ARC Arrival: Ravens by George Dawes Green

Ravens by George Dawes Green

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Books

I received this book from Miriam at Hachette books for a blog tour in July. I am so excited as I had posted this one as a Waiting on Wednesday book way back in April!

About the book: The Boatwrights just won 318 million dollars in the GeorgiaState lottery. It's going to be the worst day of their lives.

When Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko pull up at a convenience store off I-95 in Georgia, their only thought is to fix a leaky tire and be on their way again to Florida-away from their dull Ohio tech-support jobs. But this happens to be the store from which a 318,000,000 million dollar Jackpot ticket has just been sold -- and when a pretty clerk accidentally reveals to Shaw the identity of the winning family, he hatches a ferociously audacious scheme: He and Romeo will squeeze the family for half their prize.

That night, he visits the Boatwright home and takes the family hostage, while Romeo patrols the streets nearby, prepared to murder the Boatwrights' loved ones at any sign of resistance. At first, the family offers none. But Shaw's plot depends on maintaining constant fear-merciless, unfaltering terror-and soon, under the pressure, everyone's sanity begins to unravel . . .

At once frightening, comic, and suspenseful, RAVENS is a wholly original and utterly compelling novel from one of our most talented writers.(from Barnes and Noble website)

About the author: George Dawes Green is a highly acclaimed novelist and poet and the founder of the New York City club for raconteurs, The Moth. He currently divides his time between Georgia and New York.(from the book jacket)

Become a fan of Ravens on Facebook.

Ravens
Publisher/Publication Date: Grand Central Publishing, July 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-53896-1
325 pages

ARC Arrival: Last Light over Carolina by Mary Alice Monroe

Last Light over Carolina by Mary Alice Monroe

Publisher: Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster

I received this book from Sarah at Pocket Books. Isn't the cover beautiful?

About the book: From beloved New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe comes a new novel of the sultry South Carolina lowcountry, and the proud traditions and earthy resilience of the people who live there. Publishers Weekly embraced Time Is a River, Monroe's "novel of strong Southern women," saying "the author's love for her characters is palpable throughout." Now she returns with Last Light over Carolina, the deeply moving story of another strong woman, Carolina Morrison, struggling to prove that love is a light that never dies.

Every woman in the low country knows the unspoken fear that clutches the heart every time her man sets out to sea. Now, that fear has become a terrible reality for Carolina Morrison. Her husband, shrimp boat captain Bud Morrison, the only man she's ever loved, is lost and alone somewhere in the vast Atlantic fishing grounds, with a storm gathering and last light falling.

As the action unfolds on this one terrifying, illuminating day, Carolina and Bud Morrison look back across thirty years of love and loss, joy and sorrow. Carolina walked away from a well-to-do upbringing to marry Captain Bud Morrison. She embraced his extraordinary lifestyle by the sea and the customs of a historic shrimping village. Yet lately, hard times and the loneliness of long separations have driven them apart -- and driven her to make a mistake that threatens to shatter their once-unbreakable bond forever.

When Bud Morrison is overdue at the docks, the close-knit community rallies together to search for one of its own. But Carolina knows that it is their love that must somehow call him home, across miles of rough water and unspeakable memories. And she swears that if she is given one more chance -- for love and for forgiveness -- nothing will ever take her from this man's side again.

In Last Light over Carolina, Mary Alice Monroe once again explores a vanishing feature of the southern coastline, the mysterious yet time-honored shrimping culture, in a convincing and compelling tale of an enduring marriage.(from Barnes and Noble website)

About the author: Mary Alice Monroe is the New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels, including Time is a River, Sweetgrass, Skyward, The Beach House, The Four Seasons, and The Book Club. She is an active conservationist and lives in the low-country of South Carolina.(from Barnes and Noble website)

Last Light over Carolina
Publisher/Publication Date: Pocket Books, July 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4165-4970-3
384 pages

Wonderful Win: Precious by Sandra Novack

Precious by Sandra Novack

Publisher: Random House

I won this book from Anna at Diary of an Eccentric - and it is autographed to me from the author~ Very cool! Anna's was one of the first blogs that I started following about 9 months ago when I started blogging - and it is still one of my favorites!

About the book: The summer of 1978, ten-year-old Vicki Anderson rides her bike to the local park and goes missing. Her tight-knit blue-collar Pennsylvania neighborhood, where children roam the streets at night playing lightning tag, above ground pools sparkle in backyards, and flowers scent the air, will never be the same.

Down the street from Vicki's house, another family is in crisis. Troubled by her past, headstrong Natalia Kisch has abandoned her husband and two daughters for another man. Frank Kisch, grappling with his anger, is left to raise their girls alone, oblivious to his daughters' struggles with both disappearances: Eva, seventeen, plunges into an affair with her married high school teacher, and nine-year-old Sissy escapes to a world of imagination and storytelling that becomes so magical it pierces the reality of the everyday.

When Natalia unexpectedly returns, the struggles and tensions that have built over the summer erupt into a series of events that change the Kisches irrevocably - forcing them to piece together their complicated pasts and commitments to one another.

In this haunting, atmospheric debut, Sandra Novack examines loss, loyalty, and a family in crisis. Lyrical and elegiac, Precious illuminates our attempts to make sense of the volatility that surrounds and consumes us, and explores our ability, even during the most trying times, to remember and hold on to those we love most. (from the book jacket)

About the author: Sandra Novack's fiction has appeared in The Iowa Review, The Gettysburg Review, Gulf Coast and Mississippi Review, among other publications. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize three times, and holds an MFA from Vermont College. Novack currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, With her husband, Phil, and many animals.

Precious
Publisher/Publication Date: Random House, February 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4000-6680-3
288 pages

Congratulations. . .

You have won the copy of Stealing Home by Allison Pittman!

(An email has been sent to the winner)

Operation Kid-to-Kid™ Q & A

Operation Kid-to-Kid™ Q & A

Q: What is Operation Kid-to-Kid™?

A: Operation Kid-to-Kid™ is a partnership of Group Publishing, Inc. and nondenominational Christian organizations dedicated to creating hands-on service projects for children in North America. Operation Kid-to-Kid™ projects have ministered to kids all over the world. Over the years, Group’s Operation Kid-to-Kid™ has become one of the largest forces mobilizing children in serving other children around the world. Millions have been impacted with gifts of comfort critters, school supplies, Bibles, hygiene kits, Christmas gifts, Bible coloring books, and socks and shoes. Operation Kid-to-Kid™ gives children a meaningful service project that will change their hearts as they help change the world.


Q: What is a Comfort Critter? Where do I get the Comfort Critters?

A: Comfort Critters are adorable, easy-to-assemble crafts designed especially for kids to make and receive. Custom-made Comfort Critters are available from Group and Group suppliers. This year’s special critter is a cuddly little turtle that reads “God Cares” and features a pocket so each child can include a special message to another child in need.


Q: We all want to teach our kids about God’s compassion. Why are the Operation Kid-to-KidTM Comfort Critters so effective for this purpose?

A: Children learn by doing. While activities like collecting spare change definitely serve a good purpose, it’s hard for young children, who don’t really understand the value of money yet, to understand how the money they collect will minister to other children. But all children know what it’s like to be scared or lonely. They know how a teddy bear, stuffed animal, or blankie makes them feel better. As they use their own hands to make these little turtles, they are creating personal, tangible expressions of compassion. The handy sewn in pocket gives them the opportunity to send a message from their own hearts. And because they make two turtles—one to give away and one to keep—they will have a touchable reminder that other children are struggling and in need of compassion and comfort.


Q: How many Comfort Critters will I need?

A: You will need two for each child participating—one for them to keep, and one to give away.

Q: Can I use a different Comfort Critter for our church service project?

A: Not if you are distributing it through International Bible Society for disaster relief. They’re counting on receiving these Comfort Critters with the special message of God’s love. IBS has learned it’s important that items distributed to children should be identical. No child should feel less special because his or her Comfort Critter doesn’t look like the others.


Q: Do I have to send my Comfort Critters to the International Bible Society for distribution?

A: Feel free to tweak your Operation Kid-to-Kid™ program. You can use your Comfort Critters as a local community service project—or send the items with your church mission team.


Q: Besides the Comfort Critters, what other Operation Kid-to-Kid™ projects can my group participate in?

A: There are so many ways to involve children in ministry throughout the year. Through the Rome VBS program, you can send monthly Bible readers to children in the underground church around the world. Since it is dangerous for these children to own a Bible, these comic book-style readers offer much needed encouragement.


The Operation Kid-to-Kid Prayer Bear missions program warms hearts and minds and allows children to share the joy of God’s love. Kids will learn what it means to help others as they create a Prayer Bear that says “Jesus” in English, Spanish, and French. Plus, everyone can personalize a message to put in their Bear’s pocket to send to an orphan in Africa. Join us in one of the world’s largest forces mobilizing kids in serving others around the world.

This easy, hands-on mission program can serve those in your local community, be sent to military personnel, or simply be sent to the International Bible Society for distribution to children around the world.

If you missed it, see the intro to Operation Kid-to-Kid from yesterday.

First Wild Card Tour - The King's Legacy

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!

Please see my review of The King's Legacy.

Today's Wild Card author is:

Jim Stovall

and the book:

The King’s Legacy

David C. Cook; New edition edition (June 1, 2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jim Stovall is a national champion Olympic weightlifter, former president of the Emmy Award-winning Narrative Television Network, and a highly sought after author and platform speaker. Jim was honored as the International Humanitarian of the Year, joining previous recepients Mother Teresa and Nancy Reagan. He is the author of the best-selling book The Ultimate Gift, now a major motion picture.



Visit the author's website.









Product Details:



List Price: $12.99

Paperback: 160 pages

Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition edition (June 1, 2009)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1434765938

ISBN-13: 978-1434765932



AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Once upon a time, there was an enchanted kingdom in a land far, far away. The kingdom was ruled by a benevolent and much-loved king. He had led his people through many difficult times, and they had finally reached a golden age of peace, prosperity, and happiness.





The king summoned all of his wise men together and said, “Now that our land is enjoying a season of prosperity and peace, I wish to leave a permanent legacy of my reign as your ruler.”





The king went on to tell his wise men that he would like their best thoughts and ideas as to what he could do to create a fitting tribute to all the people of the kingdom and his reign as their leader. Each of the wise men left the Throne Room determined to come up with the best idea to present to the king, as they all knew that the king’s chosen action would be remembered for generations.





On the appointed day and hour, the wise men reconvened in the Throne Room.





The king said, “I want to hear your suggestions one at a time, so that I might determine what would be a fitting legacy for me to leave in honor of my reign as king.”





The first wise man approached the steps leading to the throne, bowed with dignity, and began. “Your Highness, since the beginning of recorded history, great rulers have left magnificent feats of architecture as tributes to their greatness. One need only look to the east and think of the great pyramids that have stood for generations and will remain throughout time, paying homage to the pharaohs.”





The wise man bowed again and backed away from the throne.





The king fell silent and was lost in deep thought, then said, “I am pleased with your suggestion as it has much merit. Indeed, a great edifice could stand for thousands of years to proclaim the greatness of our people and my reign as their king.”





The second wise man approached the throne and bowed reverently. He said, “Oh, great King, if I may humbly suggest that a gold coin be designed and minted bearing your image and in your honor. This coin could be distributed throughout the kingdom and, carried along the trade routes as if by friendly winds, it would literally be distributed around the world signifying your power and majesty.”





The king nodded and smiled. He seemed pleased with this suggestion also. He then beckoned the next wise man to approach. The wise man dutifully bowed and said, “Your highness, may I suggest that a monument of heretofore unknown proportion be erected in your image. Great reflecting pools and immense gardens would surround the statue. People would travel from the four corners of the earth to marvel at its splendor and pay respect and tribute to your greatness.”





The king smiled and stated, “Each of these suggestions has been well thought-out and presented. Before I go to deliberate my final decision, are there any other suggestions?”





After a long pause, the eldest wise man stepped forward. The king smiled and said, “My great and wise advisor, you have been with me from the beginning of my reign to this day, and you have always served me well. What say you in this matter?”





The elderly wise man replied quietly, “Your highness, may I suggest that each of my colleagues has proposed a fitting tribute to your greatness in the traditional sense; however, great buildings, gold coins, and monuments serve as tributes to other rulers from other days. May I humbly offer my suggestion? Something altogether different?”





The king nodded in assent.





“The one thing that could pay tribute to your greatness for thousands of years to come would be the proclamation of the Wisdom of the Ages. This would be an opportunity for you, oh great one, to communicate the greatest secret of the known world to benefit all humanity.





“Buildings and coins and statues will all pass away, but the Wisdom of the Ages would last forever. This would, indeed, be a fitting tribute to the king I humbly serve.”





The king fell into deep thought. Finally, he told all of his servants and the wise men to leave him so that he might choose the tribute most fitting to his reign as their king.

Teaser Tuesday 6-23-2009

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

I can't believe that I haven't done a teaser since the middle of May! Seems like everything was happening at once there for awhile!

Kevin bellowed out in comical operatic parody, "You gotta pizza pie! I wanna pizza pie! Oh no, it's for you, not I! Please share your pizza pie!" (p85 Talking to the Dead)













Talking to the Dead
Publisher/Publication Date: David C. Cook, June 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6641-0
368 pages

The King's Legacy by Jim Stovall (Book Review) and Giveaway!

Title: The King's Legacy
Author: Jim Stovall
Publisher: David C. Cook

First sentence: Once upon a time, there was an enchanted kingodm in a land far, far away.

My thoughts: This book was a very quick read. It reminded me of a fable (as the first sentence sort of reveals). It is about a King who wishes to leave a legacy so future generations will remember him and the people he ruled. His wise men are called upon to suggest what a good legacy would be. They suggest great architecture, coin with his face, or a statue in his likeness. However, the last wise man suggests he delcare a proclamation of the Wisdom of the Ages.

After much thought, the King agrees that the proclamation would be the way to go. When his wise men cannot agree as to a way to sum up what the Wisdom of the Ages should be or say, the King opens up his court to hear from his subjects. Anyone who feels they can contribute to what the Wisdom of the Ages should bbe can be heard.

A diverse group comes forward - one a day - to share their thoughts. To name a few -they ranged from a farmer, a mother, and a teacher, to a physician and a judge. Each one comes forward with their own thoughts for the King to contemplate.

This book was well written, and contains a good message, but I have never been a big fan as to this style of writing (fables/fairy tales). If this book sounds interesting to someone out there though, I would love to send it on (U.S. only please/no P.O. boxes). Just leave a comment below with your email and I will draw a winner next Tuesday, June 30.

Please watch for the First Wild Card Tour tomorrow to read the first chapter!

About the author: Jim Stovall has been a national champion Olympic weightlifter, a successful investment broker and entrepreneur. He is Co-Founder and President of the Narrative Television Network, which makes movies and television accessible for our nation's 13 million blind and visually impaired people and their families. Although originally designed for the blind and visually impaired, over 60% of NTN's nationwide audience is made up of fully-sighted people who simply enjoy the programming.

Jim Stovall hosts the Network's talk show, "NTN Showcase." His guests have included Katharine Hepburn, Jack Lemmon, Carol Channing, Steve Allen, and Eddie Albert, as well as many others. The Narrative Television Network has received an Emmy Award and an International Film and Video Award among its many industry honors.

NTN has grown to include over 1,200 cable systems and broadcast stations, reaching over 35 million homes in the United States, and NTN is shown in 11 foreign countries.

Jim Stovall joined the ranks of Walt Disney, Orson Welles, and four United States presidents when he was selected as one of the "Ten Outstanding Young Americans" by the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce. He has appeared on "Good Morning America" and CNN, and has been featured in Reader's Digest, TV Guide and Time magazine. He is the author of a previous book entitled You Don't Have To Be Blind To See, as well as his new book Success Secrets of Super Achievers. The President's Committee on Equal Opportunity selected Jim Stovall as the 1997 Entrepreneur of the Year. (from Barnes and Noble website)

The King's Legacy
Publisher/Publication Date: David C. Cook, June 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6593-2
160 pages

Wonderful Win: Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos

Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos

Publisher: Harper Collins

I won this book from Mari at Bookworm with a View. You can always find great reviews and giveaways over at this blog!

About the book: Cornelia Brown surprised herself when she was gripped by the sudden, inescapable desire to move to the suburbs with her husband. Her mettle is quickly tested by her impeccably dressed, overly judgmental neighbor Piper Truitt - the embodiment of everything Cornelia feared she'd find in suburbia. With Lake, another recent arrival, Cornelia shares a love of literature and old movies - as she forms an instant bond with this warm yet elusive woman and her perceptive, brilliant young son Dev.

Acclaimed bestselling author Marisa de los Santos's literary talents shine in the complex interactions she creates between three unforgettable women, deftly entangling her characters in a web of trust, betrayal, love, and loss that challenges them in ways they never imagined. (from the back cover)

About the author: The bestselling author of Love Walked In, Marisa de los Santos is an award winning poet with a Ph.D. in literature and creative writing. She lives in Wilmington, Delaware, with her husband and children. (from the back cover)

Belong to Me
Publisher/Publication Date: Harper Collins, April 2008
ISBN: 978-0-06-14028-7
400 pages

ARC Arrival: The Death of a Pope by Piers Paul Read

The Death of a Pope by Piers Paul Read

Publisher: Ignatius Press

I received this book from the author and Bostick Communications.

About the book: Juan Uriarte, a handsome and outspoken Spanish ex-priest, seems to be the model of nonviolence and compassion for the poor and downtrodden. So why is he on trial, accused of terrorist activities? His worldwide Catholic charitable outreach program is suspected of being a front for radicals. The trial is covered by Kate Ramsay, a young British reporter, who sets out to uncover the truth about Uriarte and his work. She travels with him to Africa to see his work first hand but soon finds herself attracted to him.

Meanwhile an international conspiracy is growing, one that reaches into the Vatican itself. When the death of Pope John Paul II brings about the conclave that will elect Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI, a terrorist plot involving blackmail, subterfuge, and mass murder begins to fall into place . . . a plot that could spell disaster for the Catholic Church and the world.

Piers Paul Read's powerful tale combines vivid characters, high drama, love, betrayal, faith, and redemption in a story of intrigue, church espionage, and an attempt to destroy the longest continuous government in the world - the Papacy. The Death of a Pope races towards an unexpected and unforgettable conclusion. (from the back cover)

About the author: Novelist and playwright Piers Paul Read was born in Beaconsfield, England on March 7, 1941. He was educated by Benedictine Monks at Ampleforth College, York and also at St. John's College, Cambridge. His non-fiction includes Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors, an account of the aftermath of a plane crash in the Andes - which has sold five million copies worldwide and was later adapted as the the film Alive; The Templars, a history of the Crusades; and Alec Guinness: The Authorised Biography, a profile of the acclaimed late actor.

His first novel was published in 1966. More recent novels include On the Third Day, A Patriot in Berlin, and Alice in Exile.

Piers Paul Read is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and a member of the Council of the Society of Authors. He has also written a number of television plays, and several of his novels have been adapted for film and television. He lives in London. (from the back cover)

The Death of a Pope
Publisher/Publication Date: Ignatius Press, May 2009
ISBN: 978-1-5861-295-4
215 pages

Wonderful Win: A Lucky Child by Thomas Buergenthal

A Lucky Child: A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy by Thomas Buergenthal

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company/Hachette

I won this book from Bingo at Booking with Bingo. Bingo always has great giveaways going on and her blog just seems full of energy!

About the book: Thomas Buergenthal, now a judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, was not quite six years old when he and his parents were forced into a Jewish ghetto in Poland. For the next four years they struggled there and in two labor camps, until they were placed on a train bound for Auschwitz. Separated first from his mother and then from his father, ten-year-old Thomas managed by his wits and some remarkable strokes of luck to survive Auschwitz and the infamous death march. Eventually liberated from Sachsenhausen, Thomas found himself the unlikely mascot of a Polish Army regiment, witnessed the fall of Berlin, and spent a year in an orphanage. Miraculously, he was reunited with his mother almost three years after last seeing her at Auschwitz, and in 1951 he emigrated to the United States to start a new life.

Poignant and inspiring, A Lucky Child demonstrates the sheer force of will and determination that even the youngest victims of the Holocaust evinced. Buergenthal writes his story with a simple clarity that highlights the stark details of unimaginable hardship as well as the small wonders of childhood. From teaching himself to ride a bike belonging to an SS officer, to sneaking a heavenly sip of milk, to delighting in the pony given to him by his army comrades, he demonstrates that beauty is present even in the face of the greatest adversity. Filled with the stirring and true insights of a child, this book reminds us of the power of grace and the resilience of the human spirit. (from the book jacket)

About the author: Thomas Buergenthal has devoted his life to international and human rights law. He received law degrees from New York University Law School and Harvard Law School and is currently the American judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. He has served on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, U.N. Human Rights Committee, U.N. Truth Commission for El Salvador, and President's Commission on the Holocaust, and has also acted as chairman for the Committee on Conscience of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. Co-recipient of the 2008 Gruber Foundation International Justice Prize, he lives in The Hague, Netherlands. (from the book jacket)

A Lucky Child
Publisher/Publication Date: Little, Brown & Company, April 2009
ISBN: 978-0-316-04340-3
256 pages

ARC Arrival: Millie's Fling

Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell

Publisher: Sourcebooks

I received this ARC from Danielle at Sourcebooks. I have loved her 2 previous books and can't wait to read this one!

About the book: Millie's life is about to turn around. . .

Bestselling romance author Orla Hart decides to make her friend Millie Brady the heroine of her next novel, even though Millie doubts that her boring life will inspire a steamy page-turner. But whatever excitement doesn't happen to Millie naturally, Orla is secretly determined to stir up. . .

While Millie faithfully recounts the hilarious mishaps of her friends and family, Orla schemes to match Millie with the perfect romantic hero to really spice things up. But Orla doesn't know that Millie has deliberately left out the juiciest recent development. . .(from the back cover)

About the author: Jill Mansell lives with her partner and children in Bristol, and writes full time. Actually, that's not true; she watches TV, eats gum drops, admires the rugby players training in the sports field behind her house, and spends hours on the internet marveling at how many other writers have blogs. Only when she's completely run out of ways to procrastinate does she write.

Millie's Fling
Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks, September 2009
ISBN: 9781402218347
512 pages

Operation Kid-to-Kid

Operation Kid-to-Kid Brings Comfort to Kids in Crisis

Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX—What do think about when you read headlines about economic hardships, natural disasters, and politically charged conflict? Circumstances like these set families and entire communities reeling, and few people are affected as profoundly as the children involved. How do the littlest victims cope with the changes and uncertainty around them? And what can the church do to reach out specifically to these little ones?

Group Publishing, the premier publishers of children’s Bible curriculum including Sunday school and VBS, believes that some of the best ministers to children experiencing disaster and hardship are other children. That’s why they have created a program called Operation Kid-to-Kid (OK2K), which partners with nondenominational Christian ministries like International Bible Society and World Vision to provide opportunities for children in North America to share God’s love with other children in difficult or disastrous situations. Since its inception ten years ago, Operation Kid-to-Kid projects have impacted millions of kids all over the world.

“Operation Kid-to-Kid is a great way to teach kids compassion and service,” says Joani Schultz, cofounder of Group and OK2K. “Children learn by doing. It’s one thing to drop a nickel in the offering plate, but when kids make a gift with their own hands, when they can be creative and personal, this leaves a real impression on both the givers and the receivers.”

This year’s OK2K project features two easy to make (no sewing required) Comfort Critters—small plush turtles with a sewn in pocket for exchanging pictures or notes of encouragement and hope. After they make the turtles, each child will keep one and send the other to a child in need. With a cute little turtle as a friendly and safe messenger, children will understand and communicate Christian compassion and the hope of Jesus. . . and they’ll have fun doing it. Group offers many other resources for OK2K initiatives, including an affordable booklet entitled The Survivors: For Kids in Tough Places.

Over the years, OK2K has become one of the largest forces mobilizing children in serving other children around the world through gifts of school supplies, Bibles, hygiene kits, Christmas gifts, Bible coloring books, and socks and shoes. Between recent natural disasters and the global economic crisis, there are more opportunities than ever for children to show the love of Christ to other children—and not just for a VBS event. Operation Kid-to-Kid can mobilize service projects any time of the year.

Group is also starting a new venture between OK2K and Lifetree Adventures, an organization that combines unique vacations with meaningful service projects. This new venture will be the “follow through” option for those who feel called to take the VBS OK2K effort to the next level. For 2009, Operation Kid-to-Kid will sponsor a trip to New Orleans for children’s leaders to deliver the Comfort Critter turtles to Katrina victims.

“There is still much to be done in New Orleans after the nation’s largest natural disaster. You saw the horror of Hurricane Katrina where over 1,500 people died,” says Group VBS Senior Editor Jody Brolsma. “But did you know Christians have led the way, quietly rebuilding and cleaning up after the disaster? Now you can help minister to the children of the 7th Ward, where flooding caused massive destruction. Take your passion for Jesus to kids who have lived through challenging times.”

This trip is open to adult volunteers, but space is very limited. Service activities will include painting, cleanup, and repair of a volunteer center and homes in the 7th Ward and connecting with kids after school.

Plan now to connect with Jody and reach out with love to the kids and families of New Orleans, November 8-13, 2009. Visit www.lifetreeadventures.com or call 1.800.747.2157 to review the itinerary and reserve your trip.

www.ok2k.org

Come back tomorrow for more information on how to get involved in this wonderful program! What a great thing to do with any little ones you are involved with over the summer.

Blog Tour - Beyond the Code of Conduct

Beyond the Code of Conduct by KM Daughters

About the book: FBI Agency brass and Sullivan family connections force Special Agent Bobbie Leighton into an undercover operation with inactive Homicide Detective Joe Sullivan. Posing as a wealthy Texas cattleman and his arm-candy wife the two are assigned to infiltrate Bradley Sterling's black-market operation. Suspected of baby trafficking, Sterling may be connected with Jimmy Sullivan's murder. How do Bobbie and Joe adhere to their professional code of conduct living under the same roof? Can they forget their personal history, ignore their volatile feelings for each other and ensnare their target when they might be next on Sterling's victims list. (from Barnes and Noble)

Read an excerpt of Beyond the Code of Conduct.




Beyond the Code of Conduct
Publisher/Publication Date: The Wild Rose Press, April 2009
ISBN: 9781601545442
180 pages


Check out these other tour stops:

June 1 –Divine Caroline
http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/22311/74833-talking-books-romantic-suspense-authors

June 2 - Blogcritics
http://blogcritics.org/books/article/interview-with-km-daughters-authors-of/

June 3 - First Chapters
http://www.firstchapters.wordpress.com

June 4 – Moonlight, Lace & Mayhem
http://www.moonlightlacemayhem.blogspot.com

June 5 – Beyond the Books

June 8 - Girls with Books
http://www.girlswithbooks.blogspot.com

June 9 – The Writer’s Life
http://www.thewriterslife.blogspot.com

June 10 – The Writer’s Life
http://www.thewriterslife.blogspot.com

Yankee Romance Reviews
http://www.yankeeromancereviews.blogspot.com

June 11 – First Chapters
http://www.firstchapters.wordpress.com

June 12 – The Book Connection
http://www.thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com

June 15 – The Story Behind the Book
http://www.thestorybehindthebook.wordpress.com

June 16 – Café of Dreams
http://www.cafeofdreams.blogspot.com

Chasing Heroes
http://www.chasingheroes.blogspot.com

June 17 – Introducing WRITERS Radio Show with Kim Smith (podcast)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/kims

Caridad Pineiro
http://www.caridad.com/blog

June 18 – Blogger News Net
http://www.bloggernews.net

June 19 – Books and Needlepoint
http://www.booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com

June 22 – Paperback Writer
http://www.rebecca2007.wordpress.com

American Chronicle
http://www.americanchronicle.com

June 23 – The Nearsighted Bookworm
http://www.thenearsightedbookworm.blogspot.com

June 24 – As the Pages Turn
http://www.asthepagesturn.wordpress.com

Lori’s Reading Corner
http://www.lorisreadingcorner.blogspot.com

June 25 – A Book Blogger’s Diary

Lori’s Reading Corner
http://www.lorisreadingcorner.blogspot.com

June 26 – Book Escape
http://www.nbbaker1102.wordpress.com

Beach Trip by Cathy Holton - Blog Tour (Book Review)

Title: Beach Trip
Author: Cathy Holton
Publisher: Ballantine Books

First sentence: Lola was engaged to Briggs Furman, so her roommates were stunned the evening she came home and told them she was in love with a boy named Lonnie.

My thoughts: After almost 25 years, four college friends plan a trip to the beach to try to rekindle their friendships and put the past behind them once and for all.

Lola is the trip planner and it is to her house on Whale Head Island, off the banks of North Carolina, that the four friends are headed. For one week they will get to enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other's company. Lola was always sort of the scatter-brained one in college and generally needed looking after. Captain Mike and April are Lola's hired help and they do a good job of taking care of her - because even after all these years - she still seems to be the fragile one. After college she had married her mother's pick of men - and left the man she loved behind. For the last 20 years he has kept her medicated so she would remain 'happy'. She has successfully raised one son who is soon to be engaged.

Annie was the housekeeper of the bunch. She always appeared to walk the straight and narrow. Her friends refer to her lovingly as being anal-retentive or as having OCD tendencies. She raised two sons who have left the nest and she has been at loose ends.

Sara and Mel had been best friends, as close as sisters - and just as competitive, before college. All this even though they came from vastly different backgrounds. Mel was the only daughter of a self-made millionaire who tried to make up for with money what he lacked in parenting skills. Sara came from what she deemed a normal household - middle-income, hard-working parents. She loved the time she spent at Mel's with their many arguments and the unending wealth. Mel went on to become a novelist after college and has been unlucky in love. Sara went on to become a lawyer and married the love of her life.

What secrets have these four women been keeping from each other since college? How will these secrets be revealed - and will they tear them apart - or make their bonds stronger?

I loved this book. It sort of helped me to evaluate my own life as I just recently went back to my 25 year high school reunion. It is set in the present time, telling the years since they were college seniors up to the beach trip in flashbacks throughout the book. Little by little the women's lives unfold and their secrets are slowly revealed. You are left holding your breath until the very end for confirmation of what the true secrets are and how they have effected each woman over her lifetime - and how it will affect their friendship now.

Beach Trip would be a great beach/vacation read. It is full of heartaches, true loves, loyalty lost and found and the deep bonds of girlfriends!

About the author: Cathy Holton, the author of Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes, was born in Lakeland, Florida, and grew up in college towns in the South and the Midwest. She attended Oklahoma State University and Michigan State University and worked for a number of years in Atlanta before settling in the mountains of Tennessee with her husband and their three children. (from Barnes and Noble website)

Visit Cathy's blog - The Surly Wench or read an excerpt of Beach Trip.

Beach Trip
Publisher/Publication Date: Ballantine Books, May 2009
ISBN: 978-0-345-50599-6
432 pages

Cathy Holton’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, June 2nd: S. Krishna’s Books

Thursday, June 4th: Books & Cooks – Lisa

Tuesday, June 9th: Pop Culture Junkie

Thursday, June 11th: Educating Petunia

Friday, June 12th: Bookworm with a View

Monday, June 15th: Caribousmom

Tuesday, June 16th: Books on the Brain - Summer Reading Series Discussion

Wednesday, June 17th: The Tome Traveller’s Weblog

Thursday, June 18th: Books on the Brain

Monday, June 22nd: Books and Needlepoint

Tuesday, June 23rd: The Book Faery Reviews

Wednesday, June 24th: Thoughts of Joy

Thursday, June 25th: Books and Cooks-Tara

Friday, June 26th: Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, June 29th: It’s All About Books

Tuesday, June 30th: Bermuda Onion

Mailbox Monday 6-22-2009

Mailbox Monday is hosted at The Printed Page or In Your Mailbox at The Story Siren. Please stop by those posts and take a look at what packages everybody else got this week! Don't forget to check out my giveaways!

This week's Mailbox post is going to encompass the last 2 weeks as I was out of town last Monday.

ARC Arrivals

1. Acne for Dummies by Dr. Herbert P. Goodheart - I received this from FSB Associates.
2. This Lovely Life: A Memoir of Premature Motherhood by Vicki Forman - I received this from the author.
3. Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant - I received from Random House via Shelf Awareness.
4. The Adventures of Snip in Oregon by Betty Moir - I received from the author through Bostick Communications.
5. Becky by Lenore Hart - I received from St. Martin's Press Reading Group Gold's Early Access and Sweepstakes program - so I guess this could also be a win.
6. How to Train a Rock by Paul Steven Stone - I received from the author and Bostick Communications.
7. Surviving a House Full of Whispers by Sharon Wallace - I received from the author.

Wonderful Wins

1. Dad, Dog & Fish by Charles F. Emery III - I won at A Bookish Mom.
2. Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow - I won at My Reading Room.
3. Obama's Blackberry by Kasper Hauser - I won at Bella's Novella.
4. The Brass Verdict (audio) by Michael Connelly - I won at J.Kaye's Book Blog.
5. Best Intentions by Emily Listfield - I won at Find Your Next Book Here.

What books came into your house this week?

Scared byTom Davis (Book Review)

Title: Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World
Author: Tom Davis
Publisher: David C. Cook

I read this for the First Wild Card Tour earlier this week. It was one of those books that needed some time to sink in before I felt I could write the review. If you missed the tour, you should go back and read the first chapter.

First sentence: Ten years ago I was a dead man.

My thoughts: This book is truly inspiring and eye-opening. It is a work of fiction based on fact and reads like a true story. I try not to read a lot of info about a book before I start it, so as not to have any preconceived notions - but I was so moved after reading the first chapter I had to go back and find out whether or not it was true!

This book tells the story of two vastly different people. Adanna, a young girl living in Swaziland, and Stuart, a photographer for the New York Times.

Adanna's life has been anything but easy. Her father left 4 years before her story starts. People in her village are dying of AIDS. Her mother soon becomes ill and dies and she is left to tray and care for her younger brother and sister. In a land where there is no food, no clean water, and no protection, Adanna still manages to look out for her siblings as well as other orphans in the area. Despite all the troubles that avail her, she has a good heart.

Stuart has taken pictures of some of the most devastating acts you can imagine. One of which won him a prestigious award. He still feels regret that all he could to was stand by and take pictures. He has been sent to Swaziland to find a picture to try to revive his career. He finds much more than that.

I love the way this book is written in alternating chapters - first Adanna, then Stuart, then Adanna - until their two stories and lives slowly merge.

If you do not want to have your eyes opened to what is happening in other parts of the world - If you do not want to feel the heartache - then I recommend that you do not read this book. If you are ready to see what is really going on and try to find out how you can help - read Scared and visit Children's Hope Chest. Let's start changing the world one person at a time.

About the author: Tom Davis is the accomplished author of Red Letters and Fields of the Fatherless. He holds a business and pastoral ministry degree from Dallas Baptist University and a master's degree in theology from The Criswell College. He is the president and CEO of Children's HopeChest, a Christian-based child-advocacy organization helping orphans in Eastern Europe and Africa. Tom and his wife, Emily, have seven children, including two adopted from Russian.

Scared
Publisher/Publication Date
ISBN: 978-1-5891-9102-0
283 pages

Beach Trip Blog Tour w/ Cathy Holton

Cathy is touring the month of June with her May release - Beach Trip.

About the book: A reunion between four friends becomes a cathartic journey into the past in Cathy Holton’s luminous new novel. Mel, Sara, Annie, and Lola have traveled distinct and diverse paths since the early 1980s and their years together at a small Southern liberal arts college. Mel, a mystery writer living in New York, contends with the aftermath of two failed marriages and a stalled writing career. Sara, an Atlanta attorney, struggles with guilt over her son’s illness and her own slowly unraveling marriage. Annie, a successful Nashville businesswoman married to her childhood sweetheart, can’t seem to leave the regrets of her youth behind her. And Lola, sweet-tempered and absent-minded, whiles away her hours and her husband’s money, on little pills that keep her happy.

Now the friends, all in their forties, converge on Lola’s idyllic North Carolina beach house in an attempt to relive the carefree days of their college years. But as the week wears on, and each woman’s hidden story is gradually revealed, they find they must inevitably confront their shared past; a failed love affair, a discarded suitor, a betrayal, and a secret that threatens to change their bond, and their lives, forever. (info from Cathy's website)

Be sure to stop back on Monday to see my review!

Cathy Holton’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, June 2nd: S. Krishna’s Books

Thursday, June 4th: Books & Cooks – Lisa

Tuesday, June 9th: Pop Culture Junkie

Thursday, June 11th: Educating Petunia

Friday, June 12th: Bookworm with a View

Monday, June 15th: Caribousmom

Tuesday, June 16th: Books on the Brain - Summer Reading Series Discussion

Wednesday, June 17th: The Tome Traveller’s Weblog

Thursday, June 18th: Books on the Brain

Monday, June 22nd: Books and Needlepoint

Tuesday, June 23rd: The Book Faery Reviews

Wednesday, June 24th: Thoughts of Joy

Thursday, June 25th: Books and Cooks-Tara

Friday, June 26th: Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, June 29th: It’s All About Books

Tuesday, June 30th: Bermuda Onion

The Friday 56 6-19-2009

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.




If they find out who you are, they could take you hostage, too. I don't think terrorists respect neutral countries any more than they do anyone else. (from H.R.H. by Danielle Steel, p56)









H.R.H.
Publisher/Publication Date: Dell, October 2006
ISBN: 978-0-440-24204-8
383 pages

Friday Finds: 6-19-2009

Here are my finds this week!

Roadside Crosses by Jeffrey Deaver

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

About the book: On the heels of Jeffery Deaver's bestseller, The Sleeping Doll, comes a twisted new case for body language expert Kathryn Dance. Someone is leaving roadside crosses beside Monterey highways. . .not as memorials, but as announcements of intent to kill.

Aided by Deputy Michael O'Neil, Kathryn follows leads to Travis Brigham, a troubled teen who has been attacked in a popular blog for his part in a car accident that killed two high school girls. Is Travis bent on revenge against the cyberbullies and the blogger whom he believes has destroyed his life? Kathryn isn't convinced. . .a doubt that will put her career on the line as she goes up against politicians, paranoid parents and an Internet culture as insidious and vicious as the killer himself. (from Bookspan/BOMC newsletter)

About the author: Wisely taking the advice given to him by legendary mystery writer Mickey Spillane -- "People don't read books to get to the middle. They read to get to the end" -- Jeffery Deaver has earned a reputation for prodigious pacing and slick suspense with his string of bestselling Lincoln Rhyme thrillers.

Abandon by Blake Crouch

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

About the book: December 28, 1893: a mule skinner resides into the mining town of Abandon, Colorado. Instead of the usual hustle and bustle, he finds the place deserted - with meals left to freeze and belongings forsaken. No trace of foul play . . . or of the gold from the mine. Now, 116 years later, journalist Abigail Foster joins her estranged father, Laurence, a renowned history professor, on a trek to the mysterious ghost town. With them are two backcountry guides, a psychic and a paranormal photographer.
They're not the first to undertake this journey. Years back, another group set out to investigate Abandon - but they haven't been seen since. Will Abigail and her father fall prey to the same fate? (from BOMC newsletter/Bookspan)

About the author: Blake Crouch attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated with degrees in English and Creative Writing. 2004 and 2005 saw the publications of his first two novels, DESERT PLACES and LOCKED DOORS. Blake lives with his family in southwest Colorado, where he is at work on a new book. (from Barnes and Noble website)

What great books did you find this week?? Stop over at Should Be Reading and share yours!

Roadside Crosses
Publisher/Publication Date: Simon & Schuster, June 2009
ISBN: 9781416549994
416 pages

Abandon
Publisher/Publication Date: St. Martin's Press, July 2009
ISBN: 9780312537401
416 pages