Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark by Donna Lea Simpson (Book Review)

Title: Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark
Author: Donna Lea Simpson
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Available: Apr 1, 2009
Genre: Romance/Mystery
Why read: Sourcebooks ARC - thanks Danielle!

Lady Anne is not the typical "lady" of the late 1700's. She tried to be the hair-brained, I-need-a-husband lass, but when her fiance dies, it is a blessing for her. Having been left a considerable amount of money by her paternal grandmother, she decides she would rather be single and not have to hide her intelligence and quick wit. Not being a beauty, she doesn't have to worry about fending off any would-be suitors.

When Lydia, a dear friend and her deceased fiance's sister, writes her and begs her to come, Lady Anne immediately responds. Lydia hinted at there being mysterious things going on at Darkefell Castle and the possibilities of a werewolf. Unfortunately Lydia fails to tell the rest of the household of Lady Anne's imminent arrival.

Since there is no carriage to take Lady Anne from the post house to the castle, and it is nearing dusk, she sets out on foot. As darkness descends, she hears a howl and a woman's screams. Trying to find the woman in the dark seems futile, until, as luck would have it, she stumbles over her body - but it is too late. She continues to make her way to the castle and arrives, unannounced, covered in blood with questions already arising.

The Marquess of Darkefell is a brooding handsome man who finds Lady Anne to be very bothersome. She insists on prying into his family's secrets - secrets he wishes to remain hidden. At the same time, her seemingly unflappable resolve and calm around him has him mystified. He has never met a woman who has been immune to his charms. He is also entertained by her quick wit and intelligence.

I highly recommend this book. Donna Lea Simpson's writing style is very engaging and draws you in immediately. She gives great descriptions of both countryside and characters.

She had dressed her bonnet with some of the purple tulips from her crushed bouquet, and as they nodded above her shadowed face, she looked both absurd and oddly adorable. He glanced at the path then back at her. It was true her nose was a little too long and her chin too pointed. There was a faint equine suggestion about the nose and generous mouth. Her color was good, though, and her dark hair glossy; she glowed with health and vivacity. (from Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark, p 207, uncorrected copy)

"But cultivated gardens have their place, my lord," she said, ambling toward the eddy, a swirling, shadowed pool at the base of the waterfall. She stood on a humped hillock of moss and stared, admiring the sparkle of sunlight on the drops that scattered as a rivulet hit a rock. Mist billowed from the force of the falls and bedewed her cheeks. (from Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark, p 215, uncorrected copy)

You can almost feel the tension that Lord Darkefell feels when he is around Lady Anne - and her optimism in the face of crises abounds. I really enjoyed Lady Anne and am glad that I will get to read more of her in the future. Donna Lea Simpson has two more books coming out with Lady Anne - Lady Anne and the Ghost's Revenge and Lady Anne and the Gypsy Curse.

Be sure and read these other reviews for this book:

Medieval Bookworm
Peeking Between the Pages
Marta's Meanderings
The Tome Traveler's Blog
Cheryl's Book Nook

Yesterday's Embers by Deborah Raney (Book Review)

Title: Yesterday's Embers
Author: Deborah Raney
Publisher: Howard Books/Simon & Schuster
Genre: Christian Fiction
Available: Now
Read for First Wild Card Tour

First sentence(s): "You sure you guys'll be okay?" Doug Devore leaned over the sofa to plant a kiss on his wife's lips. (go here to read the first chapter)

Doug Devore loses his wife Kaye and daughter Rachel, tragically, on Thanksgiving Day. He doesn't know how he is going to raise his remaining five children - ranging in age from Harley at age 2 to Kayeleigh who was 12. He was already working two jobs and Kaye had worked part-time. Together they had just barely covered the bills.

Mickey Valdez is the director at Doug's daycare. He becomes habitually late in picking up the kids and so she offers to bring them home one night. Doug invites her to stay for the take-out he had picked up for dinner. The kids seem thrilled to have her there and Doug is reminded what it is like to have a woman in the house.

Mickey and Doug next meet outside of daycare at a wedding in town. Doug had only gone at the insistence of his daughter Kayeleigh, who wanted to wear the pink dress her mom had made for the Christmas program. A program that she never attended. He hadn't done any socializing since his wife had died 2 1/2 months earlier. He preferred living in his grief-stricken fog - only surfacing for his job and his kids.

Well-meaning townsfolk pushed the two of them together for a dance. This led to them spending most of the evening together dancing and Doug taking Mickey home afterwards. This was all very upsetting to Kayeleigh. She did not want to see her dad laughing and dancing with anyone like he used to with her mom.

After a few weeks Mickey and Doug are seeing each other regularly - but it has only been a few months since Kaye died. As they grow closer, Kayeleigh continues to pull farther away. Is the spark between Doug and Mickey really love? Or is it taking the place of something else?

I enjoyed this story very much. It was very realistic with characters that were full of warmth and feeling. It pulled at my heartstrings when Doug lost his wife and daughter. I struggled with him as he tried to go on with his life and help his kids adjust to their new reality. I felt as anxious as Mickey when they began "courting". Wondering if it was too much of a good thing too soon. I wanted Mickey and Doug to come through everything as a couple - but you must read the book yourself to see what happens!

Deadly Charm by Claudia Mair Burney (Book Review)

Title: Deadly Charm (an amanda bell brown mystery)
Author: Claudia Mair Burney
Publisher: Howard Books/Simon & Schuster
Genre: Christian Fiction
Available: Now

First sentence: Rocky showed up at my apartment door with an offer that, in his words, I "no coulda refuse."

Dr. Amanda Bell Brown, or Bell to her friends, has been pretty lost without her husband Jazz. He had left her the day after they got married when he found her kissing her ex-boyfriend Rocky. Well, actually Rocky had kissed her. He did not know that she had gotten married and she was trying to let him know without causing more hurt.

Rocky was the pastor of the Rock House. Ezekial Thunder and his family were staying with Rocky while Ezekial was trying to jump start his ministry again. He had made a shambles of it a few years back when he had an affair with an intern. Since then his wife had passed away and he had married the intern, Nikki. Together they had a little boy, almost 3, by the name of Zeke or Little Zeekie. Ezekial had other children - all of whom were named some form of Ezekial.

Bell does not really care for Ezekial and Nikki, especially after her "exorcism" of her "interracial dating and adultery" demon at Ezekial's Crusade. It had ended badly with her vomiting right at the feet of Ezekial. This episode made it on CNN when they began covering the Thunders after Little Zeekie accidentally dies while taking a bath at Rocky's. Or was it an accident?

Bell decides that it is up to her to find out. She teams up with her detective husband, Jazz, whom she is still separated from, to try to find out the truth.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Bell was full of quick wit and a sarcastic tongue which brought a smile to my face quite often. I loved the banter between Jazz and Bell. They clearly loved each other but were both very proud and independent. Here is an excerpt of that banter:

I didn't move. "What are you doing?"

"Opening the door for you."

"Why didn't you drive over to where your car is?"

"I'm not ready to leave yet, Bell."

"What if I've had enough of you for one day?"

"Oh, I happen to know you can take more of me than that." He said this with a wicked grin.

"Is your head always in the gutter?"

He leaned toward me, his arm resting on the top of the Love Bug. "Get out of the car, baby."

"No."

"I know you're mad. We can talk inside."

"I don't want to talk to you."

"You asked me to look into this for you, and that is what I did. Will you get out of the car so I can tell you whatI accomplished this evening?"

I took a peek at him. "You were just working?"

"I was."

"You're not attracted to that Cruella De Vil stick figure?"

"Hardly"

"And you don't think I'm too fat?"

"Bell, get out of the car. It's cold out here."

"You were supposed to say something romantic that made me believe you don't think I'm fat."

"Bell, if you don't step out of the Love Bug right now, I'm going to drag you upstairs."

"That fell way short of romantic, not to mention you still haven't said I'm not fat."

He sighed and rake his fingers through his hair. "You're not fat. I think you're stunning. You're so hot that I can hardly resist you, even though I'm still mad at you."

I grinned. "You think I'm hot?"

"Perhaps you should focus on my saying I'm still mad at you."

"You'll get over it. About me being hot. . ."

"You'll be hotter inside your apartment."

"Do you want to ravish me?"

"No. I want to throttle you. Please get out of the car."

I stepped a leg out. "I'm only letting you inside so you can report what happened with your girlfriend Nikki."

He moved back, took my hand, and helped me out of the car. "Fine."

"I don't want you getting fresh just because you're my husband. We're separated."

"You grill me about whether or not I want you, and now you insist that I not flirt with you."

"I have my standards." (pg 135-137)

This goes on all the way through the book. It cracked me up because I could so see arguing like this with my husband. Come back tomorrow for the First Wild Card Tour and read the first chapter!

Katt's in the Cradle by Ginger Kolbaba and Christy Scannell (Book Review)

Title: Katt's in the Cradle
Author: Ginger Kolbaba & Christy Scannell
Publisher: Howard Books/Simon and Schuster
Genre: Christian Fiction
Available: Now

First sentence: "I can't believe it!" Felicia Lopez-Morrison waved as she ricocheted through the tables, heading toward her three friends seated in their usual booth in the back right-hand corner of Lulu's.

When you are in the trenches, sometimes you're up to your neck in mud. That's the not-so-glamorous life of a pastor's wife.

Felicia's family is. . .complicated. That's putting it nicely. Now they're flying in from LA - all at once - to stay with her. . .just when her brother-in-law, Javier, and Mama aren't even speaking to each other. And the whole church will be there to witness the feud.

Mimi has a lot on her mind with her four energetic kids - especially Milo the screamer, with his Pavarotti voice. Then her live-in alcoholic dad starts to mow their lawn at midnight.

Lisa has her hands full with loudmouth Tom Graves and the other troublemakers at Red River Assembly. Then vicious rumors start to fly about the Barton family. . .and the attacks and threats get increasingly personal.

Jennifer is pushing her adopted daughter, Carys, in a stroller, when she notices a black town car - the same car she's seen several times over the past week. Could someone be following her?

The PWs plunge into an unnerving mystery. . .and discover what "family" really means.

(Description from book cover)

This book was just okay for me. But in all fairness, I think it would have made a tremendous difference if I had the opportunity to read the first two books Desperate Pastors' Wives and A Matter of Wife and Death first.

I liked the writing style - it was very flowing and easy to read and understand. The problems that the four wives were having were things that have probably happened somewhere at sometime - so it was realistic, except that I am not sure they would all be going on at the same time.

When I first started reading the book, the characters kept getting jumbled up in my mind. Again,I attribute this to not reading the first two books. There is a nice synopsis of each wife at the beginning of the book, though, so I referred to it quite often in the beginning.

I did like that it made me think about how I treat or even think about my friends and family. I hope that I do not devalue their feelings or ambitions just because it might be different from my own. It also showed me how necessary it is to show Christ's love in all encounters.

You can go here to read the first chapter!

Marked by Passion by Kate Perry (Book Review)

Title: Marked by Passion (Book 1 in Guardians of Destiny Series)

Author: Kate Perry

Publisher: Hachette

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Available: Now

Read courtesy of Hachette Books!

First sentence: Gabrielle Sansouci Chin?

Gabe had left her family and her heritage behind 15 years ago - after her mother had died - for which she was responsible. She was now a bartender at The Pour House and an aspiring artist. With her first showing in a few weeks, all she had to worry about was finishing the paintings in the series - or so she thought.

When the package arrived, she assumed it was the contract for her showing - until she discovered it was accompanied by a ghost! The ghost of her father, Wu, no less. It came as a shock to her to realize that her father was dead, but she had put her family and heritage behind her long ago - and now they were back.

The package contained a scroll and she had just become it's guardian. Tu ch'i - the power that accompanied the scroll - began to surge inside her. Wu had come to teach her how to control her power before it controlled - or worse - destroyed her.

Two more men entered her life within days of receiving the scroll. Her older brother, Paul, who had always felt he should be the one destined to be the Guardian, but without the birthmark, it was not his destiny. And then Rhys - who was handsome, rich, powerful - and could calm Gabe's tu ch'i with just a kiss.

I have not read a lot of paranormal books, but they are quickly becoming my favorite. Kate Perry gives her characters such life. Even though it was a paranormal - I felt like these were people you could actually find at the corner bar. The chemistry between Gabe and Rhys sizzled off the page!

In addition to Gabe, Wu, Paul and Rhys there is also Jesse - Gabe's ex-boyfriend from a year ago, Carrie - another bartender and the epitome of the Midwestern girl next door and Vivian, the buxom bartender you love to hate. These people rounded out the story and helped to give it a realistic flair.

If you like paranormal, you will like this book - if you like romance, this book will also appeal to you. If you like both - then this will be a true winner!

The second book in the series - Chosen by Desire is due out in the winter of 2010.

Diamonds in the Shadow by Caroline B. Cooney (Book Review)

Title: Diamonds in the Shadow
Author: Caroline B. Cooney
Publisher: Waterbrook (Random House)
Genre: YA Fiction/Christian
Available: Now
Why did I read? - First Wild Card Tour

First sentence: In Africa, five people got on a plane.

When the apartment that the Amabo family was to stay in falls through - Jared is forced to share his bedroom with Mattu - their teenage son. He is not very happy about this -not happy at all. Mopsy, Jared's younger sister, is overjoyed at the fact that their teenage daughter Alake will be bunking with her.

The Amabo family are refugees from Africa. They have received passage to the states and are being sponsered by Jared's church. They will help to give them training and find jobs - but there is trouble from the start. The biggest being that the fifth refugee on the plane doesn't like not being in control. Then Andre Amabo, the father, has had his hands chopped off during the war in Africa - one at the wrist, the other at the elbow. Alake doesn't speak - and doesn't appear to hear either. She has to be prodded to even eat. And what is up with Mattu and the two cardboard boxes that contain the ashes of his grandparents?

Jarod doesn't believe in the same God that his parents do, and that the Amabo's seem to also. He feels praying is a waste of time. But while the Amabo's are staying with them, his reality begins to change. He finds that doing things for other people really isn't that much trouble. He discovers that his younger sister isn't so annoying, but has great insight and can even be trusted. And he discovers what secrets the ashes of Mattu's grandparents contain. What he does with that information will decide the fate of both families - but will he make the right choice?

This would be a great book for middle schoolers and maybe early high school. It is well written, but seems a little simplistic for older than that. I would not recommend it for younger thatn middle school because of some of the violence that it describes.

People are not who or what you expect in this book - and that helped to make it a quite a page turner. I was able to read it in just two sittings. Please come back tomorrow for the tour and to read the first chapter!

Scream by Mike Dellosso (Book Review)

Title: Scream
Author: Mike Dellosso
Publisher: Realms (A Strang Company)
Genre: Thriller/Christian Fiction
Available: Now

First sentence: Mark Stone could still smell the grease on his hands.

Description from the book cover: While talking to his friend on the phone, Mark Stone is startled by a cacophony of otherworldly screams. Seconds later, a tragic accident claims his friend's life. When this happens several more times - screams followed by an untimely death - he is compelled to act.

Battling his failure as a husband and struggling with his own damaged faith, Mark embarks on a mission to find the meaning behind the screams and hopefully stop death from calling on its next victim. When his estranged wife is kidnapped and he again hears the screams as she calls from her cell phone, his search becomes much more personal and much more urgent.

(Go here to read the first chapter)

I love thrillers and this one did not disappoint! Mike Dellosso created characters that were very believable. People that you wanted to cheer on and tell them not to give up hope. The pace of the book was perfect - it kept you turning the pages, but did not give away any secrets too soon.

Scream really starts out as two stories - and as the book progresses the two stories combine to make for a great ending! I especially loved the way the message of Christ was delivered without getting "pushy" or "in your face." This would be a great book for a non-believer or one right on the fence. It made me take a look at whether or not I was telling everyone that I knew about Christ's love and sacrifice - and sadly, that answer is no. So now I get to decide how I will change that!

Thanks Mike for writing such a wonderful thriller while including Christ's message. I can't wait to pass it on to my friends who are not believers. Hopefully it will give me the opportunity to strike up some meaningful conversations.

The Stones by Eleanor Gustafson (Book Review)

Title: The Stones

Author: Eleanor Gustafson

Publisher: Whitaker House

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Available: Now

Reading for: First Wild Card Tour



First sentence: I dreamed of Goliath last night, strangely enough, considering it was Joab, David's general, who died yesterday.



From the book cover:

With comprehensive detail and flowing prose, Eleanor Gustafson crafts the retelling of King David's life--from his teenaged anointing to his death--as seen through the eyes of Asaph, a Levite musician.



Fictional in scope, yet with amazing scriptural accuracy, The Stones provides a revealing, behind-the-scenes glimpse into biblical history with all the twists, turns, thrills, and romance of the world's great drama.



You will be there as:

• A young teen collects stones to take on a giant.


• A prideful rebel takes count of his fighting men.


• A fallible leader succumbs to lust, temptation, and deceit.


• A poet and musician grows closer to God through prayer and worship.


• A man after God's heart discovers the unfailing love and forgiveness of his Creator.

The Stones is an epic adventure of man's innate need to worship God and rely on Him for strength--and how badly it can go when he fails to do so.

I loved reading this book and am glad that I had this opportunity. It was wonderful to be able to read about King David in a chronological fashion. Even though the details and possible motivations for some of the story has been created to fill it out - you can trust that it still followed scripture. The fact that David was a 'man after God's heart' was evident, but it also showed David as a man with struggles much the same as you or I.

Sometimes I find it hard to read the Bible because the chronology often isn't there and, depending on the translation, it can be hard to understand. It is fun to read about it as if it were a fictional drama - knowing that it was not! I am in a study of Psalms 119 right now - this Psalm is thought to have been written by David because of some of the verses. After reading The Stones, I was able to see some different instances in the Psalm were I think it absolutely sounded like something that David was going through - like in this instance with this passage from page 91:

Hear my prayer, O God;

Listen to my words.

Strangers attack me;

Ruthless men seek my life.

Surely God is my help,

The one who sustains me.

The Kingmaking by Helen Hollick (Book Review)

Title: The Kingmaking
Author: Helen Hollick
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Historical Fiction
Available: Now

First sentence: He was ten and five years of age and, for the first time in his life, experiencing the exhilaration of the open sea and, for this short while, the novelty of leisure.

So begins the book, The Kingmaking by Helen Hollick. We join Arthur at 15 on a ship bound for Caer Arfon and Gwynned - home of Cunneda and his daughter Gwenhwyfar. He has been brought on the voyage by Uthr Pendragon - much to the chagrin of Uthr mistress, Morgause. She cannot understand why Uthr favors the boy. She sees him as the bastard child of one of the servants - being raised as a foster son by Uthr's brother.

As the story unfolds, Uthr is killed in a battle with Vortigern - fighting to be the rightful King of Britain. Arthur is devastated until Cunneda announces that he - Arthur - is the rightful heir of Uthr Pendragon. His identity had been kept hidden to protect his life from Vortigern.

When I first picked up this book - I wondered what I had gotten myself into. I was not a big King Arthur fan - and knew little about that era. However, Helen Hollick's book drew me in from the beginning. I loved that she gave the pronunciation of the names and after awhile I found myself reading them "correctly". It gave me a sense of authenticity. The book was not hard to read (like I thought it would be) due to the era, but instead was very engrossing. I even carried it with me to my son's bus stop - and it is a HEAVY book at 563 pages.

This is the first book of her Pendragon's Banner Trilogy. The other two books are Pendragon's Banner and Shadow of the King!

And now - the description from the back cover:

It is the Dark Ages of Britain, 450 AD. The Roman Empire is falling apart, leaving the British under the rule of the evil tyrant Vortigern, who stole the crown years ago from Uthr Pendragon. When Uthr dies, Arthur Pendragon is left as rightful heir to the throne, if he can win it back from Vortigern.

As the men pledge an oath of loyalty to the Pendragon Banner, a feisty and beautiful Gwenhwyfar, captivated by Arthur from the moment they meet, pledges to Arthur and even greater gift: her undying love and unborn sons.

Determined to fulfill his ultimate goals of regaining his kingship and marrying Gwenhwyfar, Arthur must first endure a difficult apprenticeship in his enemy's army. When he and Gwenhwyfar become pawns in a political triangle, Arthur is put to the test: he must choose between his kingship and the woman he loves.

Kiss by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy (Book Review)

Title: Kiss
Author: Ted Dekker and Erin Healy
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Fiction/Christian/Suspense

First sentence: The view from my therapist's window was unremarkable.

Shauna awoke after being in a coma for six weeks to a nightmare that she would like to forget. She had no idea why or how she ended up in the hospital. Actually, she couldn't remember the last 6 months. She knew who she was, who her brother Rudy was, her dad Landan, "Uncle" Trent, even her evil stepmother Patrice. However, she did not know Wayne Spade, the guy who claimed to be her boyfriend. How could she have forgotten him?

After Shauna is released from the hospital, Wayne offers to stay with her 24/7 to help her recuperate. He works for her Uncle Trent at her father's company, McAllister MediVista, so there isn't a problem with him getting some time off. She discovers that her brother Rudy is brain-damaged due to the accident that put her in the coma. The accident that they say she caused. She had been indicted while in the coma because they had found Ecstacy in her system, and in her car, and in her apartment. She couldn't EVER remember taking drugs in her life. How could this be happening to her?

Rudy had been her father's favorite ever since he had married Patrice. She had been left for Patrice to raise and Patrice was every bit the wicked stepmother - even burning Shauna with an iron. But did her father believe her? No. He believed Patrice when she told him that Shauna just wanted to be the center of attention. This drove a wedge between Shauna and her dad, which is why she now calls him Landon.

Soon, Shauna starts remembering things - but they don't seem to be her memories. Why is she remembering things that couldn't possibly have happened to her? And can she really trust Wayne or is he trying to kill her?

The underlying theme in Kiss is that God will always love you and you don't need to fear. (Shauna keeps remembering her deceased mom telling her this.) What Shauna wants more than anything is for Landon to feel this way about her. We also get to see some family and romantic relationships develop and some family and romantic relationships fall apart. You will have to read to find out whose!

This was my first Ted Dekker book (I know, I know, I must have been living under a rock!) and I loved it - the book, not living under the rock. Thrillers are hard for me to put down and this one was no exception. I was lucky enough to get a galley of Mr. Dekker's book that is coming out in April - The Boneman's Daughters and can't wait to read it!

I Do Again by Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs (Book Review)

Title: I Do Again
Author: Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs
Publisher: Waterbrook Press
Genre: Christian Living/Love and Marriage

First sentence: A man I know was walking to his car after a golf tournament when he realized the remote trunk opener wouldn't work.

This is the true story of Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs. When they met, the attraction was instantaneous, but Cheryl would not go out with Jeff as she was in a relationship with someone else. Jeff did not give up though and eventually Cheryl broke up with her boyfriend. So the next time Jeff asked, she said yes.

After about a year of dating, Jeff was being relocated from Memphis to California. He asked Cheryl to marry him and she immediately said yes! They were the golden couple in California - attractive couple, good careers, beautiful home - but they could not have children. Their twin daughters were born after successful in vitro. But still there was something missing.

Cheryl began to feel like their life and relationship was shallow, so unfortunately she began to look outside of her marriage for her emotional needs. As the next couple of years passed - she continued to tell Jeff she was fine, when in reality, she was far from it. She eventually asked him for a divorce. Jeff was devastated - he did not see this coming at all. He begged Cheryl to work on their marriage so they could fix it. They even went to see some counselors, but Cheryl's mind was made up. She wanted out. Eighteen months later, they were divorced.

About this time Jeff started to get more involved with the youth ministry at his church. Cheryl's friends were encouraging her that she needed to find a new church. She couldn't continue to go to the one that her and Jeff had attended. She eventually found one. Cheryl had been raised Catholic and couldn't understand how she had never heard or learned some of things she was learning at her new church. Like the promises and plans God has for us and our marriage in the Song of Solomon. Or that she could have a personal relationship with Him.

I do not want to tell you anymore about the book (but you can probably guess from the title). Please come along and read about how Cheryl and Jeff learned to forgive each other and trust in God and the miraculous changes this made in their lives.

This book was somewhat hard for me to read. I became a believer when I was 13, but fell away from God at 17 when my dad passed away. In the following years I went to college and got married at the age of 21. Eight years and two daughters later I also asked my husband for a divorce - for many of the same reasons that Cheryl did. It was a little scary to read my thoughts and actions in print as someone else's life! It also took us about 18 months to get divorced, as my husband did not want it, and I was content (and couldn't afford it) to just let things stay how they were. I remember when the judge asked me if I felt we had done everything to save our marriage and even though I answered "Yes" - in my heart I knew that I had done nothing. My story takes a different turn here from Jeff and Cheryl's though. God led me to a wonderful man just when I was considering quitting my job and moving back to my childhood home. We have now been married 8 years and have added a son to our mix. I am still very much in love with him!

Age Before Beauty by Virginia Smith (Book Review)

Title: Age Before Beauty (Book 2 in the Sister to Sister Series)
Author: Virginia Smith
Publisher: Revell (Baker Publishing Group)
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Christian

First sentence: The mirror had to be warped.

How many times have we said that to ourselves? Or moved the bathroom scale because it must not be level to read that much? This book touched home with me greatly - as I became a stay-at-home mom after my third child (current ages 16,14,and 4). I kept telling myself - why did I work so hard to get those A's? Why did I go to college if I was just going to stay at home? Like Allie from the book, I researched some work-from-home "deals". I even cross-stitched for a company out of New York and was paid as an independent contractor. So after 4 1/2 years of being at home - what do I do? I love every minute with my son and I blog about books! :)

Allie helped to drive the point home with me, that staying at home was me doing my part for our own little team. I had struggled with the some of the same issues - losing that post-baby weight, earning my share, being okay with someone else watching my baby, and wondering if my husband was trustworthy. I have conquered some of these, still struggle with others but daily have been learning that if I trust in God, my Father, that the worries seem less and the blessings more.

Hmmm.. this has turned into not so much a book review but a review of my past 5 years! To the book - Allie and her husband Eric are parents to 2 month old Joanie Leigh (named after her two sisters Joan and Tori - and this is where it gets weird - my oldest daughter's name is Tori Leigh. . .). Allie is due to go back to work in a few weeks and is struggling with the decision to put her daughter in daycare. She attends a Varie Cose party and thinks she has found the answer to her problems - she will start her own Varie Cose business! (Think Amway). About this time Eric's mother, Betty, shows up on their porch needing a place to stay as she has moved out on her husband because "he did not appreciate her" anymore. Not what Allie needed - she dislikes her mother-in-law as much as her mother-in-law dislikes her.

Come and see how Allie progresses with her business, deals with her mother-in-law, and makes it all work - and who helps her in the end!

This was a quick read that I really could relate to and enjoyed immensely. Even though it is the 2nd book in the Sister to Sister series, it read absolutely wonderfully as a stand alone. Highly recommend this book for any new mom!

Trail of Crumbs by Kim Sunee (Book Review)

Title: Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love and the Search for Home
Author: Kim Sunee
Publisher: Hachette Book Group
Genre: Nonfiction/Memoir

First sentence: Let me start by saying where I am.

From the cover: Kim Sunee was abandoned in a Korean marketplace at the age of three and raised by adoptive parents in New Orleans. But by the age of twenty-two, her life was totally transformed - she found herself the companion of a French mogul, and mistress over his homes in Paris and Provence. Yet despite the glamorous trappings, Kim never felt quite at home. It was only in the kitchen, where she encountered exotic ingredients and fed crowds of friends, that she felt she truly belonged. Trail of Crumbs is a compelling personal narrative of the search for home pursued among the tastes, aromas, and sensuality of food across three continents.

This book was beautifully written! It led you through Kim's life - most of it centered in her 20's after she had moved out of the United States. It showed such a deep yearning to try to understand where she fit in, where she belonged, that you just wanted to reach into the book and take her in your arms to let her know that it would all be okay. By being "lost" by her mom, she grew up always searching, never quite feeling "at home."

I interpreted the title "Trail of Crumbs" to be a metaphor for two things. First, she used to have a dream about her and her brother as Hansel and Gretel, just waiting for the moon to come out so they could see the trail of crumbs - only to find out that they had been eaten by the birds. Secondly, how she seemed to feel most comfortable in the kitchen, regardless of where she was, cooking wonderful dishes for friends. So as she traveled, she left her own 'trail of crumbs'. Her book is doctored with tales of wonderful foods in exotic (to me) places. At the ends of many of the chapters are recipes of what sound like delicious dishes. I hope someday to have the courage to try some of them. (There is an index in the back of the book listing these recipes.)

You must read Kim's story of loss and loneliness as she loved, in her way, Olivier, but could not come to accept the life he created for her.

"Somehow, I thought, he'll never realize that the everything he wants to give me will never take away the nothing that I've always had." (p66)

Join her as she searches for acceptance and family and discovers a strength to let go of what cannot be changed and move forward.

About the author: Kim Sunee has been featured in the New York Times, Ladies' Home Journal, People, Elle, and Glamour. She is the founding food editor of Cottage Living and the host of "Local Flavor with Kim Sunee" for MyRecipes.com. You can visit her website at http://www.kimsunee.com/.

The Spring of Candy Apples by Debbie Viguie (Book Review)

Title: The Spring of Candy Apples (Book 4 in Sweet Seasons Series)
Author: Debbie Viguie
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Teen Fiction/Christian

First sentence: Candace wondered how every couple of months she managed to wind up seated across the desk from a Zone executive.

The Spring of Candy Apples is the 4th book in the Sweet Seasons series, but it read well as a stand alone, as I have not had the opportunity to read the first three books.

We catch up with Candace during her interview for The Zone's college scholarship to Florida Coast College. The interview is with John Hanson, the owner of The Zone, an amusement park in California. Candace was entered into the running by her friend, Josh, for her rendition of a new amusement park ride called Balloon Races. During the interview, Candace also gets promoted from a seasonal employee to a regular part-timer working at The Candy Counter.

Candace's life is getting busy. She enjoys working at The Zone and is also involved in a talent show that is coming up there. Add to that the lead in her school play, Man of La Mancha, boyfriend, best friends, and her church youth group.

Over the course of the book we meet Tamara, her best friend and fellow castmate in Man of La Mancha. She and Tamara have been best friends for a very long time and have planned to go to UCLA together. Candace does not know how she is going to tell her friend that she is considering going to Florida Coast.

Kurt is her boyfriend whom she met after she started working at The Zone. He used to be Lisa's boyfriend, another Zone employee, and this has brought out a host of problems and animosity in Lisa.

She also met Josh working at the Zone and he quickly became a good friend. It also benefited her friend Tamara as she is seriously dating Josh's brother James. Josh always seems to be around when Candace needs reassurance or someone to talk to - and he is also a Christian.

Join Candace as she decides if Kurt is "the one", which college to choose, and how Josh figures into all this!

This was a very cute story and a quick read. It was definitely not preachy, but was able to get across the story of salvation through it's characters. It was a light read but covered romance, touched on family issues, values, and handling important choices. I would recommend for girls 14-18 years old.

Simple Wishes by Lisa Dale (Book Review)

Title: Simple Wishes
Author: Lisa Dale
Publisher: Forever/Hachette Book Group
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Available: Now

First Sentence: For her twelfth birthday, a classmate gave Adele a book of New York City in photographs.

Adele Matin is a woman with a problem. She made a careless mistake that cost her job in New York City at an art gallery. Without a job, her apartment soon followed. She returned home to Grumble Knot on Notch Lane (don't you just love these names!), a house which her mother Marge had left to her in her will. She hadn't been back to rural Pennsylvania since she was seventeen - when she had left with these thoughts - to make it in New York City and be rid of her past and her demanding and unloving mother for good. So her return to Grumble Knot seemed to her the worst possible thing that could happen, but she had no where else to go.

Jay Westvelt had been taking care of the cabin in the years since her mother had died. He was a recluse and an artist who lived in a cabin called Tarpaper - next to Grumble Knot. He and Adele soon become close, even though they both seem to have issues from the past that are threatening their future.

Beatrice is Adele's Korean neighbor who was also Marge's friend. She knows the secret that Marge did not want her daughter to find out. She also has a secret of her own. She does her best to keep Adele from digging into the past.

As Adele and Jay grow closer, Adele also begins closing in on the secrets that she is sure everyone is keeping from her. When she finally uncovers the truth, will it send her back to New York City where a new job in a new art gallery awaits? Or will she finally learn to trust and believe in love?

I enjoyed this book very much. It had conflict, romance, mystery, heartache. The characters were great and I felt like they were people I could actually meet! They were dealing with issues that are relevant today - conflicts between mothers and daughters, teenage sex, family skeletons. As for the romance factor, I enjoyed reading a book that wasn't "love at first sight - sparks flying" and then "happily ever after". Jay and Adele had to learn to trust each other and had fights and misunderstandings along the way. This was a good read for right before Valentine's Day!

John's Quest by Cecelia Dowdy (Book Review)

Title: John's Quest
Author: Cecelia Dowdy
Publisher: Heartsong Presents
Genre: Christian Fiction/Contemporary Romance

First sentence: The loud banging at Monica Crawford's front door awakened her.

Monica's life changed when her younger sister Gina dropped off her seven-year-old son Scotty in the middle of the night. She claimed she was going on the road with her circus boyfriend and needed Monica to take care of him while she was gone.

Monica didn't have a choice. She was a Christian and had always been the more responsible sibling. She had thought that at her age she would be married with children of her own - but it hadn't worked out that way. Kevin, her last boyfriend, had dumped her 2 years before, and was already married to someone else and had a baby.

Scotty, her nephew, was blind and Gina hadn't made it a priority to see that he attended school regularly. Monica soon found out that he was behind. She promptly hired a tutor.

John was an agnostic, but had spent most of his free time during the last 10 years working with blind children. Scotty immediately took to him and Monica also felt a pull towards him.

As their friendship grows, Monica is torn as she knows she cannot date a non-believer. John is struggling with his beliefs also. His parents had raised him to be an agnostic, but then they had accepted Christ six months before they were killed in an auto accident. He had never gotten to talk with them about why they changed their beliefs.

Can Monica handle raising a blind child? How will she deal with her growing attraction to John? Will John come to understand and accept Christ? And when Gina comes back in the picture, will she take Scotty and run?

I liked this book and it was very quick to read. I wish that it would have dug deeper into John's issues with Christianity and how/why things ended the way they did with him (not going to spoil it for you!) It was fun to read a Christian romance though!

Lessons From San Quentin by Bill Dallas with George Barna (Book Review)

Title: Lessons From San Quentin: Everything I Needed to Know in Life I Learned in Prison
Author: Bill Dallas with George Barna
Publisher: Tyndale House
Genre: Nonfiction/Personal Growth

First sentence: When I entered San Quentin for the first time, I was only thirty-one years old.

This is the story of Bill Dallas' journey from high-flying real estate magnate to prisoner H64741 in San Quentin. Bill Dallas was a "boy wonder" in the real estate market in the late 80's, but when the market crashed in the 90's, so did his life. He was found guilty of commingling of funds (using money from one project to fund another one without the investor's knowledge).

During his legal battles he started to question his faith - or lack thereof. In 1991 he even asked Jesus into his heart. But he tried to "earn" his salvation by memorizing scripture and reading the Bible rather than having a real relationship with Christ.

Upon his conviction, he was sent to a minimum security prison where he learned fire-fighting techniques - with the plan that he was to finish his sentence at a fire camp. Due to circumstances out of his control he was sent to maximum security at San Quentin.

In San Quentin he had to hit rock bottom before he could start his climb out. With the help of the Lifers at San Quentin he discovered what faith in God really means and begins to discover what he calls his "transforming principles".

I loved this book and found so much that I can apply to my life - and my own "prisons". My plan is to copy down his transforming principles and hang them somewhere in my house where I can read them often! I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a deeper relationship with Christ and more fulfillment in their life. You can go here to read the first chapter.

Scrapping Plans by Rebeca Seitz (Book Review)

Title: Scrapping Plans (Book 3 in the Sister, Ink series)
Author: Rebeca Seitz
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Genre: Christian Fiction
Available: Feb 2009

First sentence: I've tried to be happy.

This book is about 4 adopted sisters, Kendra - who is currently planning her upcoming wedding, Tandy -who is newly married, Meg - who is married with children, but experiencing frequent headaches, but mostly it is about Joy and her journey with her husband to conceive a child.

Along the way we meet their widowed father who is the pastor of Stars Hill Church. He is currently dating Zelda and the sisters aren't too happy about this.

Whenever there is a conflict, the sisters call for a "scrapping night" so that they can hash out ideas and figure out what to do. In the beginning of the book I was left feeling that these conflicts were being resolved too easily and unrealistically- but stuck with it only to see the conflicts rear back up - so they were not fully resolved!

The sisters are very close, more like best friends and are very involved in each other's lives. They share all the joy as well as the heartache with each other. They are also very protective of their father and are not ready for someone new in their mother's place! This book did a wonderful job of showing the care and respect that they have for one another. It is not too preachy, and would be a good book for a non-believer to read. It might not lead them to Christ, but might show them that when bad things happen, that God will be there and maybe it is because He wanted you to go down a different road.

This was a good book and a quick read - but I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous two books in the series! You can go here to read the first chapter!

Holes by Louis Sachar (Book Review)

Title: Holes
Author: Louis Sachar
Genre: YA Fiction

First sentence: There is no lake at Camp Green Lake.


Holes is about a boy named Stanley Yelnats who is wrongly convicted of stealing a pair of tennis shoes that were being auctioned off for charity. The tennis shoes really did fall on his head as he went under an overpass. He is sentenced to Camp Green Lake for 18 months. It is this kind of misfortune that seems to plague Stanley and his family. They blame these events on Stanley's great-great-grandfather and a curse that he brought on himself.

Now Camp Green Lake is not really a camp - nor is there a lake. It is a detention center for juvenile delinquents, at which they have to dig holes every day. Holes that are 5 feet wide by 5 feet deep, supposedly to teach them character. Stanley, or Caveman - as the other boys have nicknamed him, realizes early on that they are really searching for something for the warden.

After 45 days of digging holes and a week surviving away from "camp" - Stanley manages to bring history full circle. Will the curses finally be broken?

I enjoyed this book. The boys did learn something from digging holes -they learned perseverance and friendship - and something about dealing with guilty consciences. I like the way that the author wove three stories together - that of Stanley's great-great-grandfather, the legend of Kissin' Kate Barlow, and Stanley's emerging story in the present. I highly recommend this book for middle schoolers!

Lost in Las Vegas by Melody Carlson (Book Review)

Title: Lost in Las Vegas (Book 5 in the Carter House Girls series)
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Christian/teen fiction
Available: Feb 2009

First sentence: "Remind me to never, ever star in another high school musical again."

The book starts out with the 6 girls getting ready to go to the Winter Ball - this preparation includes actually confirming their dates, shopping for new dresses and accessories, and for Taylor and DJ (roommates, but not necessarily BFFs) a day at a posh new day spa.

DJ and Rhiannon are the Christian girls of the bunch with Eliza and Taylor being the self-professed party girls. Kriti and Casey fall somewhere in between. DJ and Rhiannon have the best time at the ball, without the alcohol offered to them and without compromising their beliefs.

Christmas break is on the horizon and DJ is looking forward to "alone" time, away from the other girls. They are leaving soon to travel to various places to stay with family and friends. DJ is staying at Carter House with her grandmother. She as decided not to go to her dad and stepmom's house, as she feels she will just become the babysitter for her twin sisters. When Taylor calls from Las Vegas (where she is spending Christmas with her mom who is performing there) claiming she is lonely and could use some company, DJ prays that if that is where God wants her to go, then he will clear the way. She is ready for some company herself!

Once in Vegas, DJ questions why God has brought her here. Is she supposed to keep Taylor out of trouble? And when Eliza arrives, will she be able to? DJ questions why she is in Vegas at all and Taylor puts her faith to the test.

Lost in Las Vegas is Book 5 in the Carter House Girls series (Mixed Bags; Stealing Bradford; Homecoming Queen; and Viva Vermont). It read okay as a stand alone, but it was hard to keep the girls straight at first. I am going to try to find the first 4 so that I can get caught up - because books 6-8 are coming out soon!

This was a very quick read for me and I would highly recommend it - especially for teen girls struggling with their faith in the real world!