hair.

His breath was morning's, zoo breath, the pet name I'd given to the scent inhaled when kissing my children awake when they were little.

He needed to brush his teeth. I wondered how long it had been since he brushed his teeth.

The elevator door opened and I handed him my leftover pizza as my son and I brushed past him. My husband handed him a bill and the Stranger thanked and God blessed him.

The elevator door closed behind us. Conflicted, I was relieved.

We got in the car and blurted first reaction--

"I didn't believe a word he said."

"That made me nervous."

"I wonder if he'll really eat the pizza."

In the quiet, we were left to our own thoughts, contemplating the right thing to do. At the end of the day, this is what I decided: It doesn't matter whether or not his story is true; for an old man to resort to begging, he has to be desperate. The money my husband gave him will never be missed. It was a reminder we've been entrusted with much and given much. Materially, yes, but more so spiritually. Loved, chosen, forgiven, redeemed, graced, lavished--every spiritual blessing. E v e r y.

There's a part of me that wishes I would have been brave enough to ask the man his story, made sure he knew he was loved...and bought him a tooth brush.

Later, it occurred to me he could have been an angel. Doesn’t that mean generosity, kindness and hospitality is always the right response? Then it's not about you or the stranger or the circumstance, it's about a simple, God-glorifying response.

Had we entertained an angel unaware? We'll never know.

But it wouldn't be the first time the Breath of Heaven smelled like a zoo.

***

In a decades-old, scandalous affair with her husband, Robin also confesses mad crushes on her three teens. As Southern as sugar-shocked tea, she’s a recovering people pleaser who advocates talking to strangers. A memoirist, Compassion International Blogger, and Maker-upper of words, Robin writes for her own site, PENSIEVE, and also for (in)courage by DaySpring (a subsidiary of Hallmark) and Simple Mom. She loves to get to know readers through their blog comments and on Twitter and Pinterest. www.pensieve.me

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day Ten

2011-12-23T09:04:00.000-06:00

***

Inside Out Christmas

by Debora M. Coty

My veterinarian friend, Dr. Katie, tells the story about the December when a woman brought a very sick black lab into her clinic. The dog was only ten months old, so she was really just a big puppy, but she’d been vomiting incessantly and her worried owner didn’t know what was wrong.

“Why don’t you go on home?” Dr. Katie told the owner. “I’ll need to run tests for about four hours. We’ll give you a call when we’re finished.”

Dr. Katie’s assistant took x-rays and hung them on the light panel for Dr. Katie to examine. Hmm. Something looked a little peculiar. Dr. Katie called her assistant over.

“Is it just me, or does that look like a … a camel to you?” she asked incredulously.

“Matter of fact, it does,” replied the astute assistant. “And look, there’s an angel here, a shepherd there, and down there in the colon, it’s Baby Jesus!”

At that moment the phone rang. It was the dog’s distraught owner. “I can’t believe this! I just got home and glanced at the coffee table where I put my manger scene yesterday. There’s nothing there but an empty stable!”

As I thought about this quite literal technique for internalizing the true meaning of Christmas, it occurred to me that sometimes I have the opposite problem. With all the bustling busyness, my inner joy in celebration of my savior’s birth never really makes it to the outside.

Oh, I have plenty of glittery, festive evidences of the holiday in decorations, baking galore, and gifts under my tree. But those things are for show. They’re merely the pretty wrappings, not the gift itself.

Can people really see the core-deep joy that radiates within me when I think of the true gift that Papa God sent the world in his son, Jesus? Is my immeasurable gratitude for eternal life evident as I dash through this hectic season?

I’m afraid all too often, the answer is no.

I’m just too preoccupied to allow my outside to reflect my inside so that nonbelievers recognize that I rejoice because of the hope that is within me. My joy is obscured by the mounds of clutter. Gratefulness is sucked out of my soul by the vacuum called urgency.

“But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy” (Psalm 68:3, NLT).

This verse has become my prayer this Christmas season – that I would make the time to give priority to rejoicing, being glad in God’s presence, and letting my inner joy show for those who may be silently desperate to know the giver of true joy.

Yep, there’s a better way to internalize the gift of Christmas than the black lab technique. We can lodge the Little Lord Jesus in our hearts rather than our colons.

***

Debora M. Coty is a humorist, inspirational speaker, and award-winning author of twelve books, including Too Blessed to be Stressed, and coming in March, More Beauty, Less Beast: Transforming Your Inner Ogre. Debora would love to swap Christmas hugs with you at www.DeboraCoty.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day Nine

2011-12-22T09:04:00.000-06:00

***

Simple or Sparkle?

by Tracey Eyster

It’s a simple ornament made of thin cheap metal and it looks quite out of place on our CHRISTmas tree. But each year I lovingly and safely nestle it amongst its expensive and sparkly peers, without a care as to how unglamorous it appears.

Many of our CHRISTmas ornaments have a story and an uncanny way of welling up emotion in me, but this certain one causes an intense stir.

You see the ornament is engraved with the name of my grandmother, Sara, and was given to me by my mother, who ordered it from Hospice, after Grandmama’s death. Yes, the months leading up to her death carry memories of a frail and failing grandmama, but that ornament carries my thoughts to sweet CHRISTmas memories of the past.

CHRISTmas Eve dinners in her home, laughing, singing, gathering and celebrating a year filled with blessings as we remembered the birth of our Savior. CHRISTmas mornings, she was always there participating with glee, in our raucous CHRISTmas happiness. Her gifts were always bank envelopes gently tucked into the pine needles of our CHRISTmas tree, fresh cut from the property she grew up on.

All memories of my Grandmama make my heart swell. You see she was my Jesus with skin on. She lived her life full of joy, serving others and approached life selflessly with an attitude of, “What can I do for you?”

Just months before she left us, even as the Alzheimer’s was robbing her mind she shared her love of Jesus with a sweet little old lady friend, who came to know the Lord – a divine appointment. The very next day that little old lady silently slipped away to meet in person the One Sara introduced her to just the day before.

At the time I wept, realizing that regardless of our own frailties and failings, God can still use those of us who are willing to do His work and are well practiced at hearing His voice...no matter our lack of sparkle in comparison to others.

A simple life lived for Him, a simple ornament in memory of Sara...a simple truth for you to ponder.

***

Tracey Eyster wife, mom, relationship gatherer and Creator/Editor of FamilyLife’s MomLife Today is a media savvy mom making a difference where moms are, on-line. Through speaking, writing and video interviews Tracey is passionate about encouraging, equipping and advising moms on every facet of momlife. Her first book, Be The Mom will be released August 2012. You can connect with Tracey at www.momlifetoday.com, her personal site www.traceyster.com or www.twitter/momblog.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day Eight

2011-12-21T09:03:00.000-06:00

***

Enjoy the Ride!

Susan May Warren

We sit poised on the top of a cliff, a near drop off before us, that falls to a rushing river. In the middle, a bridge of snow and ice hints at our destination. My husband guns the snowmobile engine. “Ready?”

Ready? For a face plant into a tree, maybe reconstructive surgery? To feel my stomach ripped from my body as we plummet down the mountain? Let’s do it!

We live on five acres of woods in northern Minnesota that butts up to a national forest. Hence, our backyard is about a hundred thousand acres. Aside from harboring deer, lynx, fox, cougar and bear, it also makes excellent snowmobile terrain. And not long ago, Mrs. Claus gave her Santa a snowmobile for two.

I love snowmobiling. Flying over the snow, catching air over drifts. I love to drive, to be at the helm of the beast as I weave around trees and over hill and dale, my husband sitting behind me. I also love riding behind my husband as he drives, feeling those powerful arms as he’s muscling the snowmobile into the wilds. We follow unknown trails, driven by a Magellan spirit, hoping that we have enough gas to get us back to civilization. I love hanging on, simply trusting him, knowing that wherever he’s taking me, he’s going first.

But there are times, when I see where he’s taking me, and I just have to bury my head in his back. Like straight down a cliff.

However, my heart cheers, despite the terror as we gun it down the hill, over the river, up the opposite side. And, if we hadn’t let ourselves go, we would have never discovered the beauty of a winter river, a hidden jewel buried deep in the forest. Nor the exhilaration of facing the challenge together.

Further on, we find an enchanted forest of towering white pine. Catch a view of Lake Superior, discover an old cabin in the woods.

It occurs to me that snowmobiling is much like my spiritual life. Occasionally, I drive, and it’s me setting our course, weaving through the trees, getting us hopelessly lost. But when God takes the “wheel” and I hang on, trusting Him for the speed and destination, I see the scenery. I trust him to keep me safe. I trust him to bring me home, where there is an eternal supply of hot chocolate.

As Christmas season becomes more hectic, what if I let God drive? Maybe everything doesn’t have to be perfect, and maybe I don’t have to control every tradition, every holiday nuance. What if I just held on for the ride?

I’ll bet I’ll still get there, and I might even enjoy the scenery along the way.

How have you let go, and “enjoyed” the scenery of this hectic, exhilarating Christmas season?

Merry Christmas!

***

Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of thirty novels with Tyndale, Barbour, Steeple Hill and Summerside Press. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Carol Award. A seasoned women’s events speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day Seven

2011-12-20T09:02:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Family Traditions: A Glimpse into Christmas Future

by Tricia Goyer

Have you ever thought about family traditions? As I helped my 1-year-old place ornaments on the Christmas tree this year I imagined her doing the same thing with her children—and maybe even grandchildren—one day. Traditions are beliefs and customs handed down through generations. By sharing meaningful moments with your kids you're sending yourself into the future. How amazing is that?

Sharing family traditions cause us to slow down from the busy, adult world for a while. We ignore the laundry to set out the nativity set with our kids. We set aside time in our schedules to drive around and look at Christmas lights.

Holiday traditions aren't only fun, they also help strength family bonds. Through traditions kids trust in the security of family unit. They think, “This is our family and this is what I do.” Of course, the most important thing to share isn't just what we do ... but why. Why do we put out a nativity? To remind us the real meaning of the season—Jesus coming to earth. What do the Christmas lights represent displayed on homes and on trees? They represent the Light of the World, Jesus.

Using traditions to bond our families and share our faith isn't new. I love these two Scriptures that talk about that very thing.

Exodus 12:25 says, “When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony.”

Psalm 78:4 says, “We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.”

What are you're traditions? Here are a few of ours:

Baking a Birthday cake for Jesus

Buying a new ornament every year for each child

Acting out the Christmas story (with props!)

Praying together before opening presents

What are your traditions? Write a list and appreciate them in a new way this year. Then ask, “If I could add one new tradition this holiday season, what would it be?” I'd love to hear what you choose! It also makes me smile to think of your children's grandchildren doing the same.

***

Tricia Goyer is a CBA best-selling author and the winner of two American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Awards (Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights). She co-wrote 3:16 Teen Edition with Max Lucado and contributed to the Women of Faith Study Bible. Also a noted marriage and parenting writer, she lives with her husband and children in Arkansas. www.triciagoyer.com

Review of The Future Door

2011-12-19T17:27:00.000-06:00

The Future Door by Jason Lethcoe is the second book in the Sherlock Holmes-esque No Place Like Holmes series. (Find my review for the first book here.) Griffin Sharpe and his detective and inventor uncle Snodgrass are back for a new adventure even more incredible than the last. The Moriartys are still as devious as ever with some new lethal allies, and they're determined to make off with one of Snodgrass's most astounding inventions. Things get more complicated when Holmes leaves his residence next to Snodgrass and a strange woman moves in, who seems too friendly. When she manages to steal the invention, Griffin and his uncle must get it back to save the future... literally! The stolen gadget is a time machine! A flurry of misadventures and shocking revelations come to pass and time seems to be running out. Will Griffin and Snodgrass be able to get the time machine back?

The author is a master at writing. His style is perfect for middle school age. The characters are well-written and the story continues nicely from the last book. The new characters add much to the story, and I especially found the Black Widows most interesting. The story flows smoothly and the prose is very polished. The books do occur chronologically, but a reader won't get confused if he or she reads the second book first. The most intriguing element in this book was the concept of time travel. The author addresses an interesting theory and the way that plays out is pretty neat.

No complaints here! Something to be aware about is that a character is killed by another character, and that might be something parents would want to discuss with their children or address if the topic comes up.

All in all, I rate this book five out of five stars. Highly recommended for middle school aged guys and even gals!

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 224 pages
~ Publisher: Thomas Nelson (December 6, 2011)

Note: Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day Six

2011-12-19T09:01:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Let The Baby Grow Up This Christmas

By Shellie Tomlinson

When I was a little girl, Christmas seemed to take forever to make its way back to our little house on the end of a dirt road called Bull Run in northeast Louisiana. We kids started counting down the days before the leaves ever began turning. Sure, the adults said it came once a year but I wasn't so sure. Once Santa Claus left our humble abode it seemed like light years before he found his way back to the Delta.

That was a child's perspective. I imagine it hasn't changed all that much for today's kids. On the other hand, I'm operating under a completely different time frame these days. It seems like it was just yesterday when I pulled the boxes down from the attic and began pulling out the nativity scene, the miniature lights, and the keepsake ornaments. And now, just that fast-- Christmas Day is right around the corner. Soon the tree will be striped naked and the piled up presents will all be distributed. After a few more day it'll be hard to remember who got what from whom, and once again, I'll start packing all the decorations away for another year.

I was thinking about how bare and cold the house always looks after the holidays when I realized that, sadly, this scene would play itself out in many hearts as well. A lot of people will have had expectations that weren't filled and many of those same souls will be left with hurts that don't seem to heal. Unless this year is remarkably different from past seasons, my bet is, the New Year will bring magazines full of articles on combating depression and the talk shows will have experts on offering ways to fill the long days ahead and cure the winter blues.

I'm no expert, dear readers, but I'd like to offer you a suggestion that will go far beyond the creature comforts of a nice warm bath or a delicious bowl of hot soup. Your heart doesn't have to be bare and naked after the holidays. Do you want to know the real secret? It's simple, really. Don't pack up Christ with Christmas! As beautiful and special as the Christmas story is, it's only a part of heaven's miracle. The Christ child grew into a man and the man became a Savior.

This year, may we be determined to let the babe from Bethlehem live on in our hearts. If we'll allow Him to become the Messiah He was born to be, the joy of Christmas can be ours all year long.

***

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson is an author, speaker, and radio host from Louisiana. Her latest release Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy was endorsed by Jeff Foxworthy as "laugh out loud funny!" You can find Shellie's weekly southern features, podcasts, video chats and more at http://www.allthingssouthern.com/ Make sure to get by the blog and read about the Super Christmas Giveaway Shellie is hosting for her readers and secure your chance to win a Mort Kunstler print valued between $700 and $1400. www.allthingssouthern.com

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day Five

2011-12-18T09:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

The Snowflake Party

By Deborah Raney

The first snow of winter hasn’t fallen yet, but in our kitchen tonight we’re doing a pretty good imitation. The whole family is circled around the huge old oak table. The snip, snip, snip of scissors is background music as tiny scraps of white paper float down, making our floor look like a giant brownie sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Tonight has turned out to be the night for our annual Snowflake Party, a tradition that began when our children were toddlers. There has never been a date blocked out in red on our calendar, but one day we wake up and the brisk autumn air has turned bitter cold. Naked tree branches trace their stark calligraphy on a dull grey sky and we need a taste of the joyful promises of Christmas and snow. It’s the perfect time for a party.

On such a day, one of the kids will fly in the back door, fresh home from school, and declare “Hey, Mom! Tonight would be a good night for the Snowflake Party!” First we round up every pair of scissors in the house. This is one time when sharing is not a virtue. While the kids search for scissors, I cut white paper into squares and fold them caddy-corner multiple times. The resulting triangles are artfully arranged in a basket, awaiting the beginning of the party.

Later, while the supper dishes dry on the counter, I recruit a volunteer to help me stir up a big pot of hot cocoa. For the next hour it will warm on the back burner, tantalizing us with its aroma.

Now the fun begins with careful cutting and snipping, shaping plain white paper into intricate works of art. Each snowflake we create seems as unique and spectacular as the genuine variety created by God himself. As each masterpiece is unfolded, collective oohs and aahs go up.

When the last dregs of our creative juices are drained, Dad oversees the vacuum patrol while I pour cocoa into generous mugs. We spread our handiwork on the floor around us and sit, quietly admiring our work while we dunk marshmallows and sip rich chocolate.

With empty mugs piled up in the sink, it’s time for the judging to begin. There will be awards for ‘prettiest’, ‘most unusual’, and as many other categories as we need for everyone to be a winner. Dad is the judge because he studied art in college. He also usually wins one of the top prizes––because he studied art in college.

Snowflakes deemed runners-up might be pasted in scrapbooks or hung on the refrigerator. A few even “melt” into the trash that very night. But the winners are taped proudly to the picture windows in the living room for passersby to enjoy while they long for the day when genuine snowflakes will color the world clean and white.

Our oldest daughter went away to college last September. She called just after Thanksgiving to tell me that her dorm window was covered with snowflakes. No, not the real thing, but the ones she remembers from her childhood––paper ones that she spent an entire evening cutting and snipping while sipping hot cocoa.

That’s the neat thing about traditions: They go with us no matter how far from home we travel.

***

DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Her books have since won the RITA Award, ACFW Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, National Readers' Choice Award, Silver Angel, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. After All, third in her Hanover Falls Novels series will release next spring from Howard/Simon & Schuster. Deb and her husband, Ken Raney, enjoy small-town life in Kansas. Their four children are grown now and having snowflake parties with their own children––and they all live much too far away. Visit Deb on the web at www.deborahraney.com.

Review of Belonging

2011-12-17T09:51:00.001-06:00

Belonging by Robin Lee Hatcher is the first in the historical fiction series Where The Heart Lives. Felicia Kristoffersen is determined to escape her old life as a mistreated orphan to the new life of a teacher in rural Idaho. Ever since her childhood she has been completely alone, save her relationship with her Savior. Her two siblings were separated from her on an orphan train, and her attempts to reconnect have resulted in failure. Now, Felicia must win the hearts of the townspeople, especially the children, in her new town. However, that may be a hard task to accomplish. There are already some influential people who think Felicia shouldn't belong in their tight-knit town. Surely an inexperienced, unmarried young woman doesn't belong!

Widower Colin Murphy is one such person. He has seen many schoolmarms come and go with one intent: find a man and marry him. His mistrust in Felicia stems from his daughter Charity, a young student of Felicia who thinks the world of her. Charity's struggles with school and Felicia's inexperience make Colin hesitate, but he then discovers the beautiful person she really is and begins to doubt himself. Yet jealous rivals and an impressionable town begin to challenge any relationship Felicia and Colin might have.

Do things really work out for good for God's children?

The author's writing style is excellent. I saw no flaws in the flow of the story, and I have to admit, this is probably one of the best books I have read from this author. Felicia's story is touching, although her past is very sad. Her sweet attitude and trust in God is certainly admirable. I am also pleased to report that there were absolutely no objectionable content in this book. One of the most interesting aspects in this book were the antagonists. Usually it's all black and white in books. Here's the good, and here's the evil. The author shows that one of the women who are against Felicia really does change as the story progresses. It shows that even the "bad" characters are human. I liked that.

The author does do a good job of making this story unique. However, this type of novel is somewhat cliche. Woman moves away, woman meets widower with a child, child falls for woman, and then widower falls for woman. The conflict also is typical in this genre of books. Yes, this book is unique and beautifully written. I just wish it were more original.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 288 pages
~ Publisher: Zondervan (August 16, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day Four

2011-12-17T09:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Why I Decorate for Christmas

By Elizabeth Goldsmith Musser

An old cassette tape of Christmas carols—received in a package twenty years ago when we had first arrived in France as missionaries—fills our den with delightful piano music as I place one more ornament on the already over-laden Christmas tree. This one is a little white wooden rabbit with pink ears that move back and forth. It actually doesn’t look much like a Christmas ornament, but I bought it for our baby Andrew when my husband Paul was in seminary, and I was working for less than minimum wage in the library. This ornament was literally all I could afford.

As I hang it on the tree today, I get goose bumps and then a rush of warmth. And that’s why I decorate for Christmas. Not to impress but to remember. I remember those lean, lean years, and God’s faithful provision for us.

There are the cross-stitched ornaments I made our first year in Montpellier—for the boys (for by now we had two sons) and Paul and me. How I ever had time to do that, I don’t know. I remember our puny little tree—the kind they sold in France back then—in a pot so that it could be replanted later. We perched that tiny tree on a small table out of baby Christopher’s reach. I guess I watered it too much, because about halfway through December, it started smelling and then stinking, and it rotted there on Christmas Day!

I smile with these memories.

I look at the other ornaments on the tree. Many were purchased—one for each boy—when we attended conferences around Europe, and that makes me smile too. Getting to travel on a missionary’s budget to exotic places! There are the waxed red bear and red baby carriage from Wales, the brightly painted clay sun and moon from Portugal, the blue and white porcelain windmill and wooden shoes from Holland, the hand-blown glass Snoopys sitting on gondolas from Venice, and the delicately decorated eggs from Prague.

Other ornaments include the little pinkish shiny ball ornament with Paul’s name written in glitter—I think he made it when he was about six , and the little red velvet bows, bought at Michael’s after Christmas one year for a dollar. They bring a unifying theme to the tree. I say this, smiling, because our tree is, and has always been throughout the years, a hodge-podge of our life. And I like it that way. I don’t think I could ever have a ‘theme’ tree. Mine is a ‘memory’ tree.

The music plays softly in the background and I smile through tears, remembering God’s incredible faithfulness to call and keep us here in France for so many years. Heart-breakingly hard years, overwhelmingly joyful years—the same years, the same amazing God, our keeper.

Before we left for the mission field, I memorized Psalm 121 in English and in French, and over the years I have held on tight to those last beautiful words of the psalm: The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. (NASB)

Of course He will. He is God with us.

We decorate to remember Christmases past, our lives, our legacy, and mostly, for those of us who have embraced Christ, we decorate to honor and praise Him for coming to us—Emmanuel! We make our homes ready to receive the Christ Child, with soft music and candles burning and the sweet flickering of angel wings on an over-laden evergreen.

***

ELIZABETH GOLDSMITH MUSSER, an Atlanta native and the bestselling author of The Swan House, is a novelist who writes what she calls ‘entertainment with a soul.’ For over twenty years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in missions work with International Teams. They presently live near Lyon, France. The Mussers have two sons and a daughter-in-law. The Sweetest Thing (Bethany House, 2011) is Elizabeth’s eighth novel. To learn more about Elizabeth and her books, and to find discussion questions as well as photos of sites mentioned in the stories, please visit www.elizabethmusser.com and her Facebook Fan Page. www.elizabethmusser.com

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day Three

2011-12-16T08:58:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Babbie Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Where is Comfort and Joy Found?

By Sandy Ralya

The year 2006 ushered unwelcome emotions into my life. My husband was unhappy in his job, two of my grown children were making poor choices, my mother-in-law was showing signs of Alzheimer’s, extended-family issues were surfacing, and I was writing a book. Things only got worse. Much worse.

Early in 2007, I was asked to represent the mentoring ministry for wives I founded, Beautiful Womanhood, and lead a women’s conference in Uganda, Africa. My husband wasn’t sure if traveling to Africa was a good idea, so we committed it to prayer. While we were listening for an answer, I sensed God asking me to fast from spending, except for groceries, for thirty days. Sometimes you know that you’ve heard God’s voice because you’d never have come up with those words on your own. This was one of those times. I’d never heard of a fast from spending. Tom needed no convincing that a fast from spending came directly from the mouth of God. He still gets excited just thinking about it!

During the fast, it became clear I had used spending as a way to gain a comfort fix. When I was spending money, I felt carefree and lighthearted. Instead of dwelling on the unpleasantness in my life, I was thinking of my purchases and how they would bring me pleasure. Not until I stopped spending did I realize how short-lived the fix really was. During the fast, when I felt the urge to spend—to anesthetize my pain—I pictured myself running into the arms of Jesus, the Great Comforter. Oh, what comfort I received!

One night, I told good friends my experience of gaining comfort through the power of the Holy Spirit rather than money. I exclaimed that I had never felt so comforted. One friend then told us about a dream he’d had shortly after hearing about the invitation from Uganda. After the dream, he had awoken and recorded the following thoughts:

“. . . this is for Sandy. Christ’s redemption of women is beautiful. Beautiful Womanhood is a result of redemptive wholeness. The visuals the ministry uses on the books, etc., are like a piece of beautifully veneered furniture. There is something going on with the ministry to the brokenness of abused women. In Uganda, there are hurting, abused women, and something is connecting their need and Beautiful Womanhood. Though there is nothing wrong with veneer, it is only the topping—the covering, and without good structure it is shallow and will not hold up. It is time to add a new depth to the ministry.”

Then these verses came to my friend’s mind:

All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NL

When my friend was finished sharing, everyone in the room broke down in tears, praising God for His work in my life. I’d learned to listen and God had spoken. I’d obeyed, and He’d acted. When He acted, I was changed.

Needless to say, I packed my bags and experienced some of the best days of my life in Uganda—offering God’s comfort to His troubled women.

***

Sandy and her husband Tom have been married since 1980 and live near Grand Rapids, Michigan. They have three adult children and a growing number of grandchildren. When not writing and speaking, Sandy enjoys shopping at yard sales for vintage clothing, cooking, travelling, and drinking really good coffee (black is best) with her husband. For more information, contact Sandy at sandy@beautifulwomanhood.com. Subscribe to Sandy’s blog at www.beautifulwomanhood.com/blog. Find Sandy on Facebook at Beautiful Womanhood. Follow Sandy on Twitter @MentoringWives.

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day Two

2011-12-15T08:56:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Advent
By Sibella Giorello

Consider the bride's walk down the aisle. We all know where that woman in the white is going but somehow waiting for her to arrive at the altar is an essential part of the ceremony. In fact, the waiting is so essential that even cheapskate Vegas chapels include wedding marches.

Why?

Because the wait adds meaning to the moment.

At Christmas time, we tend to forget this essential truth about anticipation. We're lost to shopping malls and checklists, rushing toward December 25th so quickly that we forget the quiet joy of the month's other 24 days -- and then we wonder why we feel so empty on the 26th, amid ribbons and wrapping paper and our best intentions.

Because the wait adds meaning to the moment.

And that is why Advent is so important to Christmas.

I'm as guilty as the next harried person. This Advent was particularly tricky because just six hours before it started, I was still trying to finish a 110,000-word novel that was written over the course of the year -- written while homeschooling my kids, keeping my hubby happy, and generally making sure the house didn't fall down around us.

It's an understatement to say my free time is limited. But waiting adds meaning, and Advent is crucial to Christmas, so I've devised several Advent traditions that are simple, powerful and easy to keep even amid the seasonal rush.

When my kids outgrew the simple Advent calendars around age 7, I stole an idea from my writer friend Shelly Ngo (as T.S. Eliot said, "Mediocre writers borrow. Great writers steal." Indulge me.)

Here's how it goes: Find 24 great Christmas books, wrap them individually and place then under the tree. On the first day of Advent, take turns picking which book to open. When we did this, we would cuddle under a blanket and read aloud -- oh, the wonder, the magic! We savored "The Polar Express," howled with "How Murray Saved Christmas," and fell silent at the end of "The Tale of The Three Trees" (note: some of the picture books I chose were not explicitly about Christmas but they always echoed the message that Jesus came to earth to save us from ourselves and to love us beyond our wildest imagination. In that category, Angela Hunt's retelling of The Three Trees definitely hits the Yuletide bull's eye).

This Advent tradition lasted for about five years. It gave us rich daily discussions about the season's real meaning, without being religious or legalistic, and it increased family couch time. But like the lift-the-flap calendars, my kids outgrew the picture books.

Because the wait adds meaning, and Advent is crucial, I prayed for another way to celebrate anticipation of Christmas. By the grace of God, last year I found an enormous Advent calendar on clearance at Pottery Barn. Made of burlap, it has large pockets big enough to hold some serious bounty.

But my husband and I didn't want the kids focusing only on the materialist stuff for Advent -- we already fight that on Christmas day. We decided to fill the daily pockets with simple necessities and small gift cards. We also printed out the nativity story from Luke 2:1-21 in a large-sized font and cut each verse out. From Day 1 to Day 21, there is one verse to read aloud. The kids memorize it, then get to open their present (again, on alternating days for each person). Then we tape the verse to the wall in order. By Day 22, all the verses are on the wall, in order, and the kids now try to recite the entire nativity story from memory. That's not as difficult as it sounds because they've been memorizing one verse each day. Still, the entire recitation -- verbatim -- usually requires Day 23 and Day 24. Whoever does memorize the entire thing -- without mistakes -- earns a bonus gift of $25.

Does that sounds extravagant?

It is.

Because we want our kids to understand that God came down and humbled himself and taught us about love right before He suffered and died on behalf of the undeserving -- which is every one of us.

"That's" extravagant.

And in the waiting, we find even more meaning.

***

Sibella Giorello writes the Raleigh Harmon mystery series which won the Christy Award with its first book "The Stones Cry Out." She lives in Washington state with her husband and children, and often wishes there were 36 hours in a day.

12 Pearls of Christmas- Day One

2011-12-14T08:54:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

A Christmas of Kindness

By Suzanne Woods Fisher

"You can give without loving, but you can¹t love without giving." Amish proverb

I do it every year.

I plan for a simpler, less stressful Christmas season and, every year, by Christmas Eve I'm exhausted! After our delicious and very-time-consuming-to-make traditional Swedish meal to honor my husband¹s relatives (think: Vikings), it's time to head to church. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but the last few Christmas Eve's, I have sent my husband and kids head off without me. The pull to spend an hour of quiet in the house feels as strong as a magnet.

It's odd. My children are young adults now. Wouldn't you think that Christmas would be simpler? Instead, it's just the opposite. Jugging schedules to share the grandbaby with the in-laws, trying to include our elderly parents at the best time of day for them, dancing carefully around recently divorced family members whose children are impacted by the shards of broken relationships.

The thing is: you can simplify your to-do list, but you can't really simplify people. We are just a complicated bunch.

Here's where I borrow a lesson about simplicity from the Amish. It's easy to get distracted with the buggies and the bonnets and the beards, but there's so much more to learn from these gentle people if you're willing to look a little deeper.

Yes, they live with less "stuff" and that does make for a simpler, less cluttered life. But it's the reason behind it that is so compelling to me: they seek to create margin in their life. Not just empty spacebut space that is available to nourish family, community, and faith. Their Christmas is far less elaborate than yours or mine, but what they do fill it with is oh so right.

Christmas comes quietly on an Amish farmhouse. There is no outward sign of the holiday as we know it: no bright decorations, no big tree in the living room corner. A few modest gifts are waiting for children at their breakfast place settings, covered by a dishtowel. Waiting first for Dad to read the story of Christ's birth from the book of Luke. Waiting until after a special breakfast has been enjoyed. Waiting until Mom and Dad give the signal that the time has come for gifts.

Later, if Christmas doesn't fall on a Sunday, extended family and friends will gather for another big meal. If time and weather permits, the late afternoon will be filled with ice skating or sledding. And more food! Always, always an abundance of good food. Faith, family, and community. That is the focus of an Amish Christmas.

And it's also how the story begins for A Lancaster County Christmas, as a young family prepares for Christmas. A winter storm blows a non-Amish couple, Jaime and C.J. Fitzpatrick, off-course and into the Riehl farmhouse. An unlikely and tentative friendship develops, until the one thing Mattie and Sol hold most dear disappears and then. Ah, but you¹ll just have to read the story to find out what happens next. Without giving anything away, I will say that I want to create a Mattie-inspired margin this Christmas season. Mattie knew inconveniences and interruptions that come in the form of people (big ones and little ones!) are ordained by God. And blessed by God.

Creating margin probably means that I won't get Christmas cards out until the end of January, and my house won't be uber-decorated. After all, something has to give. But it will mean I make time for a leisurely visit with my dad at his Alzheimer's facility. And time to volunteer in the church nursery for a holiday-crowded event. And time to invite a new neighbor over for coffee. Hopefully, it will mean that my energy won't get diverted by a frantic, self-imposed agenda. Only by God's agendathe essence of true simplicity.

And that includes taking time to worship Christ's coming at the Christmas Eve service. You can hold me accountable! This year, I will be there.

***

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, The Search, and The Keeper, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Christy Award nominee and is the host of an internet radio show called Amish Wisdom and her work has appeared in many magazines. She lives in California. www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

Cute Little Song!

2011-11-30T21:00:00.001-06:00

Okay, so I learned a song this summer, and I can't believe I never shared it with you!

It is called (drum roll please)

The Kool-Aid Song!

Yes, Kool-Aid! As in, the interesting pitcher guy.

Note: This is not my image.

It's kind of hard to understand at first because the song is more a play on words. You know "Do-Re-Mi" from the Sound of Music, right? This song uses the same kind of play on words, and it is actually to the same tune. So, sing the Kool-Aid song to the same tune of "Do-Re-Mi".

Ready? :)

The Kool-Aid song:

Do (dough) the stuff, I buy my Kool-Aid with

Re (Ray) the guy I buy it from (thanks, Ray!)

Mi (me) the one, I buy my Kool-Aid for,

Fa (far) a long long way to get some!

So I think I'll have some Kool-Aid (how much?)

La (lots) and lots and lots of Kool-Aid

Ti (tea)? No thanks, I'll have some Kool-aid

And that brings us back to do, do, do, do, do!

And there you have it, folks!

Blessings,

Review of Precisely Terminated

2011-11-29T21:47:00.000-06:00

Precisely Terminated is the debut book and first in the Cantral Chronicles, a dystopian trilogy, by Amanda Davis. In a world where slavery is rampant and all people are controlled by cruel, heartless nobles by means of microchips implanted into the skull, there is only one person who is capable of saving them. Monica is a noble who evaded implantation of the microchip after escaping an extermination of her family and city. Now, as a sixteen year old, she must act as a slave and constantly watch her back and trick the system as she searches for a way to decimate the computers that control the slaves' lives. Aided by a mysterious, demanding council and self-sacrificing fellow slaves, Monica is the only person who could ever shut down the computers as she is the only person to have ever beat the system and avoided a chip. But time is running out.

The hints of rebellion are spreading to the nobles, and in their unfeeling condition, they will exterminate all of the slaves with little thought. Monica has little time to act, but her task will demand more of her than she ever thought.

It's rare for an debut published author to have a writing style that can be read easily. This author already has a clear voice that smoothly carries the story. The setting is the shining star of this novel. A dystopian setting is new to me, but I loved the whole eeriness of it all. A feeling of ohmygoodnessthiscouldhappen! is what I like to see in books. The mechanicalized culture of this novel obviously has a lot of thought behind it, and it is so refreshingly unique. Realistic but fiction enough to be enjoyable. The descriptions aren't as heavy as I'd imagine in such an abstract book, but they are sufficient enough to allow for the reader's imagination to fill in the gaps. This is really one of the best settings I have ever read. There's also an excellent amount of danger throughout the story that helps keep the reader's attention.

That said, I had a very hard time getting into this book. The first few chapters are vital in attracting interest, and although I got an excellent backdrop to the story, I just wasn't "wowed". The theme continues for approximately two-thirds of the book. Monica goes back and forth and meets new people and while it does develop the setting and characters, the plot just dragged on. It wasn't until the last part that all of the pieces fell together and I really started enjoying the story. The only reasons I kept with this book until the end were a) to give an honest opinion, I must fully read the books I am to review and b) I could really see the potential of the story and it only really became evident in the last part of the book. Also, it was hard to relate to the characters, even Monica, although she was the most personable. Granted, this is the first in a series and a first for an author, so I am eager to see the improvement of plot and characters in future books.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 464 pages
~ Publisher: Living Ink Books; None edition (September 12, 2011)

Note: Thanks to GlassroadPR for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,
~Prism~

Review of Protection for Hire

2011-11-24T21:22:00.000-06:00

Protection for Hire by Camy Tang is the first book in the Protection for Hire series. Tessa Lancaster has always been a tough girl. A nonexistent relationship with the dad who abandoned her and a difficult family life lead to a tough attitude that her Japanese mafia ringleader uncle took notice of, and Tessa was made an enforcer. However, due to her involvement with the mafia, she became incarcerated for seven long years for a crime she didn't even commit. In that time, she made the decision to follow Jesus and become a Christian. Now that she's out of jail, Tessa is determined to start over, get a respectable job, stay away from the Japanese mafia, and be different from the woman she once was. A solutions seems to arrive when wealthy Elizabeth St. Amant hires Tessa to act as a bodyguard for herself and her three-year-old son.

But it seems trouble just follows Tessa wherever she goes.

It turns out there's more to protecting Elizabeth. Her abusive husband is very aggressive in getting Elizabeth back and his motives seem unclear. Danger bigger than anything she ever could have expected is lurking, and it will stop for no one. To help Elizabeth out with the legal issues, Charles Britton, up-and-coming lawyer, decides to step in. Tessa is grateful for the help, but she doesn't know that Charles holds a secret that had a huge impact on Tessa's life. Will the two be able to work together for the sake of their client, or will their pasts tear them, and their mission, apart?

I'm a huge fan of the author's books, so this book was a joy to read. I love the author's unique sense of humor and insight into different cultures. I especially found the Japanese mafia aspect very interesting. Tessa's previous ties run deep and are hard to overcome, and her struggle with her past is an excellent addition to this book. The character of Tessa was expertly written. Her motives, personality, and struggles are made very clear, and though most people aren't ex-mafia ex-convicts, I believe she is a very relatable character. The supporting cast also adds beautifully to the story. Elizabeth's southern charm, humor, and grace are an excellent addition to the story, and I loved the subplot of Tessa's relationship with her mother, sister, and niece. Charles's mother Vivian also added charm to the book, and I even loved the minor character of Eddie, Charles's brother. This book left me desperately wanting to read the next book, and the excerpt in the end sold me. I can't wait until #2 in the Protection for Hire series comes out! Bravo!

I will be forthright and say this book is for older audiences. There's one bad word that I noticed and other elements. As for the story itself, I wish the character of Charles was filled out a bit more. The character of Tessa was flawless, but I felt somewhat detached from Charles as I was reading.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com)
~ Paperback: 336 pages
~ Publisher: Zondervan (November 29, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T19:45:00.000-06:00

Enjoy family, friends, food, and most of all, thank God for all the blessings we have!

Psalm 100

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Blessings,

Review of Reclaiming Lily

2011-11-21T17:46:00.001-06:00

Reclaiming Lily by Patti Lacy is the poignant fiction story of redemption, pain, and hope. Dr. Kai Chang is determined to reclaim Fourth Daughter. To find her little sister, who she left on the steps of a Chinese orphanage years ago and who is now living in America as the daughter of a pastor, has been her goal ever since her mother told Kai to find Fourth Daughter, Lily, as her final, dying wish. Dr. Chang is even more determined to do so when she discovers that a terrible genetic disease is ready to ravage the lives of members of her family and realizes that her sister is at a great risk. Kai is determined to help her sister, but will Lily's adoptive family, the Powells, allow Kai into Lily's life?

When family tensions tighten as Lily becomes more and more rebellious, Gloria Powell, the shy wife of a pastor and Lily's mother, decides that Kai would only tear up what little control her seventeen-year-old daughter has left. Different cultures and opinions collide as Kai and the Powells are forced to face the possibility of a terrible disease. Will Kai and Gloria be able to reconcile and do what is best for Lily?

Wow. I love books that inspire and educate. I chose to read this book due to my interest in the medical aspect, but I got so much more than that. As Kai and her sister are from China, we get glimpses into their pasts and their cultural background. Reading Kai's perspective of events from her past brought very clear pictures to my mind. The author masterfully describes Kai's experiences in a way that readers understand but also learn from. The prose style and word choices beautifully describe Kai's culture, and I really appreciate that. I also loved the character of Kai. Her way of thinking and expressing her thoughts was definitely unique but poignant in its own way. I especially loved the quotes from Kai's mentor in dealing with patients. The medical aspect of this book was one of the biggest perks of this book. I love medicine, and my recent studies have been about genetic disorders, the ethics involved, and how they may be treated. It is very obvious the author put a lot of work into this book to make it was realistic as possible. This book covered many issues well, and I really enjoyed reading it.

To be honest, the first few chapters of this book were confusing. I had a hard time getting into it, but I was so glad I did by the end of the book. The beginning of the novel jumps right in with the story of Kai, and the terminology used is somewhat too abrupt for a reader to understand. Kai's mindset is of a different culture, so it was easy to get lost in the beginning. However, as the story progressed, I became more interested in the characters and began to invest my attention into what would happen. The story was lovely, but I believe it could have been even better if the beginning was polished a bit and made more attention-grabbing for readers. Also, there was a backstory of Gloria having a hard past due to her father's unfaithfulness to her mother. It did explain her motives and reactions to things that came up, but there didn't seem to really be any full-on confrontation of the issue. It left me wanting that closure, which I never really got. Finally, I would say I recommend this book to readers in their late teens and up. This book does address some very weighty topics. Some things to be aware of is that a character steals inappropriate things (and is later given the appropriate punishment), some of the medical-related scenes may be uncomfortable to sensitive readers, and one of my biggest pet peeves of a book, strongly hinting at the physical relationship between a husband and wife. Yes, it's perfectly natural and right, but I don't like it when that aspect is given time in books.

All in all, I rate his book four out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 380 pages
~Publisher: Bethany House (October 1, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of The Song of Unmaking

2011-11-15T20:30:00.000-06:00

The Song of Unmaking by D. Barkley Briggs is the third book in the Legends of Karac Tor series. Four brothers, the Barlows, have been brought from our world to a strange new world that gives them mysterious powers and dangers abounding. In this book, the Goths, a terrible force, have come to invade Rockval. The Vanir, the beautiful widowed ruler must take command of the situation and fight for her people. However, darker powers approach to test the Vanir and her people. A terrible machine for dark intentions is being built to release a terrible thing of legend- the Song of Unmaking. Now that Ewan, one of the Barlow brothers, has lost his power of song; the chances of victory seem dim. As the Barlow brothers continue to develop their powers and Arthur is challenged to become a leader, the good are challenged to face the evil. But who will succeed? And is there grace in deserved justice?

This book was excellent! I enjoy a good fantasy book every now and then, but to be honest, I haven't been dabbling much in the genre lately. This book reminded me why I love it so much. Fantasy has the power of subterfuge, which can be good or bad. It has much capability for symbolism and for influencing readers often without them noticing. The symbolism is present but not overwhelming. The writing style is fresh yet familiar, echoing the works of C.S. Lewis or Tolkien in a new light. I love the idea of a family trying to survive and thrive in a world so foreign to them to the point that they would fight for this world they were never even aware of. The affection between the father and brothers is clear, and I really appreciate that. I also found it interesting that the author wrote this book for his own sons when his family was going through a very similar ordeal as the Barlow family in the books. In all fantasy books, details are essential but have the capability to overwhelm the reader. believe this book was a nice blend of detail and action. I also found the incorporation of historical elements and classical lore very interesting and, again, echoing the voices of the great writers of the past. Overall, very well-written and stylistically excellent.

I would strongly suggest that the reader starts from the first book onwards. I am at a bit of a disadvantage because I was not able to read the first two and this book jumps right into the story. As I haven't read the previous books, I was confused at times and I had no idea if the author recapped the previous books or not. This is not a surprise; I have found it very common in books of this genre. However, it's very hard to not get lost in a fantasy book, and for about half of the book, I was lost. I was surprised that there wasn't some sort of summary of the past two books, a character description, or anything for a reader to understand without reading the previous books. That said, I plan to go back and read the first to in order to catch up.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 336 pages
~ Publisher: Living Ink Books (October 14, 2011)

Note: Thanks to Glass Road PR and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Wonderland Creek

2011-11-07T20:08:00.000-06:00

Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin is the Great Depression - era novel of a girl who discovers the vibrancy of life after leaving a life lived in the realm of fiction books. Alice Grace Ripley has lived in a dream world for a long time. Long enough to not realize that her need to read has become more and more like an addiction, causing her to disregard her boyfriend and best friend. When she gets a reality check and her boyfriend decides to break up with her because of her obsession, Alice is left crushed. She also loses her job at the library after cutbacks must be made to alleviate the affects of the Great Depression on the library. Finding her life almost meaningless now, Alice decides to put her efforts into something good, delivering donated books to a rural town in Kentucky named Acorn.

Alice travels from Illinois to Kentucky with her relatives, and she is dropped off, excited at the prospect of helping people get the books they want and staying with the librarian, Leslie McDougal. However, the librarian is anything but what she expected and Alice is soon thrust into a strange world of poverty, joy, family drama, love, corruption, faith, crime, and danger. Alice soon discovers the life she has been missing out on all of her life, and discovers that true life is much better than any story book.

I absolutely loved this book. In fact, Wonderland Creek is now on my favorite's list. Alice, or Allie, is such an endearing character. There were genuinely funny moments (I rarely laugh out loud while reading, but in this book, I did!), scary moments, dramatic moments, and romantic moments. This book was a perfect blend of history and fiction. My favorite character was an old woman Alice meets while in Acorn. She's kind of like the catalyst that forces Alice to face reality and be bold. She also encourages Alice's faith and was such a joy to read about. I wish she were a real person!

All in all, I rate this book five out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com) :
~Paperback: 400 pages
~Publisher: Bethany House (October 1, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Lonestar Angel

2011-11-07T19:39:00.001-06:00

Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble is the latest edition to the Lonestar series. It's been five years since Eden and Clay Larson's baby girl was stolen, presumed dead, and never found. It's also been five years since Eden and Clay Larson's marriage fell apart. Now, Eden has found faith in God and is moving on with her life in the city, in a cozy romance dating a guy she may soon marry. However, Clay suddenly shows up in her life revealing that they are still married and that they're daughter is still alive. Still uncomfortable with each other, the two decide to move to Bluebird, Texas to serve as counselors to the youth ranch where their daughter is staying. Little do they know the danger and love that awaits them.

Eden and Clay soon find themselves entangled in a web of drama and family troubles. As they fight against time to discover which little girl is theirs, the couple begins to rekindle their lost romance and discover God's sovereignty in their situation.

Great premise that is carried through all throughout the book. I really enjoyed the lead characters, Eden and Clay, and their situation - their very unique situation. The author's creativity shines through as the reader is lead through mysteries such as who the daughter is and who is behind all of the threats to Eden and Clay. Lonestar Angel is written masterfully, and I enjoyed it so much!

I have no complaints about the plot or story. Something to be aware of, the book strongly hints at the private aspects of marriage in Clay and Eden's relationship. I'm not a big fan of that kind of content.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com)
~Paperback: 352 pages
~Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Original edition (November 8, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Refuge on Crescent Hill

2011-10-25T16:31:00.001-05:00

Refuge on Crescent Hill by Melanie Dobson is an exciting mystery/adventure story. Camden Bristow is at a crossroads at her life. She's just lost her job, has no money, and has nowhere to go. However, she remembers that the bright spots in her past were the times she spent with her grandmother who she hasn't visited in years. Her visit soon turns bittersweet when she discovers that her grandmother has passed away and left her historical home on Crescent Hill to Camden. Soon, strange occurrences lead Camden to believe that someone may be lurking around her new refuge. She rekindles her friendship with a childhood playmate Jenny, who seems to have something that Camden lacks- security and love. She also has to deal with her half-sister, Liza, a greedy woman who only wants Crescent Hill for the money. Her desire to sell the home to responsible owners who will restore Crescent Hill leads to Camden to meet Alex Yates, who seems to understand Camden's situation and wants her sell her home to the city. Yet could there be something more in his willingness to help?

Stories of runaway slaves, the Underground railroad, and the possibility that her new home was once a stop on the route, begins to become more and more real as Camden discovers a shocking secret kept hidden for generations. A secret that will not only change her life, but the life of the whole town.

Excellently written! I loved the mystery and history in this book. Camden was an extremely likable character, and the additional characters brought true depth. Jenny brought warmth and humor, Liza brought conflict, Alex brought romance, and the additional characters added beautifully. I enjoyed the idea of the past impacting the future, and I loved how the mystery tied together in the end. I thought I had it fairly figured out, but the author has a big surprise in the end. The main villains in the story are apparent from the beginning, but the author still manages to keep some surprises until the end. Loved it!

Some things to be aware of are mentions of domestic abuse and unwed mothers. However, all are portrayed in light that leads to restoration and hope.

All in all, I rate this book five out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 272 pages
~Publisher: Kregel Publications (March 11, 2010)

Note: Thanks for the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Special Note: So, you like free things, right? Well, Refuge on Crescent Hill will be available on Amazon Kindle FREE for one week starting October 31! Be sure to get your free e-copy!

Blessings,

Review of Wings of a Dream

2011-10-24T19:01:00.000-05:00

Wings of a Dream by Anne Mateer is the story of a woman who finds true love even in the midst of chaos and pain. Rebekah Hendricks is on her way to her dream. She has a handsome suitor, Arthur,who is an aviator who promises a life of adventure far away from her life in Oklahoma when they get married. However, war calls, and Arthur is sent to prepare to fly. Rebekah soon gets word that her aunt is very ill, so she reluctantly goes to help as it helps her be nearer to Arthur and her dream of a glamorous, adventurous life.

Her world is soon shaken with surprises and the terror of the Spanish flu. As the epidemic ravages the population of her aunt's town, Rebekah is forced to grow up and take care of four motherless children. She soon discovers the truth and a love that may be the wings of a dream she never would have imagined.

The threads of history and fiction were beautifully balanced in this book. I enjoyed how the aspects of history affected Rebekah in direct and indirect ways. The characters are distinct and bold, and I loved the idea that the heroine gets to choose who she marries. The children were an interesting aspect to the story. Their presence and need of Rebekah caused her to really mature in the story, and I appreciated that. The raw emotion of loss, confusion, and bravery is clearly and beautifully portrayed, yet the romance was slow-moving. It was nice to see a progression of true love instead of a WHAM, it's attraction! sort of thing.

I am so happy to say this book was clean. My only tiny disappointment was that the book seemed to end really quickly.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars. Well done!

Specifics (from amazon.com) :
~Paperback: 319 pages
~Publisher: Bethany House (September 1, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Southern Fried Sushi

2011-10-14T19:49:00.000-05:00

Southern Fried Sushi is the first book in a series by Jennifer Rogers Spinola. Shiloh is the epitome of successful. She's got a ritzy job with the Associated Press in Japan, has all the designer goods she wants, and is engaged to a Latin hottie. However, she soon finds her carefully constructed world shattering to pieces. When she finds out her estranged mother passed away, her fiance's female roommate begins to win his heart, and that she's been caught for plagiarizing, Shiloh is left penniless and lost in rural Virginia. She soon meets a group of people who are as Southern as they come. Her culture shock leads to a series of misadventures and life-changing experiences.

This book was great. I loved Shiloh's character and her experiences in adapting to Virginia after living in Japan for a long time. The humor was excellently written and the emotion scenes are moving. I really loved the spiritual truths in this book and how Shiloh learned of the Christian faith. This book isn't overly preachy, but it exposes a reader to what Christianity really is in a poignant way. The characters seemed like real people genuinely expressing their faith. The residents of Shiloh's new town were definitely endearing. Although I had a feeling some of the aspects of the book were exaggerated in the extent to country people, the storyline was really sweet and expertly dealt with some tough topics.

All in all, I rate this book five out of five stars. Highly recommended!

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 384 pages
~ Publisher: Barbour Books (October 1, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

FIRST: Review of Maggie's Journey!

2011-10-07T18:51:00.000-05:00

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Lena Nelson Dooley

and the book:

Maggie’s Journey

Realms (October 4, 2011)

***Special thanks to Kim Jones | Publicity Coordinator, Charisma House | Charisma Media for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lena Nelson Dooley is an award-winning author with more than 650,000 books in print. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers—where she received the Mentor of the Year award in 2006—DFW Ready Writers, and Christian Authors Network. She lives in Hurst, Texas, with her husband of over 45 years.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A girl who’s been lied to her whole life…

On her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she was adopted. The daughter of wealthy merchants in Seattle, she feels betrayed both by her real parents and by the ones who raised her.

Maggie longs for a place where she belongs. But her mother’s constant criticism and reminders that she doesn’t fit the mold of a young woman of their social standing have already created tension in their home. With the discovery of the family secret, all sense of her identity is lost.

When Maggie asks to visit her grandmother in Arkansas, her father agrees on the condition that she take her Aunt Georgia as a chaperone and his young partner, Charles Stanton, as protection on the journey. Will she discover who she really is and, more importantly, what truly matters most in life?

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Realms (October 4, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616383585
ISBN-13: 978-1616383589
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

September 1885

Seattle, Washington Territory

Margaret Lenora Caine sat in the library of their mansion on Beacon Hill. Because of the view of Puget Sound, which she loved, she had the brocade draperies pulled back to let the early September sunshine bathe the room with warmth. Basking in the bright light, Maggie concentrated on the sketch pad balanced on her lap. After leaning back to get the full effect of the drawing, she reached a finger to smudge the shadows between the folds of the skirt. With a neckline that revealed the shoulders, but still maintained complete modesty, this dress was her best design so far, one she planned to have Mrs. Murdock create in that dreamy, shimmery green material that came in the last shipment from China. Maggie knew silk was usually a summer fabric, but with it woven into a heavier brocade satin, it would be just right for her eighteenth birthday party. And with a few changes to the design, she could have another dress created as well.

Once again she leaned forward and drew a furbelow around the hem, shading it carefully to show depth. The added weight of the extra fabric would help the skirt maintain its shape, providing a pleasing silhouette at any ball. She pictured herself wearing the beautiful green dress, whirling in the arms of her partner, whoever he was. Maybe someone like Charles Stanton, since she’d admired him for several years, and he was so handsome.
“Margaret, what are you doing?”

The harsh question broke Maggie’s concentration. The charcoal in her hand slipped, slashing an ugly smear across the sketch. She glanced at her mother standing in the doorway, her arms crossed over her bosom. Maggie heaved a sigh loud enough to reach the entrance, and her mother’s eyebrows arched so quickly Maggie wanted to laugh . . . almost, but she didn’t dare add to whatever was bothering Mother now. Her stomach began to churn, a thoroughly uncomfortable sensation. Lately, everything she did put Mother in a bad mood. She searched her mind for whatever could have set her off this time. She came up with nothing, so she pasted a smile across her face.

“I’m sketching.” She tried for a firm tone but wasn’t sure it came across that way.
“You don’t have time for that right now.” Florence Caine hurried across the Persian wool carpet and stared down at her. “We have too much to do before your party.”

Of course her mother was right, but Maggie thought she could take a few minutes to get the new design on paper while it was fresh in her mind. She glanced toward the mantel clock. Oh, no. Her few minutes had turned into over two hours. She’d lost herself in drawing designs again. No wonder Mother was exasperated. She jumped up from the burgundy wing-back chair. “I didn’t realize it was so late. I’m sorry, Mother.”
Florence Caine took the sketch pad from her hand and studied the drawing with a critical eye. “That’s a different design.”

Maggie couldn’t tell if she liked the dress or not, but it didn’t matter. Designing was in Maggie’s blood. Her grandmother was a dressmaker who came up with her own designs instead of using those in Godey’s Lady’s Book or Harper’s Bazar. And, according to Mother’s sister, she never even looked at a Butterick pattern. Aunt Georgia had told her often enough about all the society women who wouldn’t let anyone but Agatha Carter make their clothing. They

knew they wouldn’t be meeting anyone else wearing the exact same thing when they attended social events in Little Rock, Arkansas. Not for the first time, Maggie wished she could talk to her grandmother at least once.
With the news about people being able to converse across long distances with something called the telephone, someday she might talk to her that way. But Maggie wanted a face-to-face meeting. Knowing another dress designer would keep her from feeling like such a misfit. Mother kept reminding her that she didn’t really fit the mold of a young woman of their social standing in Seattle. At least, Daddy let her do what she wanted to. She didn’t know what she’d do without him to offset Mother’s insistence, which was becoming more and more harsh.

According to Aunt Georgia, the business Grandmother Carter started was still going strong, even though her grandmother had to be over sixty years old. Maggie planned to go visit her relatives in Arkansas, so she could tour the company. She hoped her journey would happen before she was too late to actually meet Agatha Carter. Her deepest desire was to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps, since she had inherited her talents.

The sound of ripping tore through her thoughts. Aghast, she turned to catch her mother decimating her sketch. She lunged toward the paper, trying to save it, but Mother held the sketch just out of her reach.

“What are you doing?” Tears clogged her throat, but she struggled to hide them.
Dribbling the tiny pieces into the ornate wastepaper basket beside the mahogany desk, her mother looked up at her. “Just throwing it away. You had already ruined it anyway.”

Anger sliced through Maggie’s heart, leaving a jagged trail of pain. She still wanted to keep the sketch. She could use it while she created another. Her plan was to ask her father to help her surprise Mother. The design would set off her mother’s tall stature and still youthful figure. She planned to ask him for a length of the special blue satin brocade that would bring out the color of Mother’s eyes. The dress would make Mother the envy of most of her friends when

the winter social season started in a couple of months. Now she’d have to begin the drawing all over again. So many hours of work and her dreams torn to shreds.
“Darling.” That syrupy tone Mother used when she was trying to make a point grated on Maggie’s nerves. “When are you going to grow up and forget about your little pictures of dresses?” Little pictures of dresses? The words almost shredded the rest of Maggie’s control. She gripped her hands into fists and twisted them inside the folds of her full skirt.
They’d had this discussion too many times already. She gritted her teeth, but it didn’t help. In a few days she would be eighteen, old enough to make decisions for herself—whether her mother agreed or not.

She stood as tall as her tiny frame would allow her. “Those aren’t just ‘little drawings,’ Mother. I am going to be a dress designer.” The icy disdain shooting from her mother’s eyes made Maggie cringe inside, but she stood her ground.

“Margaret Lenora Caine, I am tired of these conversations. You will not become a working girl.” Mother huffed out a very unladylike deep breath. “You don’t need to. Your father has worked hard to provide a very good living for the three of us. I will not listen to any more of this nonsense.”
Maggie had heard that phrase often enough, and she never liked it. Mother swept from the room as if she had the answer to everything, but she didn’t. Not for Maggie. And her sketches were not nonsense.

She tried to remember the last time she pleased her mother. Had she ever really?
Her hair was too curly and hard to tame into a proper style. And the hue was too red. Maggie wouldn’t stay out of the sun to prevent freckles from dotting her face. She could come up with a long list of her mother’s complaints if she wanted to take the time. She wasn’t that interested in what was going on among the elite in Seattle. She

had more things to think about than how to catch a husband. Maggie wanted to get married someday. But first she would follow her dream. Become the woman she was created to be. That meant being a dress designer, taking delight in making other women look their best. If it wasn’t for Grandmother Carter, Maggie would think she had been born into the wrong family.

The enticing aroma of gingerbread called her toward the kitchen. Spending time with Mrs. Jorgensen was just what she needed right now. Since she didn’t have any grandparents living close by, their cook and housekeeper substituted quite well in Maggie’s mind. She pushed open the door, wrinkling her nose and sniffing like the bunny in the back garden while she headed across the brick floor toward the cabinet where her older friend worked. “What is that

heavenly smell?”

Mrs. Jorgensen turned with a warm smile. “As if you didn’t already know. You’ve eaten enough of my gingerbread, for sure.”

Pushing white tendrils from her forehead, the woman quickly sliced the spicy concoction and placed a large piece on a saucer while Maggie retrieved the butter from the ice box. Maggie slathered a thick coating on and watched it melt into the hot, brown bread. “Here’s something to drink.” Mrs. Jorgensen set a glass of cold milk on the work table in the middle of the large room.

Maggie hopped up on a tall stool and took a sip, swinging her legs as she had when she was a little girl. Mother would have something else to complain about if she saw her. That’s not ladylike and is most unbecoming. The oft-spoken words rang through Maggie’s mind. But Mother hardly ever came into the kitchen. Mrs. Jorgensen met with

Mother in her sitting room to plan the meals and the day’s work schedule.
“This is the only place in the house where I can just be myself.” Maggie took a bite and let the spices dance along her tongue, savoring the sting of spices mixed with the sweetness of molasses.

“Ja.” The grandmotherly woman patted Maggie’s shoulder. “So tell me what’s bothering you, kära.”
Tears sprang to Maggie’s eyes. “Why doesn’t Mother understand me? She doesn’t even try.”
She licked a drip of butter that started down her finger, then took another bite of the warm gingerbread. Heat from the cook stove made the enormous kitchen feel warm and cozy, instead of the cold formality of most of the house.
Mrs. Jorgensen folded a tea towel into a thick square, then went to the oven and removed another pan of the dessert. “What’s the bee in her bonnet this time?”
Maggie loved to hear the Scandinavian woman’s quaint sayings. “She won’t consider letting me continue to design dresses.”

Maggie sipped her milk, not even being careful not to leave a white mustache on her upper lip. “I’ve drawn them for our seamstress to use for the last five years. As many of them have been for Mother as for me. And she’s enjoyed the way other women exclaimed over the exclusive creations she wore. I don’t understand why she doesn’t want me to continue to develop my artistic abilities.”

“Your father is a very wealthy man, for sure.” The cook’s nod punctuated her statement. “Your dear mother just wants what is best for you.”
“Why does she get to decide what’s best for me?” Maggie felt like stomping her foot, but she refrained. That would be like a child having a tantrum. She would not stoop that far now that she was no longer a child. “Soon I’ll be eighteen. Plenty old enough to make my own decisions.”
“Yah, and you sure have the temper to match all that glorious red hair, älskling.” She clicked her tongue. “Such a waste of energy.” After enjoying the love expressed in Mrs. Jorgensen’s endearment, Maggie slid from the stool and gathered her plate and glass to carry them to the sink. “You’re probably right. I’ll just have to talk to Daddy.”

The door to the hallway swung open. “Talk to me about what?” Her tall father strode into the room,

filling it with a sense of power.

“About my becoming a dress designer.”

A flit of pain crossed his face before he smiled. “A dress designer?” Maggie fisted her hands on her waist. “We’ve discussed this before. I want to go to Arkansas and see about learning more at The House of Agatha Carter.”
Her father came over and gathered her into a loving embrace. “I said I’d think about letting you go. There are many details that would have to be ironed out first. But I didn’t say you couldn’t go.”

Maggie leaned her cheek against his chest, breathing in his familiar spicy scent laced with the fragrance of pipe tobacco. “I know. But Mother won’t let me. Just you wait and see.”

He grasped her by the shoulders and held her away from him. “Maggie, my Maggie, you’ve always been so impatient. I said I’d talk to her when the time is right. You’ll just have to trust me on this.” His eyes bored into hers, and his lips tipped up at the ends. She threw her arms around his waist. “Oh, I do trust you, Daddy.”

“Then be patient.” He kissed the top of her head, probably disturbing the style she’d worked so hard on this morning.

Mrs. Jorgensen stopped slicing the gingerbread and held the knife in front of her. “I thought you weren’t going to be home for lunch, Mr. Caine.”
“I’m not. I’ve only come by to pick up my beautiful wife. We’ll be dining with some friends at the Arlington House hotel downtown.” He gave Maggie another hug and left, presumably to find her mother.

“Would you be wanting another piece of gingerbread, kära?”

Maggie shook her head. “I don’t want to ruin my lunch. I have some things I need to do. Can I come back to eat a little later?” She hoped her father could prevail against Mother’s stubborn stance on the question of a trip to Arkansas.

Mrs. Jorgensen waved her out the door. “You’re probably not very hungry after that gingerbread.”
Maggie went into the library to retrieve her sketch pad, then headed upstairs to her bedroom. She wanted to get the drawing on paper again before she forgot any of the details. She pulled her lacy panels back from the side window and scooted a chair close. With a few deft strokes, she had the main lines of the dress on the thick paper. Then she started filling it in. As each line appeared on the drawing, she felt an echoing movement in her spirit. Deep inside,

she danced through the design as it took shape, much faster than the first time. She was so glad she could recall every detail.

While she drew, her thoughts returned to Grandmother Carter. Everyone said she took after her grandmother . . . everyone except Mother. Why isn’t she happy about my talent?

Maggie wandered through her memories, trying to recapture how it was when she was a little girl. She remembered Mother playing with her when they lived in the smaller, but comfortable house in Oregon City. They didn’t have servants then, but the three of them laughed and enjoyed life together. Then for some reason, her mother had started talking to her father every chance she got about moving to a larger place. Now that Maggie looked back on those memories, she realized that her mother seemed almost frantic to get away from where they lived, as if something were wrong with the town. Maggie never understood why.

She couldn’t have been more than five years old, but some of the events stood out. The hurry to leave town. The long trip. For quite a while after that, she missed playing with her friends. And she didn’t make new ones when they arrived. No other small children lived in the neighborhood. Even when she started school, she stayed to herself. She had been shy as a young girl.
After they moved to Seattle and her father bought one of the empty buildings and opened Caine Emporium, Mother changed. She became more distant, almost cold. She was no longer the laughing woman. If Maggie didn’t know better, she’d think something made Mother bitter. Maybe that was one reason she wanted to design this special dress. To brighten her mother’s life. Bring back the woman who sometimes flashed through her memory at odd times, making her long for the warmth she had luxuriated in as a small child. Finally, the drawing met her approval. Just in time to eat lunch. Maybe this afternoon she could finish the other sketch with the changes to make the dress more appropriate for her mother than herself.

Once again the kitchen welcomed her, and she enjoyed eating there with Mrs. Jorgensen. If Mother had been home, they would have had the meal in the formal dining room, complete with china, crystal, and silver. Such a fuss for an ordinary day.

“Margaret.” Her mother’s voice rose from the foyer below. “I’m home.”
Looking at the names of people she’d placed on the invitation list, Maggie finished writing Charles Stanton’s name and put the pen down. “Coming, Mother.”
She rushed out of her room and stood at the top of the staircase. “Did you want me?”
“Yes, dear. I thought we could get some shopping done this afternoon.” Her mother still wore her gloves and cape.

“Is it cold?”
Mother nodded. “It’s a bit nippy, so wear something warm.” “I’ll get my things.” Maggie hurried back to her room and gathered a light jacket, a handbag, and her gloves. When she arrived in the foyer, Mother stood tapping her foot

impatiently. “I had hoped we could buy most of the things we’ll need today.”
Maggie bit her tongue to keep from reminding her that she wasn’t the one who had frittered away so much of the day. If Mother wanted to go shopping, why didn’t they do it earlier? She could have gone along for the lunch with Daddy. But evidently Mother preferred spending time with Daddy instead of her. She took a deep breath and followed her mother to the coach sitting in front of the house. Mrs. Jorgensen’s son, who was their driver, stood beside the open

door, ready to assist them into the conveyance.

“Erik, please take us by the Emporium.” Mother took hold of his hand as she stepped up into the vehicle.

Maggie followed suit. “Why are we going to the store? Are we going to shop there?”
The door snapped shut, and Erik climbed into the driver’s seat. “I forgot to get money from your father when we were at lunch.” Mother settled her skirts as the coach lurched forward. “I believe your father is signing papers with young Charles Stanton this afternoon. It will be nice to see him again. Did you add him to your guest list?”

Maggie nodded, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She hadn’t seen Charles since she was about sixteen, but she still remembered the girlish secret infatuation she’d had when she was younger. He’d been so handsome, and kind too. Would he be changed since he’d graduated from university? She would soon find out. She settled back into the carriage seat, suddenly looking forward to the afternoon’s events.

Prism's Corner:

I absolutely loved this book. The characters were well done, and I like books where they are imperfect, but genuine. The storyline was flawless. I never lost attention, and I had the suspense of wondering what was going to happen next. The premise of the story is well though out and the historical elements made me feel like I had taken a trip back in time!

My one disclaimer is that it is strongly hinted that Maggie's mother and father have a physical relationship as married couples should, but I always get uncomfortable when a book gives time to the before and the after of it.

Blessings,

Review of Lost in Dreams

2011-10-05T18:07:00.000-05:00

Lost in Dreams by Roger Bruner with Kristi Rae Bruner is the second book in the Altered Hearts Series. (Read my review for the first book here) Kim is on a spiritual high after her mission trip to Mexico. She is a new, changed person, and she can't wait to share her experiences with her parents. But then tragedy strikes. On the way to pick up Kim from the airport, Kim's mother dies in a car accident. Kim is left feeling lost, depressed, and guilty that everything was her fault. To help her heal, Kim's father and two best friends accompany Kim to help revive a prison ministry.

But will she be able to find true healing in the midst of a feud between her two best friends, feelings of guilt in her mother's death, and corruption in the prison ministry?

As I said in the last book, I love Kim's character. She is truly a well-written character. This book deals with issues like God's plan, guilt, death, divorce, depression, and serving others. I loved the dynamics of the prison ministry. It was actually quite charming. I was also a huge fan of Kim's dad. He was a caring father who wanted to do what was best for his daughter and in God's will. One of Kim's best friends, Jo, is also well-written. Kim's love for her moody and difficult friend is heartwarming, and I loved how she guided Jo to healing and she searched for it herself.

So there were good characters and just plain strange characters. One such character is Aleesha. This girl also struck me as odd in the last book, but it seemed that she got weirder in this one. Aleesha seemed to love bringing up racial difference and making fun of it (Aleesha is African American and Kim is not). Her sometimes obnoxious behavior was downright irritating at times. She seemed judgmental and huffy, and she blames another character of being racially prejudiced when nothing of the sort is happening. Yes, there were funny moments, but it was just too strange. I felt like this character botched the book. Also, the ending was great, but there was an epilogue that was just too unbelievable. It also seemed to harm the book's good points.

All in all, I rate this book three out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 368 pages
~ Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc. (July 1, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Tomorrow's Sun

2011-10-03T17:03:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow's Sun by Becky Melby is the story of two woman from different centuries learning about love, hope and healing. Emily Foster is broken. After utterly destroying a young woman's dreams in a skiing accident, Emily can only put her efforts in remodeling houses to eventually move to California, where she is determined to feel better. Yet, she soon finds that love doesn't depend on a place... it depends on people. Emily discovers with her hired contractor, Jake Braden, mysterious clues and echoes from the past that may show that the house Emily is remodeling is a stop on the Underground Railroad. Jake is determined to save his niece and nephew from an abusing stepfather, so he decides he has no time to fall for Emily. Emily is determined to move to California, so she decided she has no strength to build friendships...relationships with the people of her new town.

Will the adventure of uncovering the mystery of Emily's house pull the two together, or push them apart?

I loved how the author went back and forth with the new and the old with sections and Emily and Jake and about the Underground Railroad. The book is excellently written with characters with believable emotions and a real sense of humanity. I loved the character of Jake. He was willing to sacrifice anything to save his niece and nephew, and his strength of character was so endearing. The extra characters added perfectly to the story!

The story seemed to move slow sometimes, so I wish it had been more attention-capturing.

All in all, I rate this book five out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 320 pages
~ Publisher: Barbour Books (January 1, 2012)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for giving me a free electronic copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Weddings and Wasabi

2011-10-03T16:09:00.001-05:00

Today's Wild Card author is:

Camy Tang

and the book:

Weddings and Wasabi

WinePress Publishing (June 7, 2011)

***Special thanks to Camy Tang for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Camy Tang grew up in Hawaii and now lives in San Jose, California, with her engineer husband and rambunctious mutt, Snickers. She graduated from Stanford University and was a biologist researcher for 9 years, but now she writes full-time. She is a staff worker for her church youth group and leads one of the Sunday worship teams. On her blog, she ponders knitting, spinning wool, dogs, running, the Never Ending Diet, and other frivolous things. Visit her website at http://www.camytang.com/ to read short stories and subscribe to her quarterly newsletter.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

After finally graduating with a culinary degree, Jennifer Lim is pressured by her family to work for her control-freak aunty’s restaurant. But after a family blowout, Jenn is determined to no longer be a doormat and instead starts her own catering company. Her search for a wine merchant brings John into her life—a tall, dark, handsome biker, in form-fitting black leather, and Hispanic to boot. It would be wonderfully wild to snag a man like that!

Shy engineer Edward tentatively tries out his birthday present from his winery-owner uncle—a Harley Davidson complete with the trimmings. Jennifer seems attracted to the rough, aggressive image, but it isn’t his real self. Is she latching onto him just to spite her horrified family? And if this spark between them is real, will showing her the true guy underneath put it out?

And what’s with the goat in the backyard?

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 124 pages
Publisher: WinePress Publishing (June 7, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414120591
ISBN-13: 978-1414120591

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

The goat in the backyard had just eaten tonight’s dinner.

Jennifer Lim stood on her mother’s minuscule back porch and glared at the small brown and white creature polishing off her basil. She would have run shouting at it to leave off her herb garden, except it had already decimated the oregano, mint, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, and her precious basil, which had been slated for tonight’s pesto.

Besides, if it bit her, she was peeved enough to bite back.

“Mom!” She stomped back into the house. Thank goodness the pots of her special Malaysian basil were sectioned off in the large garden on the side of the house, protected by a wooden-framed wire gate. Jenn was growing it so that she could make her cousin Trish’s favorite chicken dish for her wedding, which Jenn was catering for her. But everything in her backyard garden was gone. The animal was welcome to the only thing left, the ragged juniper bushes. Were juniper bushes poison? If so, the animal was welcome to them.

“Mom!” Her voice had reached banshee range. “There is a goat—”

“You don’t need to yell.” Mom entered the kitchen, her lipstick bright red from a fresh application and her leather handbag over her arm, obviously ready to leave the house on some errand.

“Since when do we own a goat?”

“Since your cousin Larry brought him over.” She fished through her leather purse. “His name is Pookie.”

Jenn choked on her demand for an explanation, momentarily distracted. “He has a name?”

“He’s a living being. Of course he has a name.” Her mother fluttered eyelashes overloaded with mascara.

“Don’t give me that. You used to love to gross me out with stories of Great-Uncle Hao Chin eating goats back in China.”

Mom sniffed and found the refrigerator fascinating. “That’s your father’s side.”

Jenn swayed as the floor tilted. You are now entering … the Twilight Zone. Her parent had evoked that feeling quite often in the past few weeks. “Where did Larry get a goat and why do we have it now?”

“They were desperate.”

Actually, Jenn could have answered her own question. That goat was in their backyard right now because everyone knew that her mom couldn’t say no to a termite who knocked on the door and asked if it could spend the night.

And outside of physically dropping the goat off at someone’s house—and she didn’t have an animal trailer, so that was out of the question—Jenn wouldn’t be able to get anyone else in the family to agree to take the animal, now that it was here. That meant leaving a goat in a niece’s backyard because no one else wanted to go through the hassle of doing anything about it.

Mom said, “You wouldn’t have me turn away family, would you?”

“Uncle Percy knows, too?”

“No, not Percy.”

“Aunty Glenda?” No way. Even if Larry were thirty-one instead of twenty-one, Aunty would still dictate to her son the color underwear he wore that day—how much more his choice of pet?

“No.” Mom blinked as rapidly as she could with mascara making her short, stiff lashes stick together, almost gluing her eyes shut.

The tiger in Jenn’s ribcage growled. “Mother.” Her fist smacked onto her hip.

“Oh, all right.” Mom rolled her eyes as if she were still a teenager. “It belongs to Larry’s dormmate’s older brother, but really, he’s the nicest young man.” Burgundy lips pulled into what wanted to be a smile, but instead looked hideously desperate.

Jenn tried to count to ten but only got to two. “I know Larry’s a nice young man. If an abundance of immaturity counts as ‘nice’ points.”

“Jenn, really, you’re so intolerant. Just because you’re smart and went to Stanford for grad school …”

The name of her school—and the one dominant memory it brought up—made her neck jerk in a spasm. It had only been for two years, but that was enough. Desperately lonely after spending her undergrad years living with her cousins, Jenn had only formed a few friendships among the other grad students, none of them close. There was only one she’d never forget, although she vowed she would every morning when she got up and saw the scar in the mirror.

“Why. Do we have. A goat.”

“It’s only for a few days—”

“We don’t know a thing about how to take care of—”

“They’re easy—”

“Besides which, this is Cupertino. I’m sure there are city laws—”

“It’ll be gone before anyone notices—”

“Oh, ho, you’re right about that.” Jenn strode toward the phone on the wall. “I’m calling the Humane Society. They’ll take it.” Although they wouldn’t provide a trailer to transport it. How was she going to take the goat anywhere, much less to an animal shelter?

Mom plopped onto a stool and sighed. “That boy was so cute. His name was Brad.”

There went her neck spasming again. But Brad was a common name. She grabbed the phone.

“Such a nice Chinese boy. Related to the Yip family—you know, the ones in Mountain View?”

The phone slipped from her hand and bungee-jumped toward the floor, saved only by the curly cord. She bent to snatch it up, but dizziness shrouded her vision and she had to take a few breaths before straightening up.

“Oh, and he went to Stanford. You two have something in common.” Mom beamed.

No. He wouldn’t.

Yes, he would.

“Brad Yip?”

Mom’s eyes lighted up. “Do you know him?”

Sure, she knew him. Knew the next time he came for his goat she’d ram her chef’s knife, Michael Meyers style, right between his eyes.

PRISM'S CORNER:
So, welcome to Prism's first go 'round of a FIRST tour! As this is new to both me and you, I'm changing and forgoing some of my usual routine. It's fun to shake things up once in a while, no? Let's call it "Prism's Corner"

As the book has been already summed up, I'll add my quick review.

I absolutely love the author's sense of humor. That, paired with an Asian culture I can relate to so well. Brilliant. My only complaints were 1. it was short and 2. because it was, short, the romance was speedy. I missed some of the flair I've gotten from other books like Sushi for One? and others. But it was great seeing some of the "cast" back and reading a new adventure!

Blessings,

Review of Hello, Hollywood!

2011-10-03T14:17:00.003-05:00

Hello, Hollywood by Janice Thompson is the story of a screenwriter, Athena Pappas, who discovers that love can be found in ways even she can't script. It is the second book in the Backstage Pass series. Athena Pappas is the head writer on Stars Collide, a very popular family television sitcom. However, the dynamics of her team is change when a Vegas comedian, Stephen, is brought to liven things up. The tension begins to build between the two writers and ideas- and hearts- collide. Athena discovers that God's script is often better than anything she could ever imagine.

LOVE. This book is a perfect blend of comedy, charm. drama, and aspects of real life in Hollywood. The Pappas family is so unique and well-written. I felt as if I were spending time with a real Greek family. The subplot of "evil" Aunt Athena also added some extra zest to the story that made it absolutely wonderful. The author expertly builds the characters and the unique setting of a TV show. I didn't think she could top Stars Collide, but obviously I was wrong. Bravo!

My only confusion is that the book mentions several times about Athena's troubles with a former fiance, but it never goes into detail. I felt as if I were missing out on the background of Athena's life.

I highly recommend this book! Awesome. Five out of five stars!

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 278 pages
~Publisher: Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of There You'll Find Me

2011-10-01T12:26:00.000-05:00

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones is the captivating YA Christian fiction about a girl who finds healing through God, Ireland, and... a vampire. Okay, okay, let me explain. Finley Sinclair is a driven eighteen year old who is determined to get accepted into the Manhattan music conservatory. However, she is still recovering from the tragic death of her older brother Will. Determined to discover creativity to fuel her drive to succeed, Finley heads to Ireland as an exchange student, to the same town where Will traveled as an exchange student. To write "Will's song", Finley is determined to travel to all the places Will had gone and find peace at last.

Finley soon meets Beckett Rush, a famous teen bad boy and the star of the latest vampire movie. Beckett's curiosity is peaked as he meets this strange girl who seems immune to his charms and so genuinely real. They soon develop a grudging friendship, and Beckett convinces Finley to work as his assistant. The undeniable attraction begins to build between the two but Finley's past, bullies at Finley's new school, and the pressure to finish Will's song in time for her audition begins to move Finley towards a destructive behavior.

Will she still be able to find healing in the midst of her personal turmoil? Could God still be present in her life even though she's gone through so much?

This book was something new from the author. I'm a huge fan, and I loved to see the humor she has shown in her other books with a deeper poignant feel that makes a reader really connect with the characters. I especially loved the quips about Beckett's career as a vampire. Great stuff. Also, the story of an elderly woman Finley is assigned to be a "granddaughter" for is so beautiful and meaningful. It's truly an excellent blend of funny and meaningful emotion.

All in all, I rate this book five out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 320 pages
~ Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 4, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Sounds Just Like Queen!

2011-09-26T16:27:00.000-05:00

Wow. I can't believe I never realized this before! Marc Martel, the lead singer of Christian band Downhere, sounds so much like Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen.

What? Don't believe me? Take a listen! :)

Blessings,

Mad Harmonica Skills!

2011-09-24T16:40:00.000-05:00

Blessings,

Your Love Is a Mystery!

2011-09-19T16:13:00.000-05:00

This song is so my life right now! Love, love, love!

"God I know that you exist
I've been told a thousand times
But my friends they all insist
That the truth is just a lie
You see the lives that they all live
Seems like a party all the time
The temptations I resist
Because it's You I glorify!"

Hawk Nelson's "Your Love Is a Mystery" Enjoy!

Blessings,

Review of Deadly Pursuit

2011-09-18T13:24:00.002-05:00

Deadly Pursuit by Irene Hannon is the second book in the Guardians of Justice series, which is the suspenseful romance trilogy that follows the Taylor siblings. Alison Taylor has been receiving strange prank calls for some time. As a social worker with brothers in law enforcement, she knows that there's a potential of people disliking her, but when the calls turn into something more sinister, her brother Cole and his ex-Navy SEAL police partner Mitch come to the rescue. Alison's stalker begins to reveal more and more of what he intends to do to Alison, and Mitch begins to fight for Alison's safety. Because the safety of his future and heart depend on it.

Irene Hannon does a great job of character development in this book with the villain. It doesn't justify what the stalker does, but it shows that sometimes a person's life choices and circumstances can lead to awful acts. Also, the two main characters have a meaningful conversation about God's will and why bad things happen, and that was probably my favorite part of the book. My favorite character? Cole, Alison's brother. I can't wait to see how things go in the next book for him.

I didn't really connect with the main characters in this book. I'm a big fan of Irene Hannon, and I enjoyed her other series and the first book of this series. However, the romance was really strange between the two. Usually a relationship progresses, but in this one, the connection is immediate and it seemed like the story would move a little then brake, move then brake. It was a little too sickly sweet at times. The other plot line, the stalker, was interesting, but I wasn't as captivated as I have been with the author's other books. Some things to be aware of: the stalker frightens a character by inappropriate touching and meth is used by some characters.

All in all I rate this book three out of four stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 352 pages
~ Publisher: Revell (September 1, 2011)
~ Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Katy's Decision!

2011-09-13T17:43:00.000-05:00

Katy's Decision by Kim Vogel Sawyer is the fourth and final book in the YA Christian Katy Lambright series. Katy is looking forward to a great summer vacation spent with her best friend, Shelby, at Katy's farm in the Mennonite community. However, their plans are soon cut short when Katy's aunt discovers she has a serious illness. The girls sacrifice their time and efforts to run Katy's aunt's fabric store. Seems boring, right? Think again!

A new Mennonite boy from another community is also spending the summer in Katy's community, complicating things. There are already two guys crushing on Katy, and the newcomer is beginning to confuse Katy about where her heart belongs. Katy is faced with several important dilemmas. Who is the guy for her? Will she give up her education to help out at home or continue following her dreams and disappoint her family? It's not an easy decision.

It was great seeing how the series would end. I've been reading the Katy Lambright series from book one, and it was good to get some closure. I like how the male characters were (for the most part) strong yet sensitive enough to help out and care. There was a feeling of strong family unity in this book, and I really appreciated that.

I wish this series could have ended more significantly. I felt as if this book was more boring than the rest of the series. I had closure, but it wasn't very exciting. Also, a lot of the book was about who Katy would choose instead of whether she would chose to stay in the Mennonite community or not. There really wasn't any big, drastic decision.

All in all, I rate this book three out of five stars. Clean read, a little dry. Recommended to girls 10 and up.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 208 pages
~ Publisher: Zondervan (April 26, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

The Manslater!

2011-09-12T15:48:00.002-05:00

Haha! This video totally cracks me up. It's so true!

Blessings,

Review of Worlds Collide

2011-09-07T16:20:00.000-05:00

Worlds Collide by Alison Strobel is the emotional, gripping story of a famous couple's past. There's always a story that others never see. When a Hollywood star marries a normal gal, it seems like a fairytale. However, in reality, the lives Jack Harrington and Grace Winslow were both filled with heartache, sadness, and a feeling of being lost before their "storybook ending". Jack Harrington is suffering through the abandonment of his girlfriend and a death, Grace moves to California to start over. The two inevitably meet, and their lives and changed forever. The attraction and tension builds, as does their awareness of the difference between their lives and values.

Biographer Jada Eastman is determined to get their whole story, but will her life be changed in the process by this strong pair? As the book puts it, "As the three of them examine the couple’s bittersweet story, it becomes clear that everyday decisions can carry lifetime consequences when individual worlds collide."

Amazing narrative. The book flowed smoothly, even though the book was split between Jack's past, Grace's past, and the present. I love how their story also caused Jada to reexamine her own life and values. Also, I found it intriguing and great that the author worked backwards, so to speak, with the story. The reader already knew that the famous couple was together, but the mystery of how they got that way was yet to be solved. The journey of the two characters is so beautifully written, and a reader will find an immediate connection to the two.

This is an adult Christian fiction book, so I probably wouldn't highly recommend it to teens like myself. There are drugs, alcohol, and physical relationships aplenty before Jack and Grace find each other. Yes, I enjoyed the story, but some of the stuff I skipped over.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars. Well-written and emotionally involving.

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy of this book.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 384 pages
~Publisher: WaterBrook Press (March 15, 2005)

Blessings,

PCR

2011-09-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, time for Prism to show her nerdy side... and people, it's really nerdy.

So in class this week I'm learning about a little contraption known as a PCR. It's short for Polymerase Chain Reaction, but I'm not here to make y'all snooze. (C'mon Prism! I'm done with school for the day... yeah, I know, I know...) It's a great science tool to replicate DNA so that a scientist can tell what the DNA belongs to. Anyone ever used one of these? It's pretty lengthy, but fun.

Anyways, there have been some pretty funny songs/commercials made about the PCR... enjoy!

Like the "We Are the World" song

(G-T C-A are the components of DNA! :))

Blessings,

Review of Veiled Rose!

2011-08-31T17:25:00.000-05:00

Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl is the sequel to the YA Christian fantasy book Heartless. Rose Red is a girl who has always been in hiding. She stays in a small house with her nanny goat, a man who she calls father, and her secrets beneath numerous veils. Her world is drastically changed when she meets a boy her age named Leo. Leo is a headstrong boy who is determined to find a monster who terrorized the area, and the two soon become friends, to the horror of Leo's household. But their childhood games soon become real when a monster so great begins to terrorize the kingdom. Leo is determined to stop it, but at what cost? And what is Rose Red hiding beneath all of her veils?

Excellent. Absolutely excellent. This book is even better than the first book, which is saying a lot. The characters are gripping, and I loved how what seemed like a minor character in the last book totally makes sense in this book. A hated character became an understandable person. This book fleshes out Heartless and its characters while strongly conveying a new, different story. This is absolutely one of my favorite fantasy books ever. I loved how the author progressed the friendship of Leo and Rosie in a way that had the reader loving them both. The story is so sweet, and I loved how the story of Rose with all of her veils shows that beauty is beyond the outside appearance. Rose's gentleness, inner strength, and courage shines through in her actions, and she is one of my favorite characters in all of the books I have read. Also, the ending is a great suspenseful build to the next book, Moonblood, which will be released April 2012. Oh, and isn't the cover just amazing?

All in all I rate this book five out of five stars. Truly a great read. I highly, highly recommend it!

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 394 pages
~Publisher: Bethany House (July 1, 2011)

Note: Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Tale of Despereaux

2011-08-22T17:33:00.002-05:00

The Tale of Despereaux is the story of a brave little mouse who changes the whole kingdom of Dor. Dor is famous for its soups; it even has a day dedicated just to soup. One tragic Soup Day, a rat disembarks from a ship seeking adventure. Roscuro, the rat, follows the enchanting smell of soup right to the palace, where the royal family is about to enjoy their specially made soup. Unfortunately, Roscuro tumbles into the Queen's soup, causing her to panic, faint, and drown in her soup. The whole castle is suddenly in upheaval. Roscuro is chased by the king's knights, but he gets away.

The king, in grief and anger, bans soup and rats from the Kingdom of Dor. Roscuro is taken away from light, food, and happiness as he is forced to live in Ratworld, an underground town of terrible rats.

In enters Despereaux, a little mouse, even in mice standards, who refuses to be afraid, much to the people of Mouseworld's dismay. Unlike other mice, he isn't timid and loves to read books instead of eating them. When reading a book, he decides he will become a hero and save a princess. Thus, the adventure begins...

I enjoyed how different this movie is. The voice actors were excellent (Matthew Broderick, Emma Watson, and Dustin Hoffman are all part of the cast) The plot is very detailed, with numerous subplots. The use of a narrator (Sigourney Weaver) adds beautifully to the story with moral tidbits. The animation is really well done.

This movie is unlike anything I've ever seen. For a children's movie, it seems a bit too deep. The morals are strong, and I appreciate that. Such themes include forgiveness, value of other people, and the error of dark ways. I did watch the movie with a small child who actually enjoys the movie very much, but it seemed to have some elements that may be hard for a little one to understand. A secondary character "dies", which absolutely made me, yes, me sad. In short, the thematic elements may be too scary or too much to handle.

Overall, I was absolutely enchanted by this movie. I'd say it's a great movie for kids at heart.

I rate this movie four out of five stars.

Blessings,

Be My Magnificent Obsession!

2011-08-18T16:37:00.000-05:00

This song is an oldie, but a goodie. It's rare that a song gives me the chills, but this is such as song. "Magnificent Obsession" Steven Curtis Chapman! Mr.Chapman recently released his latest album Re:creation, which includes a remake of "Magnificent Obsession".

Blessings,

Review of The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck

2011-08-16T16:33:00.000-05:00

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y'Barbo is the historical fiction story of a girl who wants to follow her dreams of becoming a business woman and getting married, in that order. Charlotte has always wanted to grow up. Even as a child, she put all of her effort into convincing her father that she was a woman, but to no avail. In fact, she tends to build a reputation of just the opposite everywhere she goes, much to her father's dismay. When Charlotte meets the dashing, yet insufferable astronomer Alex Hambly, their first encounter is anything but pleasant. However, their paths continue crossing until Charlottes father has a revelation- the two should marry! He pressures and pressures both. Charlotte longs to go to college and head up her father's company. Alex wants save his family from financial disaster. Charlotte's father proposes a simple plan- he'll solve both problems if the two marry.

Although very reluctant, the pair agrees, but they secretly plan to annul the ridiculous contract after their inconvenient marriage. But when Alex wants to honor his commitment, how will Charlotte get out? Does she even want to?

Charlotte's is very unique. Never have I seen such a spirited and turbulent female main character, and I like how Alex sort of balanced that out with his levelheadedness. The first half of the book was great, and it seemed really promising! Charlotte is an unconventional young woman who is very familiar with Buffalo Bill and his shows, and she shocked the English society when she acts like them. The relationship between Alex and Charlotte also starts off great.

As I said before, Charlotte is unique, but perhaps she's too unique. To put it mildy, for about 4/5 of the book, she's very much like a spoiled child. I came to somewhat pity Alex for having to put up with her. Also, the story was really predictable, and I never really got closure on what had happened to Charlotte's mother or Alex's twin brother. There didn't seem to be any standout scenes in this book. The behavior of Charlotte's father seemed too extreme, and I didn't quite like how he was so pushy. In addition, when the two decide they're ready to really be married, it is strongly, strongly implied that they do.

This was not my kind of book. It was very promising in the beginning, but in the end, it just didn't deliver. I rate this book two out of five stars.

Note: The publisher provided me with a free electronic copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Gray Matter!

2011-08-11T12:05:00.000-05:00

What happens when a neurosurgeon decides to pray with his patients prior to surgery? The autobiography Gray Matter by Dr. David Levy recounts his experiences as he discovers the power of prayer in his life and in the life of his patients. His journey of building up courage to ask patients to pray, being unashamed when his colleagues discover what he is doing, and keeping his faith strong when procedures do not go well all show how faith may be brought into the workplace while being careful to be mindful of others and the regulations in place. The vivid medical details and amazing stories of faith allow readers to see the power of God and explore their own methods of sharing Christianity.

Dr. Levy begins his career as a cocky medical student who believes the power is in his hands, but as he discovers the true Physician, he discovers that God is ultimately in control. When he feels led to pray with his patients, Dr. Levy is concerned about the possible responses; he could be mocked or rejected. However, he finally builds up the courage to pray with a patient who is eventually healed both physically and spiritually. While helping his patients, he also discovers that the experience is changing him and strengthening his faith. He proposes that science and faith are not incompatible but acknowledges that doctors can face ridicule or discipline if they decide to share their faith. “The role of prayer in health care is itself a gray matter,” he comments.

This book is written with detailed descriptions of the field of neurology. The aspects of faith and medicine are balanced in a manner that both medical professionals and average readers will find enlightening. His ideas and his journey of discovering the power of prayer is shared with honesty. The stories do not only include successes. Some stories do not end well, but they show that even disasters can result in growth and forgiveness. This book is an excellent reminder of the power of prayer and how Christians can reach out to others, regardless of their position.

The debate still continues about whether or not prayer and religion is appropriate in the health care setting, but Dr. Levy shows how it can be helpful, even life-changing. Readers will find Gray Matter an engaging read that causes them to rethink their ability to reach out to unbelievers and be more open about their faith. Above all, they will consider the power of God and how he is the ultimate Healer.

Faith Under Fire

2011-08-07T19:05:00.000-05:00

Note: This is not my image

It never ceases to amaze me how Christianity has stood the tests of time. From the Roman's persecution of Christians to the countries today who kill Christians, still the faith keeps strong. From the apostles of Christ to His followers today, God has been faithful to His own, even in the midst of intense persecution in hostile countries.

Today, my church hosted a pastor and his family from such a country. They're faced everyday with the possibility of jail time by the government or harsh treatment of the citizens. Yet their faith astounded me at how clear it was. Their focus was on Him, when I'm usually focused on trivial matters, like food, movies, popularity, ect. In the end, it doesn't matter. I know that. But it's amazing how often we forget and do what we like to do. All that matters is God. After all, what's the point of living? We were put in this earth to glorify God and lead others to His love and forgiveness. Who cares about the things that won't last?

One of the other things that struck me is my own inability to really share what I believe with the people I love. The people I'm around don't really talk about what they believe, and the topic of God almost never comes up. Sadly, when it does, it's in vain. Even in the church, I haven't been able to find a true friend who puts God first. Why can't I open my mouth and start talking? We often put too much stock in what other people will think. What if they think I'm crazy? What if they never talk to me again? What if? What if? What if? These questions have always been subconsciously haunting me. But people around the world do talk about it when they know they are risking their lives.

Why?

Because God is real, and the only way a person can get to Him and eternal life is through accepting Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior. Without Him is eternal separation from God and the other horrors of a terrible punishment that we truly deserve for the things we have done. The love we have should be for others, even enemies, to show them the truth.

This is what I believe. We all face some sort of persecution. After all, Jesus himself told us that we'd be hated for what we believe. People will even think we're crazy. The question is, how will you respond?

How will I respond? I'll be thinking on this for a long time... It's easier said than done, but if they have the courage to stand up and face such terrible horrors, can I not share what I know is true?

Blessings,

Review of A Cowboy's Touch!

2011-08-02T10:30:00.001-05:00

A Cowboy's Touch by Denise Hunter is the story of a city gal and cowboy who discover love and what it truly means.

Abigail Jones is used to a hectic lifestyle. She works for her mother's magazine as an investigative reporter, so she's somewhat of an alcoholic. However, her body isn't used to her stressful lifestyle. When her hypertension begins to worry her doctor sister, Abigail is sentenced to three months in the middle of nowhere in Moose Creek, Montana to rest and check up on her great aunt. Little does she know that a new adventure awaits her.

When a young girl named Maddy Ryan shows up at Abigail's aunt's store, worried about her missing bicycle, Abigail immediately agrees to help her find it. She soons discovers that Maddy is the daughter of widowed Wade Ryan, a mysterious cowboy who appears to be much more than what he shows on the surface. Maddy and Abigail soon form a strong bond of friendship and love, so when Maddy talks to Abigail about needing a nanny for the summer, Abigail agrees. She soon discovers love that she never though she would find, but she also discovers a secret that could both save her mother's magazine and destroy her new relationship.

Will she make the right choice?

This book is a typical Christian romance, but I really liked the different elements of Maddy, Abigail's aunt, and Abigail's mother's magazine. It added some depth and additional subplots, which I usually cannot do without in this genre. The author's voice is smooth, and I had no trouble whatsoever getting through this book.

I wasn't the biggest fan of Abigail's character in this book. In the end, I felt as if she was totally wrong. It was like Wade deserved more. I wasn't also happy about the characters of her mother and sister.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars. Recommended to gals in their late teens and up!

Specifics ( from amazon.com ):
~ Paperback: 320 pages
~ Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 29, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Perfectly Invisible!

2011-07-28T14:32:00.000-05:00

Perfectly Invisible: A Universally Misunderstood Novel by Kristin Billerbeck is the second book about Daisy Crispin, a senior determined to stand out before she leaves high school. See my review for the first book here. Daisy's determined to finish high school as somebody, go to a great university, stay with her amazing boyfriend, and stick with her best friend, Claire. But, of course, it doesn't work out. When her best friend suddenly forces Daisy to sell outrageously weird jewelry, the whole school suddenly turns on Daisy. However, her best friend hurts her even more when she begins being around Daisy's boyfriend. Things get weirder when her former crush begins to show interest in her and Daisy gets to know Claire's long lost half-brother, who Claire didn't even know existed. Oh, an someone pulls off a stunt that has the whole school talking about Daisy! Maybe being invisible was better after all...

This book tops my favorite charts... I've never felt so much like a character before, and even though Daisy's situation is a lot different from mine, our personalities are pretty much the same. Dry humor, perfectionist thinking, and somewhat useful with academics. Whenever she got advice, I felt that it was talking to me. This book has some pretty good lessons about tough times, perfectionism, and choices. But its also laugh-out-loud hilarious! I don't often crack up as I read books, but I was laughing so hard. The author's writing style is smooth, and just lets the reader see who Daisy is. I feel this book was much better than the previous one. Excellent!

Some things to be aware of is that there are mentions of alcohol and a guy drugging a girl (an event from the previous book). All hints, nothing big.

All in all, I rate this book five starts out of five. Recommended to teen girls.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 267 pages
~ Publisher: Revell (July 1, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

You Can't Run When You're Holding Suitcases!

2011-07-19T14:27:00.000-05:00

"Suitcases" by Dara Maclean. My song pick of the week! :)

How can you move when they're weighing you down
What can you do when you're tied to the ground, yeah
You carry your burdens, heavy like gravity
Just let them go now, there's freedom in release

You can't run when you're holding suitcases
It's a new day throw away your mistakes and open up your heart
Lay down your guard, you don't have to be afraid

Just breathe, your load can be lifted
There's a better way when you know you're forgiven
Open up your heart, lay down your guard
You don't have to be afraid

Can you imagine what it's like to be free
Well, send those bags packing, they're not what you need
Abandon your troubles on the side of the street
Just let them go now, believe me

You can't run when you're holding suitcases
It's a new day throw away your mistakes and open up your heart
Lay down your guard, you don't have to be afraid

Just breathe, your load can be lifted
There's a better way when you know you're forgiven
Open up your heart, lay down your guard
You don't have to be afraid

There's nothing hold you back now, just run

You can't run when you're holding suitcases
It's a new day throw away your mistakes and open up your heart
Lay down your guard, you don't have to be afraid

Just breathe, your load can be lifted
There's a better way when you know you're forgiven
Open up your heart, lay down your guard
You don't have to be
You don't have to be afraid

Blessings,

Review of The Heavens Proclaim His Glory

2011-07-19T13:59:00.000-05:00

The Heavens Proclaim His Glory by Kevin Hartnett is a gift book with stunning images of space taken by the Hubble telescope. Truly God's creation proclaims His glory, and it is made evident through the beautiful images shown.

With the pictures are reading portions, and I like how it stays with a theme and relates back to the galaxies.I really liked the quotes, poetry, and Scripture interspersed throughout the book. It isn't bogged down by technical details, so anyone can pick it up an enjoy. Rarely do I think about what is beyond earth, so this was a great reminder of how small I am and how big He is. My only complaint is that I wish there were labels with the pictures so that I could know what they are.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars, I recommend it as a gift or as a coffee table book.

Specifics (from amazon.com) :
~ Hardcover: 176 pages
~ Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Gift edition (September 7, 2010)

Note: I was provided with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Favorite Covers!

2011-07-18T18:21:00.000-05:00

We all know the old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover!". However, in actuality, a book's appearance is a big factor in whether or not a person might buy a book. There are some old, new, and yet to come Christian fiction covers that are my favorites, so let's call this an unofficial award to the unsung heroes of graphic design and art!

In no specific order:

What about you? What are some of your favorite book covers?

Blessings,

Review of In Between!

2011-07-16T17:43:00.000-05:00

In Between: A Katie Parker Production by Jenny B. Jones is the first book in a series about a girl who is forced to go to In Between, Texas to live with her new foster parents. Katie Parker was happy enough at Sunny Haven Home for Girls. Okay, maybe not, but who wants to live in some town called In Between with people you've never met? Katie just wants to be loved and accepted, but when she finds acceptance with the wrong crowd, things go from bad to worse. Then there's her foster grandmother, who is known to the locals as Mad Maxine.

This book was hilarious, and I was laughing so hard every chapter. Jenny B. Jones is one of my absolute, all-time favorite authors because she can write fun, clean YA fiction. I love, love, love the way Katie's humor shines through the whole book to present truths and some sticky situations in a funny light. I really liked Katie's foster parents too. They are supportive of Katie no matter what she does, and by the end of the book, Katie and her foster parents have changed each other. Mad Maxine is also a fun addition to the book, and I absolutely cracked up at her antics.

I highly recommend this book to teen gals. Scratch that, I think women would enjoy this book as much as teens would. My rating, you ask? Five out five huge, gleaming stars. Bravo!

Specifics:
~Paperback: 352 pages
~Publisher: NavPress; First Thus edition (April 15, 2007)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Don't Check Your Brains at the Door

2011-07-15T11:10:00.000-05:00

Don't Check Your Brains at the Door by Josh Mcdowell and Bob Hostetler is a nonfiction book for teens about some of the tough questions in life. The book is broken down into six divisions about some myths teens face.The divisions are Myths about God, Myths about Jesus, Myths about the Bible, Myths about the Resurrection, Myths about Religion and Christianity, and Myths about Life and Happiness.

I found this book to be good for new teen Christians who may not understand everything that they believe. Its somewhat similar to the Case for Christ series (both adult and children versions) and maybe the Truth Project by Focus on the Family. I'd probably put this one as something to read before reading of viewing the previously mentioned media. I wish there would've been more proof in this book as is shown in the Case for Christ and Truth Project series. I wasn't a huge fan of the first two divisions because I felt there wasn't much proof other than references to the Bible, which are great, but I think a better foundation could have been set. This book is a quick read, though, so I don't know if the authors were set to space constraints. The arguments could have been fleshed out a little more. I did appreciate the chapters towards the back, though. Sort of reminded me that I'm not alone in my stand for what is right when usually I'm the only one in my group of friends. I was reminded to look at the big picture, which is serving and glorifying God.

All in all, I rate this book three out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Paperback: 208 pages
~ Publisher: Thomas Nelson (August 2, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Limos, Lattes, & My Life on the Fringe!

2011-07-14T13:28:00.000-05:00

Limos, Lattes, & My Life on the Fringe by Nancy Rue is the fourth and final book in the Real Life series. You can see my review for the previous books by clicking on the following links: books one, two, and three. Tyler Bonning is used to being on the fringe of the school crowd, she's smart, not popular, and pretty happy with being invisible and ignored by the Ruling Class, the popular people. But when she's suddenly nominated as prom queen as a joke, she decides to make use of her nomination and turn it into a campaign to make the prom for everyone, popular and not. However, her decision causes some friends to become enemies and what she before thought as enemies to become friends, like Patrick, a guy she wouldn't have even shared a conversation with before. With some family tension rising with the integration of her half sister, Sunny, becoming part of the family and mysterious threats to her cause, Tyler soon finds out that brain power alone won't help her. Are the answers in a strange leather book she finds?

The author is quite the master of a perfectly balanced plot. The reader won't be bogged down by details, but there are just enough to be able to picture the scenes with clarity. This balance is hard to find, so I really appreciated it. This whole series is great, and in each one I found something that I related to. I especially loved the last two books because I "got" the characters. Their struggles in the books have been some of my struggles, and I love how Nancy Rue can enter the teen girl's mind and write exactly what the character would think and do if she was a real person. As always, I liked the Real Life book element because it applied Bible stories in an unique way with the girls' situations without being too preachy or not understandable. Unlike some of the other books, I wasn't bogged down with the portions, so although I can't pick a favorite in the series, I can say this is at the top of my list. Excellent series!

Some mentions of plans to bring alcohol to the prom, but the attempts are unsuccessful.

All in all, I rate this book five out of five stars. Highly recommended to teen girls.

Specifics (from amazon.com):

~ Paperback: 240 pages

~ Publisher: Zondervan (April 26, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Some Band Has Too Much Time On Their Hands....

2011-07-05T12:22:00.001-05:00

Haha! They are way too funny! There are a TON of these...

"Stayin' Alive" MercyMe style....

"Eye of the Tiger"

Blessings,

Review of Is the Bible Reliable!

2011-07-05T10:16:00.002-05:00

Is the Bible Reliable? is the second DVD in the TrueU video series by Focus on the Family. It's similar to the Truth Project, but this series is targeted towards teenagers approaching or in college and, according to the website, it should be thought of as a prequel to the Truth Project. The main purpose of this video, taught by Dr. Stephen Meyer (author of Signature in the Cell), is to build a historical case to show that events in the Bible really did happen. And after watching this, I am so amazed at
how much evidence exists out there that absolutely corroborates with Biblical material.

The DVD is broken down into ten 25-minute lessons on two DVDs as follows:
1. In the Footsteps of Abraham
2. The Exodus: From Egypt to Canaan
3. The Israelites Conquer the Promised Land
4. Israel's Rise to Prominence through David and Solomon
5. The Assyrian Invasion
6. The Babylonian Conquest of Judah
7. Investigating the Historical Authenticity of the New Testament
8. The Reliability of Luke and Acts
9. How Archaeology Backs Up the New Testament
10. The Trial of Jesus

This package consists of two DVDs and one discussion guide to follow along with the DVD. The book includes fill-in-the-blank, matching, and prompt exercises. It also includes quotes, pictures, and little comics relevant to the lessons. My favorite is lesson 10, the Trial of Jesus. Extra-Biblical evidence clearly shows that Jesus and His disciples exists. Yes, when it comes down to the line, believing in Jesus's deity is a matter of faith, but to have proof that He is mentioned in historical texts of the time, His followers were active in spreading Christianity, and that many of the people involved in His trial were prominent and real is great to ground faith in. I wish the DVDs were longer, but when the first DVD (Does God Exist?) was shown at my church, it was evident that the timing was planned for such a group setting. So for the time allotted, I applaud TrueU on covering so much meaningful information in what might seem a short period of time. The teaching is clear and understandable, and I highly recommend this series to anyone, especially teens. This is a must-watch for any college bound individual who seeks to know why they believe in the Christian faith. I am looking forward to watching the upcoming third and fourth DVDs in this series.

All in all, I rate this video five out of five stars.

Click here to go to the TrueU website, a great additional resource.

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy of this video.

Blessings,

I May Fall, but I Will Rise

2011-07-02T09:50:00.000-05:00

"Rise" - Josh Garrels

I hung my head, for the last time
In surrender and despair
Before I’m dead, I’ll take the last climb
Up the mountain, face my fears
The time has come, to make a choice
Use my voice for the love of every man
My mind's made up, never again
Never again, will I turn round

Though they may surround me like lions
And crush me on all sides
I may fall, but I will rise
Not by my might, or my power, or by the strength of swords
Only through, your love, my Lord
All we’ve lost, will be, restored

Take courage sons, for we must go under
The heart of darkness, and set them free
But don’t lose heart when you see the numbers
There’s no measure for, the faith we bring
It’s given us, to overcome
If we run, where the spirit calls us on
The greatest things, have yet to come
With the dawn, we will rise

Though they may surround us like lions
And crush us on all sides
we may fall, but we will rise
Not by my might, or my power, or by the strength of swords
Only through, your love, my Lord
All we’ve lost, will be, restored

Blessings,

Review of The Final Hour

2011-06-30T17:21:00.001-05:00

The Final Hour by Andrew Klavan is the fourth and final book in The Homelanders teen action and adventure series. Charlie West is finally regaining his memory- all of it. But when his memory reveals an evil plot that will destroy millions of lives, Charlie must determine how much he is willing to sacrifice. Although he has always been on the "good guys" side, Charlie is in a cruel prison for murder. The terrorist group called the Homelanders is still after him, especially now that he's the only person outside of their group who knows the secret. He has to get out, even though no one will believe him. The final hour is upon him... will millions of innocent people die?

Nonstop action from the very first book. You can see my reviews for the second and third books if you click on the links. As I've said in my reviews of past books, this series is definitely what I call a "guy read", but the author also caters to the gal readers. Charlie West is an outright comic book hero. He puts others before himself, he has a strong sense of patriotism, he can kick tail with his mad karate skills, yet he still says soft for his girl and parents. As the plot thickens in this book and all of the strange memory attacks Charlie has experienced suddenly begin to make sense, readers will be on the edge of their seats the whole time.

There's some violence in this book, but nothing I found too gory or objectionable. My plot element complaint is that the book gets really unbelievable towards the end. Charlie is just able to do things that normal high schoolers wouldn't be able to do. Granted, Charlie West is not your normal teen-now-adult, but I was a little thrown off with some of the fantastic elements of this story. Also, this series must be read in succession (the first book could probably be skipped without getting lost, though) to understand the whole story. I can't imagine just picking the last book up and understanding what's going on at all.

All in all, I rate this book three stars out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~ Hardcover: 352 pages
~ Publisher: Thomas Nelson (July 19, 2011)
~ Author website: http://www.andrewklavan.com/

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review and Excerpt of How Huge the Night

2011-06-24T15:28:00.088-05:00

How Huge the Night by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn is the historical story of several teens and their struggle during World War 2. The mother-daughter team and newly published authors have done a stellar job with portraying the history surrounding a little French town's response to the horrible oppression of the Nazis.

Julien Losier wants to make a difference in the world- he wants to do something as Germany prepares to invade southern France. But what can he do in a little countryside town when he was once in France? Although Julien can't change the world, he begins to learn the right thing to do when a Jewish boy, Benjamin, moves in with Julien's family.

Nina is a Jewish girl who is determined to escape her home in Austria. Fueled by her father's dying wish that she keep herself and her brother safe, Nina poses as a boy and runs to the border. However, evil men and terrible events rob Nina of her joy and health until she can trust no one. Meanwhile, the Nazis attack France and take over Julien's city. All hope seems lost, and families all over France are being torn apart. Nina and her brother eventually travel to Julien's house in desperate need of shelter, but Julien's family could be in grave danger by sheltering two Jews! This is Julien's chance to make a difference, but is he willing to live with the consequences?

This book doesn't sugarcoat. I rarely find a historical fiction book that isn't filled with frills, giggles, and flippant romantic banter. Although I do like to read historical romance books, and they have their place, this book was like a breath of fresh air. Yes, at times this book did seem melancholy, but a child's fear of his town totally being taken over revealed something much deeper than a woman mourning because she cannot marry her beau. The historical elements are vividly portrayed, yet the authors brilliantly keep this book readable for teens. Julien has to deal with some tough bullies and the ridicule he could face by standing up against them. While keeping this story relatable to teens, the authors show some of the frightening and terrible aspects of life that many people today don't have to deal with. Such things as hunger, war, prejudice, and helplessness are core to this book. I love how different yet relatable this story is.

A few things to be aware of is that it is hinted that a man tries to take advantage of Nina when he realizes she is a girl. The words are vague in that scene, so there's not much to worry about. In fact, I was confused when I first read it, and it wasn't until later that Nina bluntly states that the man was trying to attack her in an awful way. Also, a mild curse word in French is used along with one use of "crap". As for the actual writing style, French is used quite often in this book along with some other languages. I wish there was a glossary in this book, but unfortunately there is not. The authors do provide one, however, on the book's website. Some of the scenes move really fast, and I was confused at times. I think maybe the authors were intentionally being vague, but several times I was just confused.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars. Recommended to teens looking for something different in historical fiction!

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 304 pages
~Publisher: Kregel Publications (March 9, 2011)
~Book Website: http://www.howhugethenight.com/

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Excerpt from the book!!!

From Chapter 23

Thursday the power came back on. They sat in the living room, around the radio that crackled with static; they looked at each other, and then away. The room grew quiet as the announcer began to speak.

“Since Mussolini’s declaration of war on France two days ago, Italian troops are pushing west—”

Mama was on her feet. “The thief!” she hissed. “The backstabber, the coward!” Her face was red. Everyone was staring. She sat down.

Papa looked at her. “Saw his chance, I guess.”

“He’s a shame to his nation,” Mama snapped. Julien stared. Then they heard the shift in the announcer’s voice and turned sharply to the radio.

“German troops are approaching Paris at a rapid pace. As we speak, the vanguard is reported to be fifteen kilometers from Versailles. This will be our last broadcast for a while.”

They did not look at each other. The silence was total.

“Today Paris has been declared an ‘open city.’ Our military will not defend it. This decision was made to avoid bombardment and the great destruction and loss of life that it entails. . . .”

Julien realized he had not been breathing. It was an amazing thing, breathing. Tears shone in Mama’s eyes.

“They won’t bomb Paris,” said Papa quietly.

“They won’t bomb Paris,” Mama whispered.

Benjamin stood, his face very still. He walked slowly to the door and took the stairs.

Julien waited, breathing, seeing Paris; seeing Vincent and his mother look up out of their second-floor window at a clear blue sky. He waited until the news ended, until they had read a psalm that said The Lord has delivered.

Then he followed Benjamin.

Benjamin’s door was closed. Julien hesitated, biting his lip, and went into his own room.

He looked out the window in the fading light. They wouldn’t defend it. This was it, then. What Pastor Alex said was true. German tanks would roll down the Champs-Elysées for real in just a couple days. Then the boches would come here. And they would stay.

He pulled Vincent’s last letter out from under his nightstand. I can’t believe you almost died, it said. That’s crazy. He got up, and went and knocked on Benjamin’s door.

No answer.

“Benjamin? You all right?”

“Fine.”

Julien opened the door. Benjamin turned quickly, scowling.

“Did I say you could come in?”

“Well sorry,” Julien growled. How am I supposed to help when he’s like this? “Just wanted to say good night.”

“Good night then.”

“Look, it’s not as bad as it could have been, okay? They could have bombed the place to shreds like Ro—” He bit his tongue.

“You’re right,” said Benjamin, looking away. “That’s good for your relatives. I’m glad.”

“And your parents!”

“Nothing’s good for my parents.” His voice was toneless. “Look, Julien, we can talk about this in the morning. I need to go to bed.”

Julien knew when to quit. He turned away. “Sleep well.”

“You too.”

But he couldn’t. He turned and turned in his bed, twisting the sheets.

He got up and looked out at the crescent moon and the stars high over Tanieux, so white, so far, always the same; they would still be there when the Germans were here; they would still be there all his life. They were still there over Rotterdam, too. It didn’t make any difference.

When he finally slept, he dreamed: Paris on the fourteenth of July, the fireworks, bursts of blue, of gold, of red above the city. A whirling rocket going up with a hiss and a bang. Then a louder bang. Then a bang that threw up a great shower of dirt and stones, and people screaming, people running as the shells began to fall—

He woke, and lay shivering. He got up to close the window. The stars shone down like cold eyes.

He heard a faint scratching. Mice maybe. A floorboard creaked. He listened.

And he heard it. Very slow, stealthy footsteps going down the stairs.

He sat up slowly. Magali or Benjamin. Tiptoeing down the stairs to the kitchen, wishing there was something to eat. . . . He got out of bed and leaned out the window, watching for the faint light that would come through from the kitchen. No light came.

But on the ground floor, the heavy front door opened, and a dark shape slipped out into the street. A shadow with a suitcase in its hand.

He ran across the hall and threw open Benjamin’s door. A neatly made bed, a letter on the pillow. He grabbed it, ran back to his room, jerked his pants on over his pajamas, and ran downstairs in his socks. He’d catch him. Benjamin was on foot. He had to catch him. He scrawled on the flip side of the note, I’ve gone after him, pulled on his shoes and jacket, and flew down the stairs and into the dark.

He raced down the shadowed street and stopped at the corner, heart pounding, looking both ways. North, over the hill: the road to St. Etienne. A train to Paris, like he’d said? There were no trains now. Or south—south to where? Oh Lord if I choose wrong I’ll never find him.

Think. What would he do if it were him? He’d go south—north was suicide, but—he didn’t know, he didn’t know Benjamin. Who did? Nothing is good for my parents, he’d said—he didn’t seem to even care that Paris wouldn’t be bombed—

Because his parents weren’t in Paris.

Julien turned, suddenly sure, and ran.

The Kellers had left Germany because of Hitler and his people. Would they stay in Paris and wait for them? “Let’s walk south,” Benjamin had said—and that stupid map—he should have guessed.

He ran, breathing hard, his eyes on the dark road ahead. Oh God. Oh Jesus. Don’t let me miss him please—please—

He broke free of the houses; the Tanne gleamed in front of him under the splintered moon, cut by the dark curve of the bridge. He froze. He ducked into the shadows and breathed.

There on the bridge was a slender figure leaning on the parapet, looking down at the dark water.

Oh God. Oh Jesus. Now what?

Benjamin turned and took a long, last look at Tanieux. Then he adjusted his backpack, picked up his suitcase, and walked away.

Julien slipped out of the shadows and up to the bridge, his heart beating help me Jesus help me, his mind searching for words. Come home. And if he said no? Drag him? Help me Jesus. He was across the bridge, ten paces behind Benjamin; he broke into a silent run on the grassy verge of the road. He caught up to him. Laid a hand on his arm.

“Benjamin.”

Benjamin whirled, eyes wild in the moonlight. They stared at each other. “Why.” said Julien. “Tell me why.” His voice was harder than he meant it to be.

“Let me go.”

“No.” He tightened his grip on Benjamin’s arm.

Benjamin tried to pull away. “Julien, let me go. You have no idea. You have no idea what they’re like.”

“The boches?” This time his voice came out small.

“The Nazis, Julien. Ever heard of them? Yeah, you heard they don’t like Jews—I don’t think any of you people understand.” The sweep of his arm took in the school and the sleeping town. “Your parents are great, Julien—offering shelter and all—they really are. But they don’t know. Yet.”

But they do. They know. “Know what? What’ll they—do?”

“I’m not waiting around to find out.” His face was white and deadly serious. “Trust me on this, Julien. They are coming here and when they do, it’s better for you if I’m long gone.” I believe it is very dangerous to be a Jew in Germany. And soon—

Julien stood silent. The night wind touched his face; the hills were shadows on the horizon where they blotted out the stars. Suddenly he felt how large the world was, how huge the night, how small they stood on the road in the light of the waning moon. Ahead, the road bent into the pine woods, and in his mind, Julien saw Benjamin walking away, a small form carrying a suitcase into the darkness under the trees. His fingers bit into Benjamin’s arm.

“I don’t care,” he said savagely. “Where would you go?”

Benjamin said nothing; the moonlight quivered in his eyes as they filled with tears. He turned his head away. “I don’t know.” His voice shook.

Julien caught him by the shoulders, gripped him hard. “Well I do,” he said fiercely. “You’re coming home.”

Blessings,

Review of Double Take

2011-06-19T15:06:00.002-05:00

Double Take by Melody Carlson is a modern fiction story very similar to the Prince and the Pauper (or city mouse and country mouse story). It's time for spring break, and Madison Van Buren is tired of her glitzy life. Her false friends, pressuring parents, and overbearing boyfriend become too much to handle, so she decides to escape to the country. Amish country, that is. While she is there, she meets Anna Fisher, an Amish girl who looks exactly like Madison. Anna also wants to escape her life, which is filled with chores, looking after children, and being with her "shameful" aunt. The two decide to switch places for a week, but their lives are forever changed.

I really enjoyed the plot of this book. Not only does it teach a lesson about being happy with the life God has given you, but as the girls impersonate each other, they learn a lot about the positive things along with the negative things about another life. I'm not a huge fan of Amish books, so I was glad that this book was a nice blend of both average American culture and the Amish culture.

My only slight issue was that the girls seemed to adapt a little to easily to the other culture- they still struggled, but some of the occurrences were predictable or the characters seemed suddenly forced to be a certain way.

All in all, I rate this book four out of four stars. Recommended to teen girls!

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 288 pages
~Publisher: Revell (June 1, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of The Sweetest Thing!

2011-06-09T16:48:00.000-05:00

The Sweetest Thing by Elizabeth Musser is the historical story of two girls in Atlanta and the strong friendship that they form through their darkest days, which are during America's darkest days during the Great Depression. When Anne "Perri" Singleton's high society life suddenly crashes around her in a flurry of scandal and poverty, she soon finds that the only person she can find kinship with is newcomer Mary "Dobbs" Dillard, who is the daughter of a poor preacher and the niece of one of the local families. They're complete opposites, but Dobbs seems to genuinely understand Perri's pain and determination to survive the hard times. The two discover deep secrets about both of their families that will test the faith, courage, and friendship of the two.

The change in the characters is so incredible. I've read another book by this author, Swan House (the kindle edition is free this week at amazon!), and I knew from the first chapter of both of these books that they would be poignant stories of struggle, faith, and redemption. This book is so well written with intermingling subplots of romance, mystery, history, and suspense. I truly thought I had figured out the way this story would progress, but I was proven wrong. The girls' friendships were beautiful, and I loved how they "sharpened" each other (Proverbs 27:17). The pain is so intense, the love is so sweet, and the power of God is so evident in this story.

I have no complaints about this book. Some things readers may want to be aware of is that a character commits suicide, another character has an illegitimate child that the character had before shedding a sinful life and turning to God's redeeming grace, and a young man pushes around his girlfriend.

All in all, I rate this book a shining five out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 397 pages
~Publisher: Bethany House (June 1, 2011)
~Author's website: http://www.elizabethmusser.com/

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Echoes from the Edge New Covers!!!

2011-06-08T14:27:00.000-05:00

Okay, so the Echoes from the Edge series by Bryan Davis has gotten a major facelift cover-wise. I am a huge fan of the new covers, and I thought you might want to see them too.

Old covers:

New covers:

Very, very nice, no?

Blessings,

Listen to This Song!

2011-06-07T17:06:00.002-05:00

"Listen to the Sound" by Building429! Absolutely awesome song!

Sorry for the lack of posts! I've been studying for some big tests, working, and getting ready to travel. BUT I have some review posts coming in the near future! :)

Blessings,

Can't Get Over Anthem Lights!!!

2011-05-29T14:34:00.001-05:00

These guys are way too good. Anthem Lights is a new band to the Christian scene, but they've already launched themselves into the top song circles. I mean, I am seeing Anthem Lights everywhere!!!!! Props to them. Amazing vocals, great fan base, and one awesome God they praise.

Here's an acoustic version of their song "Can't Get Over You"

Blessings,

Review of Lethal Remedy!

2011-05-26T14:58:00.045-05:00

I have officially found my favorite fiction series, which I have never been able to do before now. It's Prescription for Trouble! Lethal Remedy by Richard L. Mabry, M.D., is the fourth and final book in the Prescription for Trouble medical drama/suspense series. Sara Miles and her colleagues are in a race against the devil, rather, Staphylococcus luciferus, a bacteria better known as the Killer. When a new experimental drug begins to show astounding progress in curing S. luciferus infections, Sara is determined to use it to help her teenage patient, whose prospects are not good. She is determined to help, even if it means attaining the experimental drug through the developer, Dr. Jack Ingersoll, who is Sara's ex-husband.

Everything seems to be perfect until strange, harmful side effects of the drug begin showing up in patients. Sara and her colleague, Dr. Rip Pearson, become more suspicious when the developer and his supporting pharmaceutical company begin to clam up. Sara must put together the clues before its too late!

The plot is so amazing that I had so much difficulty putting this book down. I'm familiar with the many "real life" aspects in the book, so I applaud the author for being so startlingly realistic in the writing of this fictional suspense story. There are many facets in the plot that keep a reader guessing, and I love how the Sara's story isn't the only story in the book. There were several central characters who the book revolved around. Although the point of view shifts many times, the tone is still clear and the characters are very separate. I'm also so very glad that this book is clean. That is so rare in medical fiction (fiction as a whole, really), so I am very thankful to have found this series.

All in all, I rate this book five out of five stars. Excellent and highly recommended!

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 288 pages
~Publisher: Abingdon Press (October 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free electronic advanced readers copy for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Funny Commercials

2011-05-25T19:29:00.000-05:00

The spider one absolutely cracks me up. I love how he hits it that one last time.

Bahaha!!!!

You go, dog!!!!

Review of Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride

2011-05-25T15:14:00.000-05:00

Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker is the second book in the Emma Rae Creation series. Sherilyn's a little frazzled. She's just moved back to Atlanta after living in Chicago for some time to marry her fiance Andrew, the son of the Drummonds, which is a family of high style and high in the social rank of the town. Sherilyn finds much relief in her new job as a wedding planner at Tanglewood Inn, an all-inclusive hotel that it meant for weddings. But when two wedding dresses go missing, her fiance adopts a mangy mutt, and her allergies begin to get serious, Sherilyn gets worried. Is she actually allergic to Andrew?

This book was a lighthearted read. I liked how the story of Emma Rae was able to continue, even though her friend is the star of this book. Sherilyn is a fun character, and I love how creative the author is to create the series in a succession of occupations and tying it all to the other books. My favorite aspect of this book is how Sherilyn moves past losing the two wedding dresses to see that God had a different plan the whole time.

I had no big complains about this book, but I found it somewhat slow-moving. Some of the aspects were predictable, and I wasn't able to enjoy this book as much as I did the first. I really loved the first book, so I'd highly recommend that. There's also a weird doctor scene when Sherilyn is first trying to figure out what she's allergic to. I wasn't a huge fan of that part.

All in all, I rate this book three out of five stars. Clean, lighthearted read, but a bit boring.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 320 pages
~Publisher: Abingdon Press (October 2011)

Note: Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an electronic copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Hold Me!

2011-05-22T15:19:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love this song by Jamie Grace feat. tobymac. Here's the official music video. It's the perfect song for me right now. Enjoy!

Blessings,

Review of Undercover Pursuit!

2011-05-21T15:18:00.002-05:00

Undercover Pursuit by Susan May Warren is the third book in Missions of Mercy suspense/romance series. All Scarlett Hanson wanted to do was to take care of her estranged sister's wedding and leave. All Luke Dekker wanted to do was to accomplish his mission to protect the fiance of the nephew of a huge drug cartel bad guy. He's determined to find his contact, a woman who is to pose as his fiance for the wedding, and get the mission done. But when he mistakes Scarlett for his contact, things become messy. When they both become trapped, Scarlett must adjust to the situation, even though she isn't an agent. Luke must now protect Scarlett, his mission, and now, his heart.

I love the plot. I mean, what if a real person was trapped in a high-stakes situation and they were mistaken for an agent? Would disaster ensue or would the person pull through? The action aspect was really well done- especially, in the final chapters. From the very beginning, I wanted to know what would happen next, and I was so eager to see how Scarlett would do. But my lips are sealed; you're going to have to read the book!

So, I've kind of noticed a pattern as I've read the Mission of Mercy series. The guy always has some kind of dark history, and there's almost always a nightmare scene. I mean, it's not a bad thing, but it kind of got old. Sure, the plot is always different, but I feel the nightmare scenes can often be overused in books. Also, some characters have pasts they are ashamed of. No big details, but the reader will know what happened.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 224 pages
~Publisher: Steeple Hill (May 3, 2011)

Note: Thanks to Litfuse and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Out of Control!

2011-05-21T12:47:00.032-05:00

Out of Control, which is the second book in the Missions of Mercy series by Susan May Warren, is the exciting suspense story of an out-of-control international superstar and the dangerous secrets she keeps. Brody Wickam used to been a Green Beret with a seller reputation, and now he is a security agent with Stryker International. When he is assigned to guard a senator's daughter, he's shocked to discover that Veronica Wagner is also Vonya, a gorgeous singer who's also a diva. In other words, she's a royal pain. The two get off to a rough start, but when things start looking up, Veronica begins sneaking around, bringing danger to herself and Brody's heart. What is she hiding?

I loved this book! To be honest, I liked it much better than I did the first. Veronica is a very different character. She seems to have two sides, Vonya and the real Veronica. It was interesting to learn why she was two personalities. Oh, and her secret is pretty awesome too. Brody's character wasn't as astonishing as Veronica, but he was still a solid character who had his own distinct personality.

All in all, I rate this book five out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 224 pages
~Publisher: Steeple Hill (March 1, 2011)

Note: Thanks to Litfuse and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Review of Point of No Return!

2011-05-21T08:23:00.003-05:00

Point of No Return by Susan May Warren is the first book in the Missions of Mercy suspense series. When an American boy disappears with the daughter of a warlord in the Republic of Georgia, tensions begin to rise. When that daughter is the bargaining chip needed to keep the warlord from starting mass bloodshed, Chet Stryker is put on the job. Little does he know that the boy's aunt is his former girlfriend, Mae Lund, who is determined to find her nephew by herself. Can the two put aside their differences and save the world without falling for each other again?

I like that every page of this book is packed with action. Mae is not the typical heroine- she's a smart, feisty woman who knows how to take care of herself. Her wit is perfectly matched to spar with Chet, so reading their conversations was quite interesting. Both characters have to live with past choices and learn to move past them. The themes of sacrifice were also beautiful elements. Also, some of the surprises were truly shocking, so I didn't feel like this was a same old, same old kind of romance.

At times, the romance got a little too, well, romancy for my taste. I'm okay with romance, but sometimes there's a line between sickly sweet and the building of love. Also, a character has a relationship that should be saved for after marriage. No details, and the character says that that was the old life before God reached in.

Specifics (from amazon.com) :
~Paperback: 224 pages
~Publisher: Steeple Hill (January 4, 2011)

Note: Thanks to Litfuse and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Missions of Mercy Day!

2011-05-21T06:51:00.005-05:00

Today I will be reviewing three books from Susan May Warren's new series Missions of Mercy!!!

About Susan: Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of thirty novels with Tyndale, Barbour, Steeple Hill and Summerside Press. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Carol Award. A seasoned women’s events speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you! She is also the founder ofwww.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

For more about Susan and her other books, please visit www.susanmaywarren.com.

About The Mercy of Missions series:

Three heroes, all on missions of mercy, who discover that God not only saves us from evil, but from the darkness inside.

Point of No Return: An American boy and a warlord's engaged daughter have disappeared-together-in an Eastern European border country. Only one man can find them in time to prevent an international meltdown-Chet Stryker. But Chet is taken aback when he realizes the boy is the nephew of Mae Lund, Chet's former flame. When Mae insists on rescuing her relative herself, Chet knows he has to protect her from the enemy on their trail. Yet can he protect himself from falling for Mae again?

Mission: Out of Control: Brody "Wick" Wickham is a former Green Beret turned security agent-with a 100 percent mission success rate. No way is his new assignment changing that. Even if it's protecting a diva American rock star while she's on tour in Europe. Except Veronica "Vonya" Wagner isn't just a beautiful celebrity used to having her way-she's the daughter of a U.S. Senator. And she's hiding a dangerous secret. When Wick discovers what's at stake, how far over the line will he go to keep them both alive?

Undercover Pursuit: The only way to get security agent Luke Dekker to a wedding? An undercover mission as groomsman. He'll bust the groom, a drug cartel heir, before anyone can say "I do." Then Luke can escape all this love and romance nonsense-and the too pretty bridesmaid/agent assigned as his "fiancée" for the weekend. Until Luke discovers that sweet, vulnerable Scarlett Hanson isn't his contact. Isn't an agent. Isn't trained for the high-stakes mission now trapping them both. And worse, Luke's falling for her-which is not part of the assignment.

About the Missions of Mercy Giveaway:

Susan May Warren is thrilled to announce the release of her 3 book Missions of Mercy series!

Three heroes, all on missions of mercy, who discover that God not only saves us from evil, but from the darkness inside.

Point of No Return: Can God deliver us from our mistakes? This question is posed to Chet and Mae as they race to save Mae’s nephew from an evil warlord in the Republic of Georgia.

Mission: Out of Control: Does God turn his back on us when we fail? Brody and Vonya discover the answer as they conspire to capture an international smuggler and free a child soldier from war.

Undercover Pursuit: What if we deliberately sin and harbor bitterness in our hearts? Is there a rescue from the dark places inside? Luke and Scarlett find out as they work to protect a bride-turned-informant whose courage could dismantle a human trafficking web.

To celebrate the series, Susan is giving away a Missions of Mercy Prize Pack worth over $200! One grand prize winner will receive:

* A brand new FLIP HD Camera

* The entire Missions of Mercy series

Enter today by clicking on the icon below. You may enter once per email, facebook, and twitter. The contest ends on May 31st. Tell your friends! Winner will be announced on June 1st at the Litfuse Publicity site and at Susan May Warren's website. (While you're there, check out her rockin' new website!)

Blessings,

Sorry!

2011-05-20T18:33:00.001-05:00

Quick note: Sorry about that "Ghost Post"! I'm trying out some details for tomorrow's four posts, and that little troublemaker decided to slip out. So I guess the cat is out of the bag. I will be posting a review of Undercover Pursuit tomorrow, among other things :)

Randomness Friday: The Sky Is Falling!

2011-05-20T17:43:00.003-05:00

The world is ending tomorrow. This buzz all over media is somewhat... Oh, let's just say it's interesting. I like to stay out of the mainstream stuff, but this demanded my attention. It's just weird because the Bible says it in plain language:

But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.

What I say to you, I say to everyone: "Watch!"

Mark 13:32-37 NIV

Over the years, many people have set dates about when God is coming back. Hey, even Christopher Columbus tried his hand at it. But no one knows! It saddens me when such a claim turns on a mob of mockers and scorners of the validity of the judgment and grace that will come from God.

Can the world end tomorrow? Yes, if God wills it! But does anyone know for certain? No way!!!

And if Jesus said, "nor the Son, but only the Father," who is man to claim that he knows? All of the calculations in the world and trying to find some kind of pattern in the Bible will never work.

I have nothing against the people who believe this idea- even the person who came up with it. I'm sure they are nice people, but this is totally wrong! The people who do not believe there is a God now find a point to scorn! Atheists are quoting the verses! Yet some people still claim to believe this theory and ignore (Oh, the irony...) the Bible! When we could be turning people to God, we are now causing them to perceive us as hypocrites, ignoring our own moral guide! How terrible is that?

As for me, I'll keep trusting that God will come get us when the time is right. He knows the date, and I'll just have faith and watch.
~*~

Note: this is not my image

~*~
Now, for some Randomness Friday fun!

I'm a big fan of Mercy; you know that, right? So, when their new CD came out, I was ecstatic. My favorite? I could not pick a favorite song! But I recently found this video of "Move."

Love it!

I probably say this every week, but I thank God that it's Friday!
~*~

Blessings,

Review of The Promises She Keeps!

2011-05-18T16:49:00.000-05:00

This book was not what I was expecting. In The Promises She Keeps, author Erin Healy tells the story of Promise Dayton, an aspiring singer who has cystic fibrosis, which is a deadly lung disease. She usually only models for a college art class for the students, but when a student Zach asks to take pictures of her so that he may later draw pictures, Promise reluctantly agrees. During the session, her orange scarf blows away and Promise dives after it down a cliff to her death.

But she doesn't die.

Several times do occurrences happen where Promise should die but she doesn't. Her strange situation attracts the attention of a woman named Porta, the owner of an art shop, and a young autistic man named Chase. The two are as different as night and day. Porta believes in the dark arts, and she becomes convinced Promise is a goddess of immortality. She is determined to do anything to get Promise. Chase is a sweet yet odd artist who draws people as trees. When he draws Promise's tree, he is determined to save her and love her- at any cost.

This is not a romance or an inspirational story of a girl overcoming her disease, although those elements are present. As I said before, I was not expecting this spiritual, fantasy, yet real life set story. I felt as if I were on the brink of an absolute chaos with every turn of the page. The author is a master of suspense from the very first chapter. This book was terrifying, emotionally moving, and totally riveting. The character of Chase is extremely endearing, and I felt as if he was a real person who I felt sympathetic to.

I wasn't a big fan of the ending, but I will admit that it ended the story beautifully. Also, I found this book to be somewhat confusing in parts.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 352 pages
~Publisher: Thomas Nelson; 1 edition (February 8, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

My Brain Says Stop, But My Heart Says Go!!!

2011-05-16T16:04:00.000-05:00

Okay, I've had this song stuck in my head for several days now... So catchy! "My Brain Says Stop, But My Heart Says Go" by FM Static! By the way, you may recognize the lead singer. He's the lead singer of Thousand Foot Krutch, Trevor McNevan.

Blessings,

Review of Roadside Assistance!

2011-05-07T21:05:00.000-05:00

Roadside Assistance by Amy Clipston is the teen fiction novel about a girl's healing journey. Emily Curtis understands cars- they are machines that can be understood. Sure the layout varies slightly by model and make, but they're fairly easy for her to figure out.

People? Not so much.

Emily and her father are forced to move in with Emily's aunt's family after her mom's death after a battle with cancer. The medical bills force Emily's father to lose his business, so they have nowhere else to go. But Emily isn't ready to face her criticizing aunt and her perfect family, especially Emily's perfect cousin, Whitney. The only bright spot in her life is meeting Zander, a guy next door who is as much into cars as Emily is.

The pain is so great, and it feels as if Emily will never get over her mom's death. When people fail, she learns to go to the only One who can heal her.

This book was well-written and the journey of Emily is so endearing. The setting is crystal clear, and I'm sure car-loving girls will love this book. I'm not into cars, but I still thought this book was well-written. The relationship between Emily and her father is sweet even though they do have problems like any father and daughter. I also liked the relationship changes between Emily and her extended family, especially her cousin Whitney. To be honest, what first caught my attention about this book was the author. I've read books by her in the past, but they were adult Amish fiction, so seeing this book piqued my interest. And I wasn't disappointed.

My only complaint was that the book sometimes got a little boring in places and the dialogue got a little bumpy, but that's it.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars. Recommended to teen girls.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (April 12, 2011)

Author website: http://www.amyclipston.com/index.html

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Why the Hiatus?

2011-05-04T16:36:00.001-05:00

Alrightey, I know my posting has been really awful lately. And I assure you, I have plenty of ~~excuses~~ reasons I couldn't post...
It feels like forever, even though my most recent post was two days ago, and before that it was maybe two or three weeks. BUT I have a lot of cool new reviews in store for you all even though my summer is going to be insane. California, teaching Tae Kwon Do, touring my state for a youth program, and volunteering at a Christian camp are all on my agenda. There will probably be some surprises thrown in, who knows... Oh, wait... God does! :)

God is so good to us, isn't He? We so don't deserve it... By the GOG, baby! (to quote the Katie Parker series by Jenny B. Jones) By the grace of God.

Anyone heard of AP ~~torture~~ tests? They are the main reason I've been out for a long time. Fun stuff... Lots of studying and brain frying, but as of today, I am finished with them! (Not for forever, though... There are ACTs and SATs in my future...Probably some AP tests next year, we'll see... Probably CLEPs and MCATs too, if I'm lucky... :)) I actually do love school, you probably can't tell. I've been in school several days this year for TWELVE hours straight. It was an interesting experience.

On a lighter note, I am so excited about Disneyland! It's a free trip with my school, so I won't be able to go more than two days max, but still... I'm competing for a health care event.

What are your summer plans? Just chilling around the house? Climbing Mount Everest? Catching up on your "to-read" list? Competitions? Trying not to die of boredom?

Whatever the summer may hold, I'm looking forward to it!

(Summeritis is a disease... It just has to be... Like Senioritis... Right? Haha )

Blessings,

Review of Diagnosis Death!

2011-05-02T16:24:00.002-05:00

Diagnosis Death by Dr. Richard Mabry is the third book in the medical mystery/drama fiction series Prescription for Trouble. I'll just preface this review by saying... Whoa!

Dr. Elena Gardner's life is quickly going from bad to worse. Her husband is now dead because, quite literally, the plug was pulled on his life. Elena doesn't remember disconnecting her husband's life support, but now it seems everyone is suspicious about her integrity. It gets worse when an eerily similar case shows up at the hospital and the same thing happens to that patient. Add mysterious phone calls, suspicion from the people who hold her job and future in their hands, and threatening mail... It's enough to drive anyone away.

When her residency ends, Elena soon accepts a job in Dainger, Texas, but it seems the danger just follows her there. The harassment continues with some frightening additions... someone is spying on her! It almost gets to be too much to handle, and Elena begins to question whether or not she really did pull life support... But thankfully, her associate doctor, the doctor's lawyer husband, and her best friend and colleague David help her pull through and look to God for help.

I absolutely love and aspire to be in the medical field, so medical literature is right up my alley. However, anyone can pick up this book and be taken into the excitement of this story. The mystery is pulling all through, and the story really feels true to real life. I felt as if I was right there with Elena in the hospital experiencing everything she did. I just couldn't put this book down! Extremely well written with characters that grab your attention and sympathy with the perfect blend of suspense and quiet moments of faith. I've read the first two books, but a reader can certainly pick this book up and read without any confusion whatsoever.

All in all, I rate this book five out of five stars!

Specifics:
~Paperback: 288 pages
~Publisher: Abingdon Press (April 2011)

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Can't Help It...

2011-04-13T15:38:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm going to post all of the "Insanitized" video by Tim Hawkins. These videos are not mine; I found them on youtube.

Do you blame me? He's is just way too funny!

(The part when he starts talking in a fake Indian-ish accent totally cracks me up XD)

Blessings,

Review of Goodbye, Hollywood Nobody!

2011-04-12T17:38:00.001-05:00

Goodbye, Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson is the fourth and final book about Scotty Dawn. You can see my review for the first two books here and here. Scotty and her father are desperately searching for Scotty's mother, who got separated from them when Scotty was very young. Charley is off to Scotland to be with her amazing, charming boyfriend, and Seth Haas, well, he's turned a corner and is now more like the guy Scotty knows and loves... that is, like a sister... sort of... yikes! When Karissa arrives at at the home for children where Scotty is volunteering, things start going crazy. When Karissa makes a huge mistake, will Scotty be able to forgive her and be "Jesusy extraordinary?"

Okay, loved this ending, although I'll admit the first book was the best. I loved how everything tied together in the end. Sometimes things don't work the way we thought or would have hoped it would turn out, but we can know God will use our circumstances for His glory. Scotty is still a character, with her unique sayings and actions. The story was a little boring at times, but a good message overall. As the story ends with Scotty's 18th birthday bash, readers will be extremely happy to see the story end in such a beautiful way yet sad to see the stories about Scotty end.

Only things are that there's an unwed mother and a guy who pledges to stay away from girls in the inappropriate sense and be a better man.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars. Recommended to teen gals!

Specifics (from amazon.com) :
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: NavPress (August 21, 2008)

Thanks to NavPress for providing me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Blessings,

Ungrateful Children

2011-04-09T11:48:00.002-05:00

Tim Hawkins is hilarious... 'Nuff said. :)

Blessings,