Finding Christmas, book #45

Don't have much time to elaborate, but this was an unusual one.  I loved the deep, detailed, descriptive writing, but the stories themselves were rather sad and depressing for what I would imagine in a Christmas book.  Now, I know there are all kinds of sad around Christmastime, but I just wasn't in the mood to read all that sadness, even if they did find joy in the end.

Christmas is everywhere . . . even where you least expect it.

Join award-winning author and storyteller James Calvin Schaap as he uncovers the grace, joy, and love of the season through seven heartwarming tales of miracle moments in a messy world. This beautiful and inspiring collection of contemporary Christmas stories will remind you what grace looks like--and where to find it.  (picture and description at amazon)

Working on a lovely book now, can't wait to get back to it!!

O:)
Melissa

Silent Night, Holy Night, books 43-44

This was a sweet little breath of fresh air for Christmas stories.  I really enjoy reading Colleen Coble and this did not disappoint.  

She is mainly a series writer and while I have read one of them (Hope Beach Series) I have many more on my Paperwhite just waiting their turn.  

This book is actually two Christmas novellas Colleen wrote previously combined into one book.  One story, Silent Night, is from her Rock Harbor series and the other, Holy Night, is from her Aloha Reef series.  

I would have to say Silent Night was my favorite.  It combined a little mystery that is not typical in Christmas books I've read.  And the snowy environment in Michigan really made me miss some serious snow.  

Holy Night, on the other hand, takes place in Hawaii, and while the story itself was good, it is just still hard for me to imagine Christmas with hot weather.  (Of course if my plan of retiring to a condo at the beach actually happens I guess I'll have to get used to it! :) )

Silent Night
As Christmas day nears, Bree Matthews and her faithful search-and-rescue dog Samson follow the trail of a troubling mystery into the snowy forests of Rock Harbor.  Newlywed Bree Matthews and her husband Kade are preparing for Christmas guests when word arrives that a parachuter has disappeared in the North Woods, along Lake Superior's icy shore. Bree and Samson plunge into the search.  Will this snowy, silent night search lead Bree and Samson to the missing girl?

Holy Night
One sinister phone call has derailed their Christmas wedding. Will it keep them apart forever?  Leia and Bane are looking forward to their long-awaited Christmas wedding on the beach. Everything is going as planned—until Leia's phone rings and her world skids out of control. A muffled voice informs Leia that her sister has been kidnapped and will be killed unless Leia calls off the wedding without explanation—and no police. If she disobeys instructions and tells Bane, she'll risk her beloved sister's life. But can she handle this trauma without his help? And will he ever trust her again if she lies to him now?  Irresistible romance meets thrilling suspense in this holiday update to USA Today best-selling author Colleen Coble's Aloha Reef series.  (picture and descriptions at amazon)

Of course, do you know what just happened?  I just added about 10 books from her to my must read list!!!  

Keep reading!

O:)
Melissa

An Amish Second Christmas, books 39-42

Ok, this may be cheating to count one book as 4, but there were 4 short stories in it so I'm going for it.  

Ahhh, Christmas, Amish, .... does it get any better? After the last few books that I have not enjoyed, this was a breath of fresh air.  I thoroughly enjoyed each and every story, and in this busy season it made me long for this simple lifestyle!

“When Christmas Comes Again” by Beth Wiseman
Katherine knows the first Christmas without Elias will be hard for her and the children. But when a mysterious Englischer appears with photographs of her late husband, Katherine  begins to wonder what other blessings Christmas could have in store. 

“Her Christmas Pen Pal” by Ruth Reid
Joy was expecting a wedding proposal from Henry; what she got instead was news of another woman. But when her heartfelt letter to a cousin ends up in the hands of a young cabinetmaker, an unexpected correspondence between two strangers gets interesting fast. Totally my favorite!!!

“A Gift for Anne Marie” by Kathleen Fuller
Anne Marie and Nathaniel have been best friends since they were kids. Now things are evolving . . . in ways everyone else predicted long ago. But when her mother suddenly decides to remarry in another state, Anne Marie’s new chapter with Nathaniel looks doomed to end before it begins. 

“The Christmas Aprons” by Tricia Goyer
Vanilla crumb pie has been Esther’s mem’s calling card for decades. But when Esther finally gets her hands on the secret recipe, she discovers that vanilla crumb pie is more than just dessert . . . it’s bachelor bait.

(picture and description at amazon)

Happy Reading!!
O:)
Melissa

The Christmas Sisters, book #38

Ahh, sigh.  Started reading Christmas books and decided to knock this one off my Paperwhite list.  I was hoping it was going to be better than the last book --- and indeed it was --- but there were still lots of problems with it.  (I guess I'm just still reveling in my last good book and nothing is coming up to par.)  It was billed to be an eccentric compliation of a crazy funny family and their adventures, and I suppose it was to an extent.  It just seemed to me that the author was trying too hard.  Some parts of the book they were crazy family, some parts they were just normal, and you just never know which way it was going to go.  I will say, though, that Aunt Bert, was consistently my favorite!

I will confess, though, that this is the first in a series and it may be that even though I did not care for the book I may find myself reading the others simply to see what happens to these folks.  Ready to move on ...

Three sisters who only come home for Christmas have always been the talk of their small southern town but this Christmas they are going to start talking back and what they have to say may just change lives, especially their own.
It's beginning to look at lot like Romance in this charming story of an unlikely minister, the woman he loved but left behind, a special child and a town that might finally bring them all home.  (picture and description from amazon)

Happy Reading!

O:)
Melissa

A broken kind of beautiful, book #37

I shall wait until I confer with my Book Club cohorts before I share my opinion.  I may have missed something altogether here.  It sounded good, but ......




Sometimes everything you ever learned about yourself is wrong
 
Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four year old model Ivy Clark. Ten years in and she’s learned a sacred truth—appearance is everything. Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows—so when it starts to unravel, she’ll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother’s bridal wear line—an irony too rich for words, since Ivy is far from the pure bride in white.

If only her tenuous future didn’t rest in the hands of Davis Knight, her mysterious new photographer. Not only did he walk away from the kind of success Ivy longs for to work maintenance at a local church, he treats her differently than any man ever has. Somehow, Davis sees through the façade she works so hard to maintain. He, along with a cast of other characters, challenges everything Ivy has come to believe about beauty and worth. Is it possible that God sees her—a woman stained and broken by the world—yet wants her still? (picture and description at amazon)

Ready to move on to Christmas books!
Happy Reading!

O:)
Melissa

From this day forward, book #36

Finally, my friends, a book I can really sink my teeth into!!  I mean, any book that starts out like, "March 1816 'We are going to die!' Rachel Gordon's young maid cried out."

Rachel and her maid, Maddy, are headed towards their new home in South Carolina.  Rachel, now estranged from her family in England over her marriage to Tom, who was actually a really bad guy but she didn't know it when she married him, but Tom actually fell overboard the ship on the way over (in a drunken stupor) so now Rachel is alone, and did I mention 8 months pregnant?  Rachel and Maddy are headed toward their glorious new plantation in the middle of this thunderstorm.  All they have to do is make it to the house and it will be warm and cozy, with their servants waiting to attend to their every need.  NOT!!!  

But on the way the horses end up freaking out in the storm, breaking free of the wagon and sending Rachel and Maddy flying while the wagon goes tumbling.  Luckily (as can only happen these books I read!) who should come by but a doctor (Nathan) -- a single man resolved to live the single hermit life because of his trauma and terrors in his earlier life -- and luckily he lives close to get the girls, take them to his cabin, and deliver the baby.  

And that is just part of Chapter One!!  I mean, who does not get fired up about a book like that?!?  Throw in Nathan's grandfather, who practically raised him, who vehemently hates the English for killing his one and only son (Remember the Revolutionary War?) and kicks Nathan and Rachel off his land; George Butler the neighbor who nearly scared the beegeebees out of Rachel but ends up falling in love with Maddy; and, oh yeah, that grand mansion Rachel was going to?  Just a run down farm with most of its land swampy bog ... and comes with a dead body for free!!  

Needless to say, I highly recommend this!!

Penniless, pregnant, and newly widowed immigrant Rachel Gordon doesn’t believe her situation could get any worse… until she meets her new neighbors. Shortly after the War of 1812, Rachel and her husband set out from England for a plantation in South Carolina, which he had purchased sight unseen. However, while en route, Tom Gordon fell overboard and drowned, leaving Rachel, frightened and alone, to make a home for her and her newborn. Can a battle-scarred American physician who comes to her rescue also heal her wounded heart?  (picture and description from amazon)

Happy Reading!!

O:)
Melissa 

Bright New Murder, book #35

Another book, another boring escapade.  Ho hum.  This is what I have learned is classified as Chick Lit, where it is written in first person from a young 20-something girl with typical adventures of that age.  

In this one I had serious trouble trying to figure it out.  There is Jake, who at first I thought lived with Jane (main character) and Gemma (roommate who I thought was Jane's sister but really she is her cousin).  But alas Jake does not, there is a love triangle, a murder she is trying to solve after taking one criminal detective class, and she has a cleaning service on the side? and God is just thrown in there as an afterthought.  Yeah, see how I got lost.  Although I did just realize that this is book #3 in the Plain Jane series, so perhaps if I had read the other ones before it this one might make more sense.
Whatever.  I'm moving on....

Homeless preschoolers, angry protesters, frozen yogurt, and murder. Jane Adler is keen to try on her detective hat, and the dead lady at the Christmas fundraiser is her perfect shot.Timing is everything and this murder was timed perfectly to destroy her best friend Jake's growing Fro-Yo business. He's a great friend--just a friend, honest-- and she owes him a favor or two.But discovering who would want to kill the town’s favorite preschool teacher is messy business, and Jane doesn't have a moment to waste! (picture and description from amazon)

I'm ready to keep reading to find something good again!

O:)
Melissa

Carson Newman, how I love thee, Alma Mater hail...

Hello, my name is Melissa and I am a Carson Newman history freak.  Let's just be honest and call it what it is.  But can you blame me?  My family has a VERY long attachment there, with graduates spanning the decades from the 1950s to the 2000s.  I tried to make a list in my head of every one of my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.... but I am sure I missed a few.  The most notable and influential ones being, of course, my mommy and daddy!  

They graduated in 1964, and when I started in 1985 the college was still very similar in many ways to how it was then.  I mean, since that time, the gym was new, Stokely was new, Henderson was on its 3rd round, and Swann had another renovation.  And I'm sure there were other changes also, but they were all physical changes. Many of the professors who were there during the 1960s were still teaching and I loved having that bond with them, like Dr. Turner, Dr. Burts, Dr. Vanaman and others. I was just so excited to be a part of CN history and carry on that tradition.  

One memory I will remember to this day is during freshman orientation.  We were all gathered in Gentry hearing welcoming speeches, etc from the president and others, when dear old Dr. Harley Fite hobbled up the podium.  Now, for those of you who don't know, Dr. Fite was the president while my parents were there and was such an amazing man they named the admin building after him.  Anyhow, I don't remember too much of what he said, but I do remember this.  He was talking about how he claimed as his children the students he had during his tenure as president and how several of us in the audience were the children of those students, thus making us his CN grandchildren.  Me! A CN grandchild of Dr. Harley Fite!! Well, that right there just put me over the edge!!  

Last weekend was my 25th reunion.  I still can't believe it has been 25 years!!  I had the amazing opportunity to bring my children and, bless their hearts, they put up with me and all my stories.  (No eyeballs were permanently damaged, I'm happy to report!) We arrived Friday afternoon in time for a college visit for Rebecca, who could care less about going to CN (breaks my momma heart, but Leah and Katie want to go so there is hope!!) but it was really great to have a guide walk us through campus to see all the changes, all the new stuff and a glimpse of the old.  (And it was good for Rebecca, so we at least have a base to compare other colleges to!)  

Friday night we went to the show, Children of Eden, which was just so amazingly awesome I don't even have words for it. 

Saturday when we got to campus I had all three girls and we walked our little legs off!!  (It really is amazing that despite how "small" CN is, the fact that it is somewhat hilly and the fact that I am now 47 years old, well, let's just say I was pooped!!)  But we took Katie around to the places we went before and went in several buildings and up and down stairs and had a fabulous day! While it was a little bit sad to see all the changes made, making it not as much what it was when I was there, or when my parents were there, it was exciting to see how they blend the old with the new.  While we were there we saw tons of things that were new, but then we would go in a building that had been around, and some things still looked the same.  

So the good news is, despite the fact that it is now a "high and mighty university" it still has the feel of the college I went to.  

OLD: This sign is still in the Baker Building.  It took some hunting but I found it!  When my parents went there, the cafeteria was in this building and as the story goes, the line for food would go down the stairs by this plaque.  (I believe it is downstairs on the North West side)  So, while they were waiting, everyone would rub on the 1 of the 13 in the date, thus wearing out just that letter.  I made my girls do it too!!

 

NEW:  This right here, my friends, is where the massive card catalog used to be.  As you can see, it has been entirely replaced by computers.  Interesting note: students these days have free printing at the library, 1500 pages a year (or semester, I can't remember!)

OLD: Sweet Sarah Swann is still there, many many many years later.  Interesting and sad note: No one is allowed to go out on the balcony anymore.  I thought someone got in trouble, but apparently the structure and foundation is just too old to support all the craziness that might or might not have happened there.

NEW: Alas, sweet Swann sisters, remember those awesome big rooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors by the top of the stairs?  In the latest renovation, they reconfigured and instead made these huge study areas that stretch across the whole area.  (See how hard those two girls are studying?)  Snazzy leather and soft sofas, table around to study around or write papers, gas fireplaces, aahhh.... Interesting note: I did not find the old typewriter room!  

OLD: Girls still love to have their pictures made in the window on the landing and on the stairs!!

NEW:  See this cool chick in this cool place?  She is hanging out in the new Maples Cafe.  Think Panera and Starbucks combined in the perfect library setting!!  Interesting note:  While the cafeteria is still the popular choice for students to eat, since it is all you can eat with your ID card; your card also entitles you to $100 Eagle Bucks to spend here and at the NEW CHICKFILA on campus!!

OLD and NEW: Carson Newman will ALWAYS have a near and dear place in my heart!!!

 

Reservations for Two, book #34

Ho hum ... read this one because it was another short one and trying to mark short ones off my list.  I guess it was a pretty good book, but honestly I have never read any books about older people falling in love so it was a bit of a stretch.  And the fact that the lady was very active so it was hard to imagine her being a grandma.  

Oh well, another one down.

Widowers' Maggie O’Brien and Carson Jennings are both on a journey to rediscover who they are. Maggie, an adventurous former pastor’s wife of thirty-nine years, hopes to find closure in the place she and her husband spent their honeymoon. Carson, a retired judge, is living his lifelong dream of traveling across the U.S. in his RV. When their paths cross in the tranquil setting of Mason Springs, New Mexico, love is the last thing that either of them expects to find.
When this mismatched pair comes together they find themselves in some hilarious and even precarious situations. As the romance begins to blossom they face many obstacles that threaten to tear them apart, and what Maggie discovers about herself in New Mexico will redefine her future and alienate one of her children.
Will Carson and Maggie’s love for one another be strong enough to weather the storms or will their love for their children keep them apart?  (picture and description from amazon.)

Keep reading!!

O:)
Melissa

Bittersweet Bride, book #33

Again, no judging about the cover.  I'm still in a pioneer mood!!!  This was another quick read with less than 200 pages.  I wasn't really sure at first if I was going to like it, but all in all it ended up great!!  Sometimes I got a little confused the way the author was going, or like she missed a chunk of time, or like there wasn't enough emotion in it, but I would still recommend it to those of you who like this setting.

The one suitor Mara Lawton cannot add to her collection is the one she wants most--Clay Stedman. Clay has just arrived in Cedar Springs to work the Stedman ranch. His widowed aunt is leaving to visit family back East, and Clay must find someone to care for his little sister and perform the household chores--like cooking for fourteen cowboys, doing the laundry, and feeding the hogs. Mara offers Clay her services, despite having never cooked a meal, washed a garment, or gone near a hog in her life. Clay is taken with Mara's looks, but a recent heartbreak makes him wary--that and the fact she doesn't share his faith in God. For Mara, whose self-worth is based on her family's wealth and royal lineage, obstacles and reverses create a terrible inner turmoil. Will she cling to her own ways or allow God to move in her life?(picture and descriptions from amazon.)

Happy Reading!

O:)
Melissa

The Bounty Hunter and the Bride, book #32

I am a sucker for judging a book by its cover but for some reason I don't even recall ever seeing this cover.  Not that it would have necessarily dissuaded me, but it  might have.  This was a cheap-y thanks to Amazon (.99) and I feel certain I got my money's worth out of it.  

I decided with all the adventure I had been on lately in my books it was time to go back to my pioneer loves and decided to read this one.  It felt good to be back!  And it was a quick read, with less than 200 pages.  Yes, it was predictable, but I always love the story!!

Katie Hoffman lost her husband after only four months of marriage. Pregnant and close to losing the farm, she advertises to sell it. When a handsome buyer offers to marry her and let her keep the farm, she hastily agrees, wanting to give her child a father. But rushing into another marriage proves to be a mistake when a rugged bounty hunter crashes the wedding to capture the groom. Will Katie slow down enough to hear God's voice? Dusty McIntyre lost his wife to a heinous outlaw. After tracking the criminal for over a year, catching him doesn't bring Dusty the satisfaction that he'd hoped for. Dusty feels compelled to help Katie. Will he stay and find the peace and love he is looking for?  (picture and description from amazon)

Book Club is this week so it will be interesting to see what we choose!
Keep reading!
O:)
Melissa

Something that lasts, book #31

Ok, let me just start out by saying, "WHAT ON EARTH WAS THIS BOOK DOING AT GOODWILL FOR $1.99?!?!?"  This was some good, heavy, deep stuff that does not belong at Goodwill for $1.99.  Had I known it was going to be this good I would have grabbed the whole tableful of books!

I mean, let's read the back cover...

When Ted Balik rises from the pew to speak, no one in the crowded sanctuary of the O'Fallon Bible Church can imagine that within minutes, their lives will be shattered and their community scandalized.  Sitting behind the altar, the Reverend David Parst goes pale and glances toward Balik's wife, Erica.  Near the front of the church, the pastor's 12-year-old son turn to his mother, who is rocking gently in a self-comforting hug, as if she senses that what Balik is about to say will tear her family apart.  

What happens in this one moment will plunge them all into a struggle with God and each other that will span three generations -- a struggle to find something that lasts beyond life's disappointment, anger and fear.

You can probably imagine what happened from there and I figured it was going to be a classic, hubs gets caught, wife leaves with kid, time goes by, they get back together...but nope, not this one.  It takes on a ride that follows David, Sarah (the wife) and Jack (the son) through many trials and tribulations, some in ways I never saw coming.  

It is divided into three parts, the first one around the 60s, then into the early 80s, then probably early 2000s or modern day.  Although no specific dates are mentioned, I love how he ties in details of the surroundings and conversations to give you an idea of what decade the current part is in.

Yep, it comes highly recommended!  It looks like since apparently Goodwill in Franklin had all the paper copies it is now only available on Kindle for $8.99 on Amazon.  (I didn't check other places)  Or you can come by our church library and check it out for free!

(picture from amazon)


Keep reading!

O:)
Melissa

A side of faith, book #30

Wowzers but Krista Phillips did it again!  We read the first book she wrote last year and now she has written a new one, a novella this time that was a fun and quick read! 

When I first started I thought it was going to be like a Hallmark movie--you know how it ends, but want to see how they get there--and I was pretty certain I was right on track, until about the last 25 pages.  The funny thing is, I started reading this on our trip to the beach, thinking if I stuck with it I could actually finish in on the way down.  But other things distracted me and when we arrived I had about 30 minutes of it left to read.  (I was reading on my Paperwhite and sometimes its easier to measure it that way!) Now, in the mean time I started another book -- a paperback for the actual beach -- so I didn't pick this one back up that much, only at night when I was falling into bed SOOOO TIRED!!  I would read about a page or two, then zonk!  I was out.  It was really frustrating, but I just could not stay awake!  I finally finished it the day we left, while everyone else was working on getting the car packed .... (Don't judge, it was a crazy place we stayed and not as simple as it sounds to load the car!)  

We are reading this for book club next week and the best treat is that the author will be there!!  She lives here in Spring Hill and is coming to hang out with us!

Rachel Carter is on top of the world. A new job in a new town, friends, and a house to call her own. Men? Eh, someday. And when the time comes, she’ll go for a nice safe geek or something. She will NOT be repeating the mistakes of her youth. But then Cameron Foster comes knocking on her door, reminding her of the man she vows never to think of again.  God wouldn’t send her a man who reminds her of everything she is trying to put behind her...would He?  (book and description at amazon) 

Keep reading!!
O:)
Melissa

The confession, book #29

Oh, Robert Whitlow, you slay me.  Every time I read you, you  slay me.  And I love it.  Every. Time.  Remember this? And this? And then there were all the other ones I didn't blog about. 

I found this book at LifeWay a while ago and couldn't wait to start it.  I didn't have to read the back, because I knew it would not matter.  He will never disappoint!  

This book finds us in Paxton, GA with Holt Douglas as assistant DA.  He likes his job, even though he knows he could be making more money in private practice.  When a cold case file accidentally shows up on this desk, his life will never be the same.  Even though he was warned repeatedly not to reopen it, there were too many unanswered questions he could not professionally let go.  But sometimes what seems like the obvious truth is not even remotely close to the real truth.  And while some things are truly better left in the past, some things that have been buried deep need to come out so you can clear your conscience once and for all.  Theme?  Confession and forgiveness is the only way you can truly be free!!  

There were so many things I loved about this book, but the LORD also used it to speak to me in a way I was not expecting.  There is a particular young man I am praying for to open his heart to Jesus, and so far as I can tell this young man is not open to that at this time.  But I keep praying, even with the disappointment I faced this week in regards to that, because you just never know what is really going on behind the scenes.  Any prayers you want to offer for him would be greatly appreciated!!


Confession is good for the soul, but it could mean death to an ambitious young lawyer.  Assistant DA Holt Douglas has made a career of getting confessions from criminals. With a confession in hand, he knows a guilty plea is soon to follow.  In the midst of professional success, Holt is haunted by asecret—a lie he buried in the grave of his best friend. Holt’s crime is hidden from all eyes — family, friends, police, and his soon-to-be fiancé.  But the truth has a way of coming back to life.  With obsessive prosecutorial zeal, Holt reopens a cold case involving the death of the town’s wealthiest citizen. The man’s death was ruled a suicide, but Holt suspects murder. Facing fierce opposition, he is determined to expose the killer. Holt slowly begins to unravel the facts.  And comes face-to-face with his own guilty conscience. With his job, his relationship with the woman he loves, and his future at risk, Holt skirts the boundary between truth and lies, confession and hypocrisy, redemption and ruin. Can he survive long enough to finally make the right choice?  (description and picture from amazon)

Keep Reading!!
O:)
Melissa

The healing quilt, book #28

Ahh, it's not often you think of Amish and the beach, but this one does a nice mix of both.  This is the third in a series that follows Lamar and Emma Yoder to Florida for the winter.  While there, Emma begins to miss her family and friends and decides to get brave enough to start a Quilting Class, never sure of who the Lord is going to pull together for them. 

This class has Kim, a somewhat klutz, who moves from NC to FL by following a boyfriend.  However the boyfriend dumps her and she is stranded in FL with no friends.  She sees this as a chance to make new friends, never knowing a love interest was in the bargain also. There is also Jennifer, a very pregnant and struggling financially young lady whose husband has lost his job; Erika, a teen in a wheelchair paralyzed from a diving accident; Noreen, a widow looking for something to do; Phyllis/Mike who see what needs to be done to repair their marriage, and BJ, an older gentleman dying of cancer has not told anyone, wanting to live out the best he can with whatever time is left.

As always there are twists and turns, relationships made, connections they never would have guessed, and everything happens quickly in the last meeting.

The second book in the series is here and I know I read the first one but I can't find it back through my lists.  These books are good if you like lighter fare, a fair amount of detail, following relationships, and seeing how God can use everyday situations in ways you may never think!

Retired Amish newlyweds Emma and Lamar Miller have decided to buy a winter place in Sarasota, Florida. But it wouldn’t feel like home if Emma didn’t take her quilting materials and offer classes. Wounded and hurting people have a knack for finding their way to her classes for some quilting therapy: Jennifer, a pregnant new mom; Mike, a charter boat owner; Erika, a wheelchair-bound teen; Kim, a waitress; Noreen, a newly-retired widow; and BJ, an artist facing illness. And when Jan, visits from Indiana, romance is also added to the class discussions.  (picture and description from amazon.)


Now I think after several romantic/family books it's time for some lawyer/police/crime/murder/missing persons stuff!!  Bring on the new Robert Whitlow!!

Happy Reading!!

O:)
Melissa

Moms night out, book #27

 I saw the movie version two times in the theatre.  I laughed my head off both times.  I did a prebuy at LifeWay (you know, for the library...) and was holding my breath till it came out.  When it finally came out and I brought it home, I watched it with my kids.  They did not find in nearly as funny.  I still laughed hysterically.  

When I was able to download the book on my Paperwhite for next to nothing, I  couldn't wait to read it.  In most novelizations the author will add back stories and more life to make it more like a book.  I love Tricia Goyer.  It seemed like a match made in heaven.  

But alas ..... sigh.  Reading this book was just like watching the movie.  What little details "behind the story" she did add was so...so...so... pithy.  Like I'm sure my 13 year old could have written this and it would have been just as good.  Highly disappointed.  I know Tricia can write well, I have read some awesome books by her.  This was just not one of her better works.  Perhaps she should stick to made up fiction and not novelizations.  

An endearing true-to-life family comedy that celebrates beautiful parenting, Goyer's Mom's Night Out is a novelization of the film that portrays three harried moms, their husbands, a sister-in-law with a misplaced parlor owner, a motorcycle gang, and a bewildered cabbie whose lives intertwine after one momentous moms' night out. (picture and description at christianbook)

O:)
Melissa

Seagrass Pier, book #26

Yes, I did in fact read this book in three days.  Yes, it is 336 pages.  Yes, my husband and kids felt a little ignored.  Yes, I was up until midnight finishing it.  But sometimes an amazing book comes along and you just can't help it.  (Think Redeeming Love!)  Now, not that I would put this one up with Redeeming Love, but I guess I was just seriously in the mood for some mystery, police, love, throw in a cute kid kind of book.  

This is the third in a series Colleen Coble has written about Hope Beach, which is somewhere near Virginia Beach.  It is a quaint little community that sounds like Seaside, FL, but trouble still abounds.  I mean, why else would she write books about it?!?!?  This is one a little similar to another book I read about cell memory, where Elin had a heart transplant and the memories of the person whose heart she received keep coming back.  Like, who killed the person in question that allowed Elin to have her heart. Completely intriguing.  But the end, well, you just have to read it for yourself!!

In a secluded corner of Hope Beach, one woman must decipher a stranger’s memories . . . before they cost her everything.
Elin Summerall was one of the lucky ones. Not only did she get a heart transplant, but the donor was a perfect fit. A miraculously perfect fit.
But when Elin begins having violent flashbacks—and vivid dreams of being strangled—she realizes that she has been the recipient of more than just a new heart . . . Elin is remembering her donor’s murder.
Her strange affliction has attracted some unwanted attention: from the press, from the authorities . . . and from the killer himself. Now, living alone with her young daughter and aging mother, Elin is being stalked—by a man she’s only met in her nightmares.
The police are dubious of her story, but one off-duty FBI agent agrees to help her: Agent Marc Everton.
Now, in a remote cottage on Hope Island, Elin and Marc must probe the secrets buried in her borrowed heart. And there’s no time to waste. One man is desperate to silence her—before she remembers too much. (picture and description at amazon)

O:)
Melissa

Hurricane Allie, book #25

Well, I got my little first world problem figured out on my Paperwhite (PW), but it involved a little work on my end.  See, when you download all these great, inexpensive books on your PW and then you finish a book and want to see what you want to read next, you go to your home page to decide.  Only what happens is there are only two views for you to choose from: book cover or book title list.  So guess what?  Are you with me? 

YOU CAN'T TURN IT OVER TO SEE WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT!!!!!

So, I then spent a good amount of time on Amazon looking up each book I had downloaded and did a little copy and paste of the title, author, # of pages, and a summary on a document.  And how long is that little document? Oh, approximately 14 pages and counting.  Because I have now bought more books since this weekend.  But it is printed in small font.  Whatever.  

So, I haven't been able to read much lately with all of life craziness as it is, and while I did finish the last book rather quickly, I was debating if I had time to read another one before I needed to start reading the one for book club.  Since my new document has pages numbers on it, I found this little novella with only 97 pages and knew I could blow through it pretty quickly.  Ha ha ... get it, blow through it ... a book about a hurricane ... Yeah, that's where I am these days.

Anyhow, I highly recommend this little gem for a quick read.  It is by one of favorite authors who writes a lot about weddings, and if it got a little cheesy at times, and you knew exactly how it was going to turn out, I still didn't mind adding it to my list.  

Even natural disasters can't stop love!
Wedding bells are chiming for Allie Stetson and Kyle Landon. As Allie rushes through wedding preparations days before her wedding, Kyle makes a last minute trip to New York to secure a new client.
Meanwhile, a hurricane bears down on the coast days before their wedding. Is it a bad sign the storm is named Allie?
Stuck in New York, Kyle struggles to find a way home. Meanwhile, Allie scrambles to find Plan B. Her perfect wedding is ruined but not even the forces of nature can stop a wedding that was meant to be. (picture and description at amazon)

O:)
Melissa

The will of wisteria, book #24

Since I was having some first world problems with my Paperwhite, I decided to read this one from my dear friend Denise Hildreth-Jones.  We had a copy in our church library, but somehow we lost it so I finally ordered another one.  I started it just a few days ago and spent the first 1/3 of the book deciding if I had read it after all some other time.  I was starting to get grumpy about it, but about 1/2 way through I did indeed realize I had not.  What a relief!  There are too many books in this world I want to read that I don't want to waste my time reading one I have already read!!  I mean, hey ....

Alas, I digress.  Ok, about the book.  Ahhh... it is set in Charleston, SC which I have visited once in person and several times in books.  Reading this brought back to mind all those hot muggy days we were there, but also I could exactly picture where the characters were.  It is different than her other books, but now after having read all of them, I see what a diverse fiction writer she is.  The first ones I read were the Savannah series, which had me rolling in laughter the entire time.  The First Gardener had me tears the whole time.  Hurricanes in Paradise had me set right in my dream place in the Bahamas.  This one, however, took me a little time to get into.  I mean, yeah, getting kidnapped in the middle of the night and ending up in a dark room with your estranged siblings, it does "grab" you, but I just kept trying to decide if any of them really understood what was at stake.  Once the book got rolling, though, I'm pretty sure I read it in about 4 days because there was never a place to stop and leave these folks ... I HAD to see what was going to happen next!!!  

Thumbs up for this one, and actually anything my by good buddy!!

Four headstrong siblings must satisfy their father's dying demands--or risk losing his fortune. Let the clash of wills begin.

Charleston blue blood Clayton Wilcott "got religion" late in life; so late, it turns out his kids never took to it. So he's left a provisional will delivered in a highly unorthodox way.
Now they're going to have to honor Daddy's commandments from beyond the grave--for a full year--or be cut off from their substantial inheritances.The scent of wisteria lingers in the air as the four spoiled Wilcotts battle for their birthright. Told in Denise Hildreth's trademark blend of humor and heart, this Southern tale is about learning to love, learning to live, and learning to bend.

---

(picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Under the sheets, book #23

Good book. You should read it.  The end.

Dr. Kevin Leman knows even married people have lots of questions about sex, but sometimes they feel too embarrassed to ask or don't know where to turn for the best answers. For all those questions readers couldn't imagine asking their pastor or even their close friends, Dr. Leman is ready with open ears and expert advice.

With his trademark humor and wit, he offers frank answers to the burning questions all of us have about sex. Covering such topics as God's original intentions for sex, body image, attraction, expectations, sex drive, sex after children arrive, and much more, Turn Up the Heat is comprehensive in scope and just what the doctor ordered. Readers will get not only the answers they crave but plenty of the hearty chuckles they expect from Leman. Perfect for newlyweds or couples who have been married for years. (pic and description from amazon) 

O;)
Melissa

Between us girls, book #22

A pleasant surprise.  When I first started reading this book I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but the more I got into it I could hardly put it down.  I fell in love with Jasmine, Sam and of course sweet Mama Liv!  I fell in love with the Casa de Vida "detainees"!  And I'm pretty sure I may have fallen in love Keagen who has no first name.  But that's another story .....

This book was a nice, refreshing break from what I have been reading where this a love story always simmering and did truly focus on the relationships of Liv, Jasmine and Sam.  They seem to come from three different backgrounds, but all their stories intertwined and made them seem like one.  Stories like these remind you are not randomly placed in situations or places for no cause, but the Lord is at work in every move and adventure you go on.  

Highly recommend!!

(and the good news is, this IS a series and I didn't even know it!  Of course, it is not being released until next February, but I can wait.  This book could be a stand alone because all the ends came together in one nice little bow.)

From bestselling Christian fiction author Sally John comes a brand-new series featuring broken lives, new beginnings...and unexpected romance.

Welcome to Casa de Vida—eleven quaint bungalows located three blocks from the Pacific Ocean in tiny Seaside Village, California. Owner Liv McAlister never advertises vacancies beyond a small hand-lettered sign out front, preferring to trust that God will send the right tenant at just the right time. And He always does.

Meet Jasmyn Albright—she’s had more than her share of bad breaks lately, beginning with the tornado that demolished her farmhouse. Emotionally fragile and feeling utterly alone, Jasmyn heads west, hoping to outrun her heartbreak. And she doesn’t stop until she notices a small sign that reads “Vacancy.” Before she’s quite aware of how it all happened, Jasmyn finds herself the newest tenant at Casa de Vida. She hardly dares to hope that her fortunes might be about to change…but of course when God is at work, anything can happen, and new beginnings are one of His specialties.

Sometimes among strangers, family happens. And sometimes, when we least expect it, romance is a welcome guest. (picture and description at amazon)

O:)
Melissa

Love in a Broken Vessel, book #21

Be still my heart.  I have found my new favorite book.  Maybe it's because I just finished two not so stellar books.  Maybe it's because I liked the cover. Maybe it's because there was a message for me in it.  Maybe it's because it's the first time I get the deeper meaning in a book.  But this is it.  My new favorite.  And I think everyone should read it.

As you know, I am not a big fan in general of fictionalized Bible stories, unless Francine Rivers writes them.  They just always make me nervous about how much "liberty" they are taking.  I read another book by Mesu Andrews and did not like it.  I wasn't even going to read any more by her, but my friend insisted I read this one so I gave it a shot.  I cannot thank her enough!

This is a rendition of the book/love story of Hosea.  Naturally I was a bit skeptical because who can top Redeeming Love?  Funny thing is, Mesu actually acknowledges this right off in the Note to the Reader: 

When you think of reading the story of Gomer and Hosea, what novel comes to mind?  Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, right? I think I've read it at least four times.  It's tied for first place in my all-time favorites, and Francine Rivers is hands down my favorite author.  So why would I dare write a novel that might be compared to such a classic?  Because Love in a Broken Vessel is biblical fiction, and Redeeming Love is a biblical story set in a prairie romance.  Trying to equate the two stories would be like comparing apples and oranges--both are fruit, but very different yummy flavors.  My hope is that readers wil enjoy each one for the unique story it is.

So right off you know the author is not trying to "beat" Redeeming Love, but do a different spin.  You had me at "Hello."  

I think the thing that just resonated over and over with me is how God/Hosea keeps on loving me/Gomer, even when I/she feel(s) so unworthy.  Even when I/she fight(s) back, not wanting or feeling like I/she deserve(s) the love.  Not even being able to accept the gifts God/Hosea gives me/her.  It's like after I had children I kept seeing that parent relationship played out time and time again as I try to discipline my children, hearing God say the same words to me as I am saying them to my children.  

Hosea is a hard book to understand.  Even after reading Redeeming Love I still didn't feel like I understood the book.  THIS book really brought it more to life, the loving her despite the fact she runs away time and again, loving her children born of different men, waiting so patiently on her and rejoicing in the end when she does turn to him.  I had tears at the end, even knowing it was going to work out but having no idea how it would!!!  Needless to say, this book gets all my thumbs up!!


Hosea has been charged by God with a difficult task--marry a prostitute in order to show God's people the nature and depth of his love for Israel. When Hosea goes to Israel to proclaim God's message, the prostitute God tells him to marry turns out to be his childhood friend Gomer. He finds her broken and abused, unwilling to trust Hosea or his God. But when marrying Hosea becomes her only choice, Gomer does what she's good at--she survives. Can Hosea's love for God and God's love for Israel heal Gomer's broken spirit?

With her potent combination of in-depth research and masterful storytelling, Mesu Andrews brings to life a complex and fascinating biblical story of the power of love and forgiveness in the face of utter betrayal. (picture and description from Amazon.)

Happy Reading!

O:)
Melissa

Lock, Stock and Over a Barrel, book #20

Sigh, here we go again.  Another book, another series, another author who leaves us hanging.  At least this time she did wrap up some things, as compared to the last.  We Some people  I read this for book club and then we didn't even end up meeting because there was this little Tennessee hurricane that blew through right before the meeting.  And lots of people were just busy that night.  So now I read this book for no reason.  Alas .... 

That said, while I was reading the book, I did enjoy it.  It was a light, funny book (as compared to the last one!) with a little romance.  If you don't mind books that don't have closure and leave you wondering with baited breath what on earth will happen next, then you may like this book. 

With high hopes, Dorothy Ballinger lands her dream job at The New York Times. But it's not long until writing about weddings becomes a painful reminder of her own failed romance, and her love of the city slowly sours as well. Is it time to give up the Big Apple for her small hometown of Appleton?

When her eccentric Aunt Dot passes away and leaves a sizeable estate to Dorothy, going back home is an easy choice. What isn’t easy is coming to terms with the downright odd clauses written into the will.

Dorothy only stands to inherit the estate if she agrees to her aunt's very specific posthumous terms -- personal and professional. And if she fails to comply, the sprawling old Victorian house shall be bequeathed to . . . Aunt Dot’s cats.(picture and description at Amazon)


So I decide maybe I will invest in the next book, only to discover it also is apparently a cliffhanger with no resolution either.  And the third book isn't even out yet.  It could be considered a fail, but you could also say, "Well, at least I know now ..."


The good news is the book I am now reading is NOT in a series, which means there will be closure and I am thoroughly enjoying it!!

O:)
Melissa

Born of Persuasion, book #19

My response to this book? 

I don't THINK so!!!

So, this book was one that was on my bedside for a very long time.  I am not even sure how it got there, whether it was a donation that I thought sounded good and I wanted to read, one a bought at my beloved BAM! on sale, from my mom, who knows!!  In the mean time, as it collected dust, I learned the author is the wife of someone Roger knew who worked at LifeWay.  Since I got the Paperwhite, I was trying to whittle the books on my bedside by adding them to my Amazon WishList.  Also in the meantime I sort of stumbled on how to get books from the library on my Paperwhite.  Long story short, this is the first one I read via R.E.A.D.S. for free!  But, I only had seven days to read it and it has 450 pages!!  (Again, I have been working on this all week, not just since I last posted.)

Well, I get into the book and decide I really didn't like it.  At all.  But, I am also of the nature that no matter how horrible the book is, unless there is excessive language or other worldly topics, I'm gonna finish it.  I have to see if it gets any better or if there is any hope for these pathetic characters.  (Remember The Chance?) Well, this book kept me so stinking confused I could never tell which way was up!!  Who was good and who was bad. Apparently there were all sorts of secrets that everyone knew except the main character and some people would begin to tell her some of them, but would then decide it wasn't time.  There were lots of flash-forward moments (beginning with paragraphs like, "Later, when the whole story came out, I would see how important this truly was..." or "In hindsight the teaset really didn't matter" ... ) which seemed to occur every chapter at least once.  Are you kidding me?!?  I don't remember a one that was actually fulfilled, unless I took the time to actually buy the book and go back and hunt for each flash-forward and see if I could find where it came true.  But do you honestly think I am wasting any more time on this book?  No!!!

This is the beginning of a series and while I kept holding my breath for the end, well, don't hold your breath.  I'm all about series books, but not when you have an ending that demands you read the next one immediately.  That, dear authors, really ticks me off.  And I think it is selfish of you, like giving a child one bite of an ice cream cone and then taking it away and eating it all yourself while the child watches.  Like, purposefully withholding secrets to make you want to read the next book and spend another $10+ on it.  Or, even worse, when it is a new series and you get to an end like this and have to wait another 6 months to a year to find out what happens.  (This actually happened once to me and I actually threw the book across the room.  When the next book finally came out there was an author's note at the front that revealed I was not the only one who felt that way.  And the author actually apologized!)

Ok, enough about that soap box.  But I will tell you I'm not clamoring for finding Book 2 in the series.  I could care less what happens to Julia and if she and Edward ever end up together.  There are too many others "fish in the sea" to waste my time on them!! And, I haven't started the book for Book Club next Tuesday which promises to be considerably better!

The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston’s position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.

With two months to devise a better plan, Julia’s first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother’s mysterious past. Before she knows what’s happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country’s most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly.  (picture and description from Amazon.)

O:)

Melissa