Books, Movies, and Chinese Food

The Baby Sitters Club: Memories

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:24:00 +0000

Need a baby sitter? Save time and call

So when I was about 7 years old, I was in the library with my mom and was looking for a new book to read. I saw a bunch of pastel colored books that were all grouped together in the M's in the juvenile fiction section. I had no idea what they were, but I remember my mom calling me to hurry up so we could check out. I randomly grabbed two books, an orange one and a pink one. I came back home to read #25 Mary Anne and the Search for Tigger and #24 Kristy and the Mother's Day Surprise. I had no idea what I would be sucked into.

To this day, I am still a huge BSC fan. What made these books so appealing? Well, for one their addictive. I mean when you're that age and they were publishing BSC books by the wazoo every month, you HAD to have them. It got to the point to where my parents started to limit how many BSC books I could read a month. I would check out around 10 each visit to the library and then stack them up in a pile and read them in order (sounds quite familiar...) I totally loved them. They are also comfort reads. I mean really you know pretty much what's going to happen in each book, yet you can't stop reading. There's food, and stories, and lots of fun. Plus I didn't baby sit but if I did, I would want to do it just like them.

I even dressed up as Claudia for a character parade we had in our school. I put my hair up in a side ponytail (that Claudia wears on EVERY SINGLE book, except book #2 where she has her hair in braids, and also does not look Japanese at all), wore a big sweatshirt, bangle bracelets, leggings, and wore 2 pairs of socks that had those slouch things going. I was hip. Hah.

But seriously for a certain time in my life, everything was Baby Sitters Club. I really wanted to start a club of my own (as did many other girls I'm sure). I had all the books, watched the videos, bought the game, wanted the dolls. These books really defined my childhood. Even to this day I still enjoy going back and reading these books. They bring back tons of memories, plus I love reading about Claudia's fashion choices which seemed so cool back then and is now just plain...tacky.

I never read the Friends Forever series. In fact I think I stopped reading them about the time Abby came into the picture. This was mainly because I didn't like her character. Other random thoughts

In every single book, it HAD to be pointed out that Jessi was black and Mal was white. Every book.
I did not like Abby.
I was NOT a fan of the movie.
However I was a fan of the TV show.
Did anyone else have trouble reading some of the cursive writing? Jessi's was the worst. And I hate Claudia's misspellings.
Dawn's vegetarianism/no sugar seems to have fluctuated throughout the series. When she's first introduced, I clearly remember her eating meat and candy.
How come Jessi and Mallory only got one Mystery book each yet Abby got several?
Would you really let an 11 year old take care of your kids?
Were the Pikes Catholic?
If I were Dawn's mom, I'd be pretty depressed. I mean BOTH of my kids don't want to live with me.
Stoneybrook seems to be a very white WASPY town. One Asian family, one black family, I think someone is Jewish?

I have more thoughts, but my mind is blank right now. What other memories do you have about the Baby Sitters Club?

Book Review: "Plain Promise" by Beth Wiseman

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:30:00 +0000

Sadie Fisher wonders if she'll ever find true love again after the death of her husband. When wealthy Englischer Kade Saunders rents her guest cottage for a month, Sadie's world is turned upside-down.

Kade has a five-year old autistic son who is unexpectedly left in his permanent care. As Sadie's feelings for the child grow, so do her feelings for Kade. But is this man suitable for anything more than friendship?

One would think that after a while all Amish stories start to blend together. While that may be the case, the trick is to write a good and unique story to make it stand apart. I think that's what Beth Wiseman has done with her books, because so far I've really enjoyed all of them. Sadie is unique because not only is she a widow, she rents out her cottage (that has electricity!) to an Englisch single man, and she's writing letters to another Amish guy in another state. That's quite a bit of excitement for people who are supposed to be living simple lives.

I really thought it was interesting to bring a topic like autism into the Amish world and see how they would react to it. Sadie doesn't really know what exactly is going on (I guess no one in the Amish gets it?) but she does her best to try to comfort Tyler whenever he starts getting antsy. The Bible verse speaking is a bit freaky but it adds to the story very well. To be honest, from the brief interaction we had with her and the way Kade described her, I was not a fan of Tyler's mother and actually quite glad as to what happened to her. I know that sounds terribly sadistic but the way she handled the situation was done very poorly and she should have thought of the consequences better.

I did feel that this book did go into the over dramatic side at times with everything that happened in the book. Also the ending was a bit predictable, as I knew exactly what Kade was going to do as soon as I started reading. I think for once it would be interesting to have one spouse remain Amish and the other to stay non-Amish but I guess that would make things too difficult. Overall though, I did like the book. I enjoy this author's style of writing as it is comforting and she does a good job of bringing the characters to life. I'll be looking forward to when the fourth book in the series comes out next year.

Plain Promise by Beth Wiseman is published by Thomas Nelson (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Fit to be Tied by Robin Lee Hatcher

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Fit to Be Tied
Zondervan (November 1, 2009)
by
Robin Lee Hatcher

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Whispers from Yesterday), the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance (Patterns of Love and The Shepherd's Voice), two RT Career Achievement Awards (Americana Romance and Inspirational Fiction), and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 50 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.

Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She is passionate about the theater, and several nights every summer, she can be found at the outdoor amphitheater of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, enjoying Shakespeare under the stars. She makes her home outside of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon

ABOUT THE BOOK

Cleo Arlington dresses like a cowboy, is fearless and fun-loving, and can ride, rope, and wrangle a horse as well as any man. In 1916, however, those talents aren’t what most young women aspire to. But Cleo isn’t most women. Twenty-nine years old and single, Cleo loves life on her father’s Idaho ranch. Still, she hopes someday to marry and have children.

Enter Sherwood Statham, an English aristocrat whose father has sentenced him to a year of work in America to “straighten him out.” Sherwood, who expected a desk job at a posh spa, isn’t happy to be stuck on an Idaho ranch. And he has no idea how to handle Cleo, who’s been challenged with transforming this uptight playboy into a down-home cowboy, because he has never encountered a woman succeeding in a “man’s world.”

Just about everything either of them says or does leaves the other, well, fit to be tied. Cleo Arlington knows everything about horses but nothing about men. And though Cleo believes God’s plan for her includes a husband, it couldn’t possibly be Sherwood Statham. Could it?

Their bumpy trot into romance is frustrating, exhilarating, and ultimately heartwarming.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Fit to Be Tied , go HERE.

Watch the book video Trailer:

Book Review: "White Picket Fences" by Susan Meissner

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

When the storybook-perfect Janvier family temporarily "adopts" their teenaged niece, Tally, they assume they'll be helping her. But when Tally befriends her cousin, Chase, she soon realizes that he badly needs encouragement, too. When the troubled teens interview two holocaust survivors for a sociology project, will they trigger the healing process that everybody needs?

Susan Meissner is one of the most prolific authors that I have ever read. Whenever someone asks me to recommend a new author or some books to them, I ALWAYS include her on that list. Every single one of her books have been wonderful reads that are not only entertaining but though provoking and highly impacting. In fact, there have only been two books in the past five years that have made me actually cry: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner. That's who much her books have affected me. So as always I was beyond thrilled that she had a new book out.

This book has so much going on in it, many multiple story lines that one would think how in the world can they all possibly tie together? That's the beauty of Susan's writing, that not only do they tie together but they all need each other in order to portray the full depth of the entire story. Within this story you have: a daughter who's abandoned by her father, a wife and mother who's trying to make sure that her family keeps up their perfect appearance, a son who's trying to remember a horrific incident that happened when he was a child, and a family secret that has been kept hidden for over 60 years. I really like Tally and Chase. Not only do they get along well as cousins but they both try to help each other understand their past. By helping the other person rediscover their life, they are able to take a deeper look into their own soul. The Holocaust/Jewish story was extremely interesting and one I myself would like to delve in further. Amanda's story, while not as intriguing as Tally's and Chase's, is worth reading as well. Her attempts at keeping up the perfect family lifestyle doesn't go as plan, and neither does her relationships with her husband or male colleague.

I thought the cover of the book was absolutely perfect. There's that idealistic white fence which represents the perfect household, but the paint is peeling and there's a cobweb on it. It's so simplistic yet speaks a thousand words. I thought it was interesting that I felt that I kept wanting Tally's father to make an appearance in the story but he never does. It bothered me at first until I read the author interview which brings up this point and explains her choice to not put him in the book. I really like books that include those question/answer interviews in the back of the book so that the reader can automatically feel a sense of completion.

This book is another wonderful work of art from Susan Meissner and destined to be another highly recommended title. Honestly if you have not picked up any of her books before, you MUST. Seriously you will NOT be disappointed.

White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner is published by Waterbrook (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Shelf Discovery Challenge Report: Sister of the Bride by Beverly Cleary

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Barbara can hardly believe her older sister is getting married. With all the excitement of wedding plans going on, Barbara can't help dreaming of the day she will be the bride. She can't wait to fall in love.

But as the big day gets closer, wedding planning often turns into family arguments. Even the bride and groom are bickering over details, and Barbara's fun-loving sister is turning into a very practical, grown-up person. Weddings are fun, but all this serious stuff is scary enough to make Barbara think she's not going to be rushing into a serious romance any time soon.

First off, I just wanted to say this wasn't the cover of the copy that I read. Personally the one I read was too 80s looking and didn't fit the 60s storyline. I believe this is the original cover and I think it suits the book MUCH better.

I'm a huge fan of Beverly Cleary's books. I've grown up reading all her children's books. However I've only read one of her YA books in my life, Fifteen. I knew there were others but I just never got around to reading them. I have no idea why I avoided them. So when I saw this book in the Shelf Discovery book, I knew I had to read it for the challenge.

I seem to keep picking up all the books dealing with weddings now that my own wedding has passed. And it was really interesting to read how Barbara and Rosemary deal with this wedding. It brought back a lot of memories of my own wedding (I say that like it was years ago). Rosemary seems to think that everything is going to go exactly how she has in mind. She doesn't want gifts, thinks rings are for "middle class", wants to get married in a suit, will continue going to school and will depend on her future husband's job at the college. She even has planned to make burlap place mats because they are artsy and cheap. Meanwhile her sister Barbara sees all this going on and is trying to figure out her place in all this. She doesn't agree with what her sister is doing and at times feels more like she cares more about the wedding than Rosemary.

I feel like this book has aged well. While there are obvious differences in the way the world in the 60s were vs. how it is now, a lot of the topics mentioned in this book are still relevant. The biggest issue would probably be the role of women in the household. There are women in the book who grew up with the wife waiting on the husband hand and food. Rosemary and Barbara have ideas where they are equals in the relationship with the husband doing his share of the workload as well. Also Rosemary is getting married at age 18 to a 24 year old, so she's extremely young (she's still wearing braces!)

One thing I would have liked more of would have been more interaction with Rosemary's fiance Greg. He's barely in the story and I would have liked to have heard from him more and more of Barbara's view of him.

I REALLY enjoyed this book and was sad to see it end. I was a bit disappointed that my local library had decided to place this book in the juvenile fiction section along with Cleary's other books. Obviously whoever did this has NOT read the book, because this is clearly a YA book. I mean if I was an 8 year old that was enjoying Ramona and then picked up this or Fifteen, I would be very confused. I think it's sad how some authors have been type casted and cannot branch out because of what they are known for. If you haven't read any of Beverly Cleary's YA fiction, you MUST pick them up and this is a great one to start with. I think I'm going to go out and read Jean and Johnny and The Luckiest Girl.

Book Review: "Plain Pursuit" by Beth Wiseman

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Carley Marek experiences culture shock when she visits her friend Lillian's family on their farm deep in Amish country. She will get an article out of the visit--and maybe some of Lillian's newfound peace will somehow rub off on her.

Just when Carley is getting used to the quiet nature of the Plain community, Lillian and Samuel's son falls ill. But the local doctor who can offer the most help has been shunned by the community and forbidden to intervene. As David's condition deteriorates, Dr. Noah determines to do whatever it takes to save the boy's life. Carley is caught in the middle--drawn to Noah, wanting to be helpful in the crisis--and confused by all their talk about a God she neither knows nor trusts.

Carley must decide what in life is worth pursuing . . . and what to do when she's pursued by a love she never expected.

I can't help it. Amish books are my weakness. I know, I know. However I have no desire to become Amish nor do I agree with all their beliefs. In fact I will state when I find something I disagree about. But still, they are good escape reading especially when you want to read something that is comforting.

I did like this book. The characters were all very engaging and interesting to read. Noah's story especially was my favorite. Personally I would have loved to have read his book and read all the juicy secrets of the behind the scenes details of Amish life. I felt really bad for him because he wanted to live the life he felt called to do and his family shunned him instead. I'm really glad that he stays true to his self and doesn't allow guilt from others to change his mind. The drama involving Samuel's son is a bit soap opera-ish at times due to the rapid pace it took off but still made for good reading.

This is not spoiling the story at all but I just wanted to say I was thrilled that no one turned Amish in this book. I have been worried that this series would fall into the stereotype where every non-Amish person that gets a whiff of Amish life suddenly has the desire to give up their life and join the community. If your intentions are true then that's fine but it just seem like it's the latest trend in books. I mean, really, Amish life is more seductive than most romance novels it seems because people can't seem to keep away. Therefore I was more than relieved when Carley showed no interest in giving up her regular life.

I've stated before in my review of the first book in the series that I didn't really like Samuel. During that book I just felt that he came off as very standoffish to me. Well I was right to feel that way because he gets even worse in this book. Throughout the whole book I just wanted to scream at him for being so unreasonable. Also, to be honest I really don't know how Lillian can put up with him. I'm also amazed at how quickly she adapted to the Amish lifestyle. It was like one minute she can't even up her jeans, now she can speak fluent Pennsylvania German.

All in all I am enjoying this series. They are very refreshing reads. While I may not agree with all the beliefs of the Amish, this series doesn't try to make me feel guilty for that. Plus there's tons of food mentioned in the book, which as I've said before is always a plus in my book. This book is a great way to escape for the weekend. If you're an Amish fan, you'll enjoy this one.

Plain Pursuit by Beth Wiseman is published by Thomas Nelson (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

The Bride Backfire by Kelly Eileen Hake

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000

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

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

Today's Wild Card author is:

Kelly Eileen Hake

and the book:

The Bride Backfire

Barbour Publishing, Inc (October 1, 2009)

***Special thanks to Angie Brillhart of Barbour Books for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kelly Eileen Hake is a reader favorite of Barbour Publishing’s Heartsong Presents book club, where she has released several books. A credentialed secondary English teacher in California, she also has her MA in Writing Popular Fiction. Known for her own style of witty, heartwarming historical romance, Kelly is currently writing the Prairie Promises trilogy, her first full-length novels. Hake is a CBA bestselling author and has earned numerous Heartsong Presents Reader’s Choice Awards. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America.

Visit the author's website.

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Nebraska Territory, March, 1857

“Not again!” Opal Speck breathed the words on a groan so low her brothers couldn’t hear her—a wasted effort since the entire problem lay in having no one around but Larry Grogan.

Even Larry, despite having the temperament of a riled skunk and a smell to rival one, kept the oily gleam from his eyes when the men of her family were in sight. No, the appraising leers and occasional advances were Opal’s private shame. Hers to handle whenever he tried something, and hers to hide from everyone lest the old feud between their families spring to life once more.

“Figured you’d come by here sooner or later, since Ma and Willa are making dandelion jelly.” Larry levered himself on one elbow, pushing away from the broad rock he’d lounged against. He gestured toward the abundance of newly blooming dandelions bordering Speck and Grogan lands, but his gaze fixed on her as he spoke. “Let’s enjoy the sweetness of spring.”

“No.” Opal kept her voice level though her fingers clamped around the handle of her basket so tightly she could feel the wood bite into her flesh. Letting Larry know he upset her would only give him more power, and false bravery to match. Lord, give me strength and protection. “Not today.”

“Look ripe for the plucking to me.” Larry sauntered closer, but Opal wouldn’t give an inch. Everyone knew that when animals sensed fear, they pressed their advantage.

“Dandelion jelly may be sweet, but it takes a lot of work to make it that way. Do it wrong, it’ll be bitter.”

“I like a little tang.” He reached out and tweaked a stray strand of her red hair as he leaned closer. “Keeps things interesting.”

Opal fought not to wrinkle her nose as his breath washed over her. Instead, she tipped her head back and laughed, the note high and shrill to her ears as she stepped away. “Then I’ll leave them to you, Mr. Grogan.”

“Wait.” His hand snaked out and closed around her wrist, but it was the unexpected note of pleading in his voice that brought her up short. “Won’t you call me Larry?”

“I—” Opal couldn’t have found any words had they been sitting in the strawberry patch. She and Larry both stared at where his hand enfolded her wrist. “I don’t think that’s wise.”

“We can’t always be wise.” With a wince, he used his other hand to trace the long, thin scar bisecting his cheek. His hand dropped back to his side when he noticed her watching the motion, but something softened in his face. “You must like me a little, Opal. Otherwise you would’ve left me to die like everyone would expect a Speck to do.”

Not really, no. She didn’t speak the words, her silence stretching thin and strained between them. Larry’s sly innuendos were a threat Opal expected, but Larry Grogan looking as though he cared what she thought of him. . . How could she be prepared for that? Why didn’t I notice his advances only began after his accident—that Larry must have interpreted me helping Dr. Reed patch him up as something more than kindness?

Surprise softened her words when she finally spoke. “I would have helped anyone thrown from the thresher.” Opal’s reference to the incident didn’t need to be more detailed. The man before her would never forget the cause of his scar, just as she’d never forget it was his animosity toward her father that caused him to mess with that machine in the first place.

“Even a Grogan?” He shook his head. “I don’t believe you.”

She would’ve backed away at the desperation written on his face if she could, but she summoned all her courage to stay calm. “Believe it, Larry.”

“What if I don’t want to?” His grip turned painful, bruising her arm. “I know you’d do anything to protect your family. Even deny your own feelings.” Larry moved closer. “And I can prove it with one kiss.”

“My family would kill you.” She tried to tug her wrist free, only to have him jerk her closer.

“We both know you wouldn’t tell them.” Darkness danced in his eyes. “This is between you and me.”

Panic shivered down Opal’s spine at the truth of his words. The one thing she could never do was put her family in danger, and if she told Pa or her brothers, blood would flow until there wasn’t a Speck—or a Grogan—left standing. She stayed still as he leaned in, his grip loosening slightly as his other hand grabbed her chin.

“No!” Exploding into action the second she sensed her opportunity, Opal sent a vicious kick to his shins with one work boot. A swift twist freed her wrist from his grasp, letting her shove her basket into his stomach with all her might.

She barely registered the crack of wood splintering as she sprang away, running for home before Larry caught his breath enough to catch her.

***

“Pa ain’t gonna like this.” Nine-year-old Dave poked his head around the stall partition like a nosy weasel sniffing out trouble.

“That’s why you’re not mentioning it to him.” Adam didn’t normally hold with keeping things from one’s father, but telling Diggory Grogan that another one of their milk cows had fallen prey to the strange, listless bloat that had plagued their cattle for the past few years without explanation would be akin to leaving a lit lantern in a hayloft. The resulting blaze would burn more than the contents of the barn.

“But didn’t he say that the next time one of those Specks poisoned one of our cows he was goin’ to march over there an—”

“We don’t know that anyone’s been poisoning our cows, Dave.” Adam pinned his much younger brother with a fierce glower. “But we do know the Specks have had sick cattle, same as us. The last thing either of us needs is to start fighting again.”

Confusion twisted Dave’s features. “When did we ever stop fighting?”

“There’s different kinds of fighting, Squirt.”

“I know!” Dave scrambled after him as Adam left the barn to go find the meanest rooster he could catch. “There’s name-calling and bare-knuckles and knock-down drag-outs and slaps—”

His list came to an abrupt end when Adam rounded on him. “That’s not what I meant.” He squatted down so he could look his little brother in the eye. “There’s fighting for what you believe in, fighting to protect what’s yours, and there’s fighting just because you like fighting. That’s never a good enough reason, understand?”

“Kind of.” Dave squinted up at him when Adam straightened once more. “How come we fight the Specks, then?”

“A mix of all three.” Willa’s voice provided a welcome interruption. “Our granddaddies both thought the east pasture belonged to them. Then each of our families believed the other was wrong, and now we’re so used to fighting that we blame each other when anything goes wrong.”

“Like the cows?” Dave processed their sister’s explanation so fast it made Adam proud.

“Yep.” He didn’t say more as the three of them each chased down a chicken, ignoring the angry squawks and vicious pecks as best they could. When everyone’s arms were loaded down with feathers and flailing spurs, they headed back to the barn.

“Then I guess it’s a good thing Pa and Larry are out hunting today.” Dave spat out a stray feather. “So we can scare some of the bloat out of Clem before he finds out and blames the Specks?”

“That’s right.” Willa set her jaw. “Because no matter what Larry says or how Pa listens, the Specks aren’t poisoning our cows. And the last thing we need is for him to stir things up over nothing!”

That was the last any of them said for a while, as everyone knew it was useless to try to talk over the sounds of a cow belching. Since Dr. Saul Reed had first tried the treatment two years ago on Sadie—when the bloats began—the Grogans had perfected the process to a fine art.

If a cow grew listless, went off her feed, stopped drinking water, and generally gave signs of illness, they watched for signs of bloat. When baking soda didn’t help, the last hope for expelling the buildup of gas before it stopped the animal’s heart was to get it moving at a rapid pace. On the Grogan farm, that meant terrorizing the cattle with riled roosters.

Dave darted toward the stall and thrust his bird toward the back, spurring Clem to her feet for the first time that whole morning. She rushed out of the partition, heading toward a corner plush with hay, only to be headed off by Willa, whose alarmed chicken made an impressive display of thrashing wings to drive the cow out the barn door.

From there it was a matter of chasing her around the barnyard and up the western hill—the theory being that elevating her front end made it easier for the gas to rise out—until the endeavor succeeded or the entire group dropped from exhaustion. Thankfully, they’d yet to fail.

To an outsider, Adam Grogan would be hard-pressed to explain why leading a slobbering, stumbling, belching cow back to the barn would put a smile on his face, but Willa and Dave shared his feeling of triumph. Sure, Clem might not look like much of a prize at the moment, but she’d been hard-won. Better yet, they’d averted having Pa and Larry ride over to the Speck place with fired tempers and loaded shotguns.

Much the way Murphy and Elroy Speck were riding toward them right now. Adam tensed, taking stock of the situation. With Pa and Larry out for the day, it was up to him to take care of things.

“Stay here.” He snatched the shotgun from the wall of the barn and rolled the door closed, pushing Dave back inside when he tried to squirm out. “I said stay. And don’t go up in the hayloft either, or I’ll tan your hide later.” With the door shut, Adam slid the deadbolt in place, effectively locking his sister and younger brother in the barn. . .and hopefully out of trouble.

He strode to meet the Specks, intent on putting as much distance from their stopping place and his family as humanly possible. While Adam didn’t hold with the idea of a feud and did everything in his power to maintain peace, he wouldn’t stake the safety of a single Grogan on any Speck’s intention to do the same.

“Ho.” Murphy Speck easily brought his horse to a halt, followed closely by his second-eldest son. The two of them sat there, shotguns laid across their saddles, silent as they looked down on Adam.

Adam, for his part, rested his firearm over his shoulder, vigilant without being hostile, refusing to offer false welcome. Specks had ventured onto Grogan land; it was for them to state their business. Adam wouldn’t put himself in the weaker position by asking, and only a fool would provoke them by demanding answers.

Good thing Larry’s not here. The stray thought would have earned a smile under any other circumstance.

“Where’s your brother?” Murphy’s gaze slid to toward the corners of his eyes, as though expecting someone to sneak up on him.

Not a good beginning. He sure as shooting wasn’t about to tell two armed Specks he was the only grown Grogan around the place. Adam just raised a brow in wordless recrimination at the older man’s rudeness.

“What Pa means to say,” Elroy’s tone held a tinge of apology, though his stance in the saddle lost none of its steel, “is that Pete’s seen your brother on our land a few times this past week.”

“Oh?” I knew he’d been up to no good when he hadn’t been helping fertilize the fields. Something else stank. Adam’s jaw clenched.

“Some of our cattle have the bloat.” Murphy’s statement held accusation, though his words didn’t. The man walked a fine line.

“Ours, too.” Adam lifted his chin. “Must be a common cause.”

“Common cause or no, seemed maybe a reminder was in order.” Elroy’s level gaze held a deeper meaning.

His father wasn’t half so diplomatic. “The next time a Grogan steps foot on Speck land without express invitation, he won’t be walking away from it.”

Adam ignored the sharp drop in his stomach at the irrefutable proof tensions were wound tight enough to snap. “Good fences make good neighbors.” He gave Speck a curt nod.

“Fences and family, Grogan.” Murphy’s parting words came through loud and clear. “Watch yours a bit closer.”

An Off Beat Interview with Fraser Kelton of Adaptive Blue

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Alright, I know everyone's heard me talk about Glue a lot for the past year or so, whether through Twitter, this blog, email or in real life. I swear I do not work for them. Nor do they pay me to talk about them. I just happen to really enjoy their product. And like any product you enjoy, you tend to gush about them. And I can't help it if my Glue t shirt is one of my favorite shirts (and super comfy to boot). It is also a great conversation starter. ("No I do not sniff", "It's GLUE not CLUE")

Anywho, I found out about Glue through this genie who granted me some wishes through twitter (Twitter is a wonderful thing but that's another post). Then I got to know one of the people behind the genie and he turned out to be a really cool guy. I think I've bugged him quite a bit over the past year with my numerous questions about Glue but he's been rather patient through it all. Fraser is the VP, Business Development at Adaptive Blue which means he "wears a lot of different hats." He's also Canadian!

Now I know that Fraser has done other interviews in the past but I think this one is a little different. I'm not computer/techno/social media networking savvy (he can vouch for that) so this interview doesn't have all that jargon I still don't understand. Instead I went for quirky, fun, and for information that I think you guys, my readers, will find interesting and informative.

So without further adieu, an interview with Fraser Kelton of Adaptive Blue!

Deborah: I've talked about Glue lots on both my blog and twitter, but let's hear from you exactly what Glue is.

Fraser: Glue is a social recommendation network for interests like books, music, and movies. There's a website component - www.getglue.com - that offers a stream of suggestions based on your personal interests. And there's a browser add-on component, bringing the benefit of Glue to popular sites around the web.

Glue helps you find your next favourite thing by making suggestions based on what you like, what your friends like and what's most popular.

As a book blogger, how can I benefit from Glue?

I've been surprised with the diverse way that book bloggers are using Glue. Here's a blog post where a number of book bloggers talk about why they love Glue.

There are a few major benefits for book bloggers:

1) find your next favorite book
2) organize your book collection
3) visit a book on a popular book website and see which other book bloggers have visited it, and read their reviews

What are all these cool, nifty buttons and stickers and Guru things I keep hearing/seeing?

Stickers are a fun way to get recognition for your achievements. As you do certain things on Glue you will be rewarded with a variety of stickers for your efforts. Some stickers reward your collection (such as the Book Worm sticker) and others highlight your influence (such as the Connector sticker). The stickers add a fun and slightly competitive aspect to Glue. J Kaye, says that she 'dearly loves' them, which is what we're hearing from a number of book bloggers.

Guru is another form of recognition. With Glue you can be recognized as the Guru of specific books, movies, music, etc that you feel passionate about. There can only be one Guru per item, so you may have to work for the honor. Deborah, what's your favorite movie or book? (Deborah: You really have to ask?? Oh wait...I'm not guru on it..hmm, need to work on that) My favorite movie is The Godfather and I am ecstatic that I'm the Guru of that movie. I feel passionate enough about the movie, and the recognition, that I'll compete with others to maintain it.

How has working at Adaptive Blue changed the way you view social networking?

From the perspective of an employee helping to build a social network, I've realized three major things: how critical a tight knit community is; how important passionate members of the community are; and, how supportive that community can be.

On a personal level, I've been surprised with the amount of friendships that the community has created for me. For example, I talk with you, Steffan, and Vada on Twitter, Glue and blogs so often - about a variety of topics - that nice friendships have been created. (Deborah: awww shucks. I bet we'd be friends in real life too)

What kinds of things should we expect from Glue in the future?

Expect to see some cool things happen with Stickers and Guru. We have a few things cooking in the Glue Lab for these two things and I suspect you and others will love them.

Other than that, we listen very carefully to feedback and insight from the community and use the input to iterate on the product. So keep the input flowing!

What have you learned about the book blogging community? Would you ever consider starting a book blog?

I have learned that the book blogging community is a group of incredible individuals who are among the most passionate people on the web. Community-led events, such as BBAW, the Readathon, or CYBILS are testaments to the strength and passion.

But you don't even need these fantastic events to realize how strong the connections are between individuals in the community. Check out the comments to any blog post and you'll see supportive and encouraging words - something that's generally rare on the web.

Before work consumed my life, I did write fairly frequent blog posts (sometimes even about books!). I don't think I'd start a pure book blog, but I do miss writing regularly and am thinking of trying to carve out time again to start blogging.

(Deborah: Now that we've gotten all the informative questions out of the way, I decided to subject Fraser to those off the wall questions I'm known for. He was a good sport.)

I ask this to everyone I interview on this blog. Star Wars fan? Yes? No? Why NOT?

Most definitely. (Deborah: Good answer!) As a young teen I fell in love with the movies, and starting with the Timothy Zahn books, read a lot of the early Star Wars books.

My room in my parent's house still has an Empire Strikes back poster.

You've just received magical powers that will make the next book you open magically transform you into the story. What book would you like to be sucked into?

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. To this day I want to give eight-year old Oskar a hug and let him know that everything will be ok. (Deborah: I had not heard about this book until I read this response, you learn something new every day)

The National Film Preservation Board at the Library of Congress has decided to redo their entire list of movies they've preserved. They have chosen you to pick the first five movies that will be on the new list. What movies do you think deserve eternal status?

Godfather & Godfather 2. They are beautiful films, powerfully told, and show America's transformation by exploring the generation's of a family. (Deborah: What would you say when you find out that I haven't watched either of these movies?)

Forrest Gump. A great movie, an even better soundtrack. (Deborah: Ditto)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off. When I was 9 there was no finer movie in the world. I would want to ensure that every 9 year old, forever, can enjoy this movie.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. This is one of my more recent favourites, but the way that it captures life and love is beautiful.

You've got a hankering for some Chinese Food and decide to call for some take out. What are you getting? This is an easy one: I'm getting Orange Beef from Le Chinois (odd name for the restaurant, right?) (Deborah: How many people got hungry after looking at that dish?)

Ben and Jerry's has decided they will name their next ice cream flavor after you. What does the flavor “Fraser” consist of?

I love ice cream. I love ice cream in mass quantities. So, first thing about this flavor is that it would be the first flavor that, when ordered, would also impact the size. That is, you'd only be able to get 1 serving size of the flavor: Large.

Now, the Fraser flavor itself would be chocolate and peanut butter mixed with a dash of sarcasm and a pinch of dry humour.

(Deborah: I took it upon myself to translate that sarcasm = blondie brownie and dry humor = donuts and voila!) Any last words?

Get Glue and follow me so that we can discover cool movies and books from one another.

Isn't he just charming? It's always nice to see that there are real people behind these things that are really friendly and just plain cool. And apparently have good taste in ice cream.

And if you do happen to Get Glue, you can follow me as well!

Book Review: "What Matters Most" by Melody Carlson

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Sixteen-year-old Maya Stark has a lot to sort through. She could graduate from high school early if she wants to. She’s considering it, especially when popular cheerleader Vanessa Hartman decides to make her life miserable–and Maya’s ex-boyfriend Dominic gets the wrong idea about everything.

To complicate matters even more, Maya’s mother will be released from prison soon, and she’ll want Maya to live with her again. That’s a disaster waiting to happen. And when Maya plays her dad’s old acoustic guitar in front of an audience, she discovers talents and opportunities she never expected. Faced with new options, Maya must choose between a “normal” life and a glamorous one. Ultimately, she has to figure out what matters most.

I have enjoyed Maya's story since she was first introduced in the Kim books of this series. She has struck me as a character that is very real, very down to earth and someone who is trying to figure out life each day at a time. Her story is different from other teens in most Christian YA fiction. First off, there's the fact that Maya is biracial, which sadly is uncommon in most Christian lit. Then there's the fact that she's struggling with a mother who is unable to take care of herself or her own daughter. Maya is extremely mature for her age and it's interesting to see her compared with other teens. While they may have more things material wise, she's far more richer in knowledge of the future and mental growth.

Once again, I really enjoyed reading the Green tips at the end of each chapter. I may not agree with all of them, but the fact that they're even there shows a nod to those who do care for this topic. I have yet to really see this featured in other Christian fiction books so this is a major plus for the series. I've also learned a lot about recycling and conserving which is something I need to work on. I also enjoyed seeing more about the band Redemption. I enjoyed reading about them in Chloe's series so it was great to see first hand experience about what it's like to be a rock band again. The outcome wasn't what I had expected but still interesting.

The only thing that bothered me about this book was that I felt there were a lot of loose ties at the end of the book. I've read every book in the entire Diary of a Teenage Girl series and each time one of the other girl's stories ended, I felt a sense of completion. However with this book I felt like I was left hanging. This is even more disappointing because this is apparently the last Diary book ever, therefore there won't be another opportunity for Maya to appear in another book as a background character to finish up her story. I also felt that Maya got shorted in her story because the other 3 girls had at least 4 books in their mini series and Caitlin got 5. While each individual girl's series can be read on their own, it's best to read all the books in that particular series in order. For an even greater perspective, it's recommended to read ALL the books in order: Caitlin, Chloe, Kim, and Maya.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I think that teens will really enjoy reading Maya's adventures. Carlson has done another wonderful job connecting with the YA audience and really speaks to them. I'm really sad to see this series ending as I think it's been a landmark in the way that Christian YA fiction has become.

What Matters Most by Melody Carlson is published by Multnomah (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Book Review: "Leaving Carolina" by Tamara Leigh

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Piper Wick left her hometown of Pickwick, North Carolina, twelve years ago, shook the dust off her feet, ditched her drawl and her family name, and made a new life for herself as a high-powered public relations consultant in LA. She's even "engaged to be engaged" to the picture-perfect U.S. Congressman Grant Spangler.

Now all of Piper's hard-won happiness is threatened by a reclusive uncle's bout of conscience. In the wake of a health scare, Uncle Obadiah Pickwick has decided to change his will, leaving money to make amends for four generations' worth of family misdeeds. But that will reveal all the Pickwicks' secrets, including Piper's.

The reasons why people leave home vary and are numerous but many times it's to escape the past that hurt us. That's the reason why Piper Wick has left her hometown and shed her true name. Her past has been painful and she wants to do anything to remove herself from that environment. Unfortunately for her, she gets sucker punched into returning and finds herself having to confront with the very things she's tried to run away from. If you like sweet tea, watching Paula Deen, and find yourself say y'all in your conversation, this book is for you. It's very southern and brings alive the flavor of the culture. The main focus of the story is on forgiveness and it does this without being overly preachy. Also learned are lessons on judging and trust as well. The whole entire Pickwick game could stand to learn from these lessons as they are one big dysfunctional family.

Piper's character allows you to hurt with her and understand why she's become who she is today. I must say after reading what her aunts and cousins did and said in the past, I would have shaken the dust off my heels and left as well! Thank goodness the book insists on reading the rest of the verse in order for the lesson to truly come across the way it was originally intended.

While I enjoyed this book, I didn't gel with it as well as I have with Leigh's other books. I just felt like I couldn't relate nor get as close to Piper as I have with Leigh's other heroines. Also this book gives off a less chick lit feel that the others. The character is the same age but acts older and more mature. There is less humor in this book and the tone is more serious. I also didn't find the romance to be as fun or engaging as past stories. Still though, I did enjoy the book and I'll be looking forward to reading the sequel and finding more about the inhabitants of Pickwick.

Leaving Carolina by Tamara Leigh is published by Multnomah (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher.

Book Review: "Limelight" by Melody Carlson

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Claudette Fioré used to turn heads and break hearts. She relished the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle because she had what it takes: money, youth, fame, and above all, beauty. But age has withered that beauty, and a crooked accountant has taken her wealth, leaving the proud widow penniless and alone.

Armed with stubbornness and sarcasm, Claudette returns to her shabby little hometown and her estranged sister. Slowly, she makes friends. She begins to see her old life in a new light. For the first time, Claudette Fioré questions her own values and finds herself wondering if it's too late to change.

I swear, there is no one that can write like Melody Carlson. Each of her books have been totally distinct and unique and just simply written wonderfully. This book is no exception. We're taken this time to the story of a former It Girl from the Golden Age of Hollywood who's suddenly found herself to be old, lonely and not knowing how to live life for herself. Claudette has to adapt from living a life with servants and staff doing everything for her to having to figure out even the simplest life skill on her own. It's a moving journey for both Claudette and the reader as she has to move back to her childhood home and rediscover life.

There are parts of the book that are just hilarious yet at the same time I felt bad for laughing at Claudette's expense. I really liked how she was willing to do all these things albeit grudgingly and didn't use her age as an excuse. It really makes one think how we take all these things for granted, such as knowing how to use a washing machine or knowing that towels can be washed. To see her change throughout the book was a real eye opener that I totally enjoyed.

Something I found very interesting about this book was that there was a character who is gay, has been gay for years, and stays gay throughout the book. His lifestyle is not described in any fashion other than stating that he is gay and that he has a partner. No statements are made derogatory towards him and he is treated with respect from other characters. By the end of the book, there are hints that he has begun to go to a church that accepts him for who he is and he is interesting in knowing more about God, the Bible and church. One other thing I did find hilarious was the phrase "sex toy" being used. I honestly think that's the first time I've read that in a Christian fiction book ever!

This book REALLY makes you think, not only about about how you view life, but how your life changes when you get older and when you need to learn to stop being so prideful and accept help. Claudette's story is a wonderful read, full of humor, happiness, tears and hurt. This book is one of the best I've read this year and one that everyone should read. VERY HIGHLY recommended.

Limelight by Melody Carlson is published by Multnomah (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Join the Christy Awards Challenge!

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:36:00 +0000

You know how I've been entering reading challenges throughout the year? Well, I've gone and created one of my own!

Amy of My Friend Amy and I have long since been fans of Christian fiction. And we're always eager to share with others about the genre. The problem is that many people who don't read the genre don't know where to start or have heard horrible stereotypes of the genre and refuse to read it. We've come up with a solution of sorts to this problem.

We want to showcase Christian fiction in a challenge and have decided to this this by focusing on books that have been deemed the best of the best of the genre. The Christy Awards Challenge will allow readers to either rediscover the best of Christian fiction or introduce new readers to a new genre. There are several different levels of reading to choose from and a HUGE list of books to choose for your reading pleasure.

Throughout the year, we will be sharing interviews and guest posts with you from nominated and winning authors. There will be giveaways throughout the year as well a huge package of 2009 award winning books to win if you sign up by November 15.

We would LOVE to have you join in on the fun!

Check out the challenge blog for full details!

Faith 'n Fiction Saturday

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:58:00 +0000

My Friend Amy, who brought us Book Blogger Appreciation Week has a new carnival in the works, the Faith 'n Fiction Saturday.

Each week she will post a blogging prompt, which participating bloggers will answer on their own blogs. Then they head back to the original post and sign Mister Linky! This way we can all come to know each other more closely.

Today's Discussion
Anne Rice became quite famous for her books about vampires but when she converted back to her Christian faith, she left her vampire stories behind much to the dismay of her fans. She felt there were no redemptive stories to tell about vampires. Meanwhile, Christian fiction has been releasing a few more books about vampires.

So my question for you today is...what do you think about these kinds of stories? Do you enjoy the fictional vampire stories or the fictional stories about angels? Are you more likely to read a story about an angel than a vampire? What do you think is the appeal of these books?

(For further reading see this interview with Tracey Bateman on Christian vampire books and this article where Anne Rice asserts angels are the new vampires)

My Response:

It's funny this question came up because I just finished my first two Christian vampire stories this week: Thirsty by Tracey Bateman and Field of Blood by Eric Wilson. I don't want to spoil the plots too much b/c I'll be posting reviews later on but I do want to say they were FANTASTIC. The only General Fiction book about vampires that I've read and sorta liked were the Twilight series but those have other issues besides vampires that I have trouble with.

I'm not too big a fan about stories about angels. The only series I REALLY liked with an angel was the Heavenly Daze series by Angela Hunt and Lori Copeland. The series was more like Mitford with guardian angels so it was more comfort reading and didn't really focus on spirituality. I think other than that book I don't really like reading books about angels because they are real and we don't really know anything about them other than they have supernatural powers. It's kind of scary when you think about it. I know that movies like Angels in the Outfield, The Preacher's Wife, or Michael portray angels as being quite human or that people who die become angels. But that's Hollywood talking and the image is quite wrong.

Ok back to the question. I'm more comfortable reading about vampires but only because these are two authors I trust and am already fans of their work. Since I don't really read this genre in general fiction, I would be choosy with new authors in this field. I think the appeal currently stems mainly from the fact that things like Twilight, True Blood, Vampire Diaries, etc are all really popular right now and the Christian publishing world wants to provide an alternative to that. It has the same feel but obviously shows who the bad and good guys are.

By the way, I still think someone needs to write about Amish vampires....you have the best of both worlds right there...

Book Review: "The Swiss Courier" by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

It is August 1944 and the Gestapo is mercilessly rounding up suspected enemies of the Third Reich. When Joseph Engel, a German physicist working on the atomic bomb, finds that he is actually a Jew, adopted by Christian parents, he must flee for his life to neutral Switzerland. Gabi Mueller is a young Swiss-American woman working for the newly formed American Office of Strategic Services (the forerunner to the CIA) close to Nazi Germany. When she is asked to risk her life to safely "courier" Engel out of Germany, the fate of the world rests in her hands. If she can lead him to safety, she can keep the Germans from developing nuclear capabilities. But in a time of traitors and uncertainty, whom can she trust along the way? This fast-paced, suspenseful novel takes readers along treacherous twists and turns during a fascinating--and deadly--time in history.

If you know me, then you know I'm a grad student majoring in history. If you know me really well, then you know I detest European history. Not that I have anything against those across the Atlantic, but I'm a US history buff and (minus British history) it's just hard for me to remember all those facts about Germany, Italy, France, etc. Therefore I usually avoid reading books about European countries because it just really doesn't interest me. However I do make exceptions when one of my favorite authors decides that most of her books will be set in Europe. Therefore I was totally geeked to read this new offering from Tricia and Mike.

If you've watched the movie Valkyrie, this book takes place right after the story ends. The best part of this book is that it takes a story that is not know to the average American reader. I tire of reading books based during WWII that used the same storyline and same events over and over again. I really liked Gabi's character because she's the strong, take charge type of female lead who doesn't wait for a guy to rescue her. Joseph's story is very interesting and brings to mind secret daring rescues. The characters are all multi dimensional and really bring the story to life because you can relate to them even if their situations are a lot more dangerous than ours. There's a lot of historical detail in the book but it's not like reading a history book. It's never boring or dry. You really get into the story and I was pleased with the outcome. If I ever decide to write a historical fiction novel, this would be the type of book I would want to write.

I really enjoyed reading this as I have every other of Tricia's books. This is another book that flows very smoothly and you can't tell when one author writes and when the other picks up. I felt that the combination of historical facts with the dramatic storyline blends well together. This book made me (gasp!) eager to learn more about the events that took place during this time period. One thing I did find interesting is that the war in the Pacific is never mentioned at all, probably due to the fact that war in Europe is so prevalent. It's interesting how it's like that part of the war was totally separated. Overall this is probably one of my favorite historical fiction books read this year, and definitely one of the best WWII books I've read in a long time. I would love to read more from this dynamic writing team. HIGHLY recommended.

The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey is published by Revell (2009)

This review copy was provided for a blog tour with Litfuse Publicity

CONTEST (and this includes CHOCOLATE!)
Pst...pass it on! Help Spread the word about #SwissCourier on Twitter and enter to win a signed copy & Swiss Chocolate!
Just tweet this: The Swiss Courier by @triciagoyer fast paced and suspenseful! Don't miss out! http://tr.im/Ahjs RT #swisscourier and we'll enter you into a drawing for 1 of 5 SIGNED copies of The Swiss Courier!

To see other reviews of the book on the blog tour click here.

Last Breath by Brandilyn and Amberly Collins

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Today's Wild Card author is:

Brandilyn & Amberly Collins

and the book:

Last Breath (Rayne Series #2)

Zondervan; 1 edition (October 1, 2009)

***Special thanks to Lindsey Rodarmer of ZONDERKIDZ for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brandilyn and Amberly Collins are a mother/daughter team from northern California. Brandilyn is a bestselling novelist, known for her trademarked "Seatbelt Suspense". Amberly is a college student in southern California. She and her mom love attending concerts together.

Visit the author's website.

Here's a video about the first book in the Rayne Series:

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Your father sent me.

The last words of a dying man, whispered in my ear.

Were they true? What did they mean?

Your father sent me. The stunning claim drilled through my head, louder than the crowd’s screams.

Guitars blasted the last chord of Rayne’s hit song, Ever Alone, as Mom’s voice echoed through the Pepsi Center in Denver. The heavy drum beat thumped in my chest. With a final smash of cymbals the rock song ended. Multicolored laser lights swept the stadium, signaling the thirty-minute intermission.

Wild shrieks from thousands of fans rang in my ears.

I rose from my chair backstage. Tiredly, I smiled at the famous Rayne O’Connor as she strode toward me on high red heels. In the lights her sequined top shimmered and her blonde hair shone. She walked with confidence and grace, the picture of a rock star—until she stepped from her fans’ sight. Then her posture slumped, weariness creasing her beautiful face. Mom’s intense blue eyes usually glimmered with the excitement of performing, but now I saw only the wash of grief and exhaustion. How she’d managed to perform tonight, I’d never know. Except that she’s strong. A real fighter.

Me? I had to keep fighting too, even if my legs still trembled and I’d probably have nightmares for weeks.

Your father sent me.

I had to find out what those words meant.

“You’re a very brave young lady,” a Denver detective had told me just a few hours ago. I didn’t feel brave then or now.

“You okay, Shaley?” Mom had to shout over the screams as she hugged me.

I nodded against her shoulder, hanging on tightly until she pulled back.

The crowd’s applause died down. A heavy hum of voices and footsteps filtered from the stadium as thousands of people headed for concessions and bathrooms during the break.

Kim, the band’s keyboard player and alto to my mom’s lead vocals, stopped to lay a darkly tanned hand on my head. A strand of her bleached white-blonde hair was stuck to the gloss on her pink lips. She brushed it away. “You’re an amazing sixteen-year-old.”

I shrugged, embarrassed. “Thanks.”

Mick and Wendell, Mom’s two remaining bodyguards, approached without a word. I gave a self-conscious smile to Wendell, and he nodded back, sadness flicking across his face. His deep-set eyes were clouded, and the long scar across his chin seemed harder, more shiny. At five-eleven, Wendell is short for a bodyguard but every bit as muscled. Tonight his two-inch black hair, usually gelled straight up, stuck out in various directions. He hadn’t bothered to fix it since the life and death chase he was involved in just a few hours ago. Seeing that messed-up hair sent a stab through me. Wendell was usually so finicky about it.

Mick, Mom’s main personal bodyguard, folded his huge arms and stood back, waiting. Mick is in his forties, ex-military and tall, with a thick neck and block-shaped head. I’ve rarely seen emotion on his face, but I saw glimpses of it now. He and Wendell had been good friends with Bruce, Mom’s third bodyguard.

Bruce had been killed hours ago. Shot.

And he’d been trying to guard me.

My vision blurred. I blinked hard and looked at the floor.

“Come on.” Mom nudged my arm. “We’re all meeting in my dressing room.”

Mick and Bruce flanked her as she walked away.

Usually we don’t have to be so careful backstage. It’s a heavily guarded area anyway. But tonight nothing was the same.

Kim and I followed Mom down a long hall to her dressing room. Morrey, Kim’s boyfriend and Rayne’s drummer, caught up with us. He put a tattoo-covered arm around Kim, her head only reaching his shoulders. Morrey looked at me and winked, but I saw no happiness in it.

Ross Blanke, the band’s tour production manager, hustled up alongside us, trailed by Stan, lead guitarist, and Rich, Rayne’s bass player. “Hey.” Ross put a pudgy hand on Mom’s shoulder. “You’re doing great.” He waved an arm, indicating everyone. “All of you, you’re just doing great.”

“You do what you have to,” Stan said grimly. His black face shone with sweat.

Narrowing single file, we trudged into the dressing room. Mick and Wendell took up places on each side of the door.

Marshall, the makeup and hair stylist, started handing out water bottles. In his thirties, Marshall has buggy eyes and curly dark hair. His fingers are long and narrow, deft with his makeup tools. But until two days ago, he’d been second to Mom’s main stylist, Tom.

“Thanks.” I took a bottle from Marshall and tried to smile. Didn’t work. Just looking at him sent pangs of grief through me, because his presence reminded me of Tom’s absence.

Tom, my closest friend on tour, had been murdered two days ago.

Mom, Ross, Rich and I sank down on the blue couch—one of the furniture pieces Mom requested in every dressing room. Denver’s version was extra large, with a high back and overstuffed arms. To our left stood a table with plenty of catered food, but no one was hungry. I’d hardly eaten in the last day and a half and knew I should have something. But no way, not now.

Maybe after the concert.

Stan, Morrey and Kim drew up chairs to form a haphazard circle.

“All right.” Ross sat with his short, fat legs apart, hands on his jeaned thighs. The huge diamond ring on his right hand was skewed to one side. He straightened it with his pinky finger. “I’ve checked outside past the guarded area. The zoo’s double what it usually is. The news has already hit and every reporter and his brother are waiting for us. Some paparazzi are already there, and others have probably hopped planes and will show up by the time we leave.”

Is Cat here? I shuddered at the thought of the slinky, effeminate photographer who’d bothered us so much in the last two days. He’d even pulled a fire alarm in our San Jose hotel the night before just to force us out of our rooms. Now by police order he wasn’t supposed to get within five hundred feet of us. I doubted he’d care.

My eyes burned, and my muscles felt like water. Little food, no sleep, and plenty of shock. Bad combination. I slumped down in the couch and laid my head back.

Ross ran a hand through his scraggly brown hair. “Now at intermission folks out there”—he jabbed a thumb toward the arena—“are gonna start hearing things. Rayne, you might want to say a little something when you get back on stage.”

Mom sighed, as if wondering where she’d find the energy to do the second half of the concert. “Yeah.”

I squeezed her knee. If only the two of us could hide from the world for a week or two.

Make that a whole year.

Rich frowned as he moved his shaved head from one side to the other, stretching his neck muscles. His piercing gray eyes landed on me, and his face softened. I looked away.

Everyone was so caring and concerned about me. I was grateful for that. Really, I was. But it’s a little hard to know you’ve been the cause of three deaths. Under all their smiles, did the band members blame me?

Ross scratched his hanging jowl. “We got extra coverage from Denver police at the hotel tonight. Tomorrow we’re supposed to head out for Albuquerque. It’s close enough for Vance to drive the main bus without a switch-off driver, and the next two venues are close enough as well. But that’s just logistics. We’ve all been through a lot. Question is—can you all keep performing?” He looked around, eyebrows raised.

“Man.” Morrey shook back his shoulder-length black hair. “If three deaths in two days isn’t enough to make us quit …” His full lips pressed.

I glanced hopefully at Mom. Yeah, let’s go home! I could sleep in my own bed, hide from the paparazzi and reporters, hang out with Brittany, my best friend—who was supposed to be here with me right now.

But canceling concerts would mean losing a lot of money. The Rayne tour was supposed to continue another four weeks.

Mom hunched forward, elbows on her knees and one hand to her cheek. Her long red fingernails matched the color of her lips. “I almost lost my daughter tonight.” Her voice was tight. “I don’t care if I never tour again—Shaley’s got to be protected, that’s the number one thing.”

I want you protected too, Mom.

“I agree with that a hundred percent,” Morrey said, “but at least the threat to Shaley is gone now that Jerry’s dead.

Jerry, one of our bus drivers—and a man I’d thought was my friend—killed Tom and Bruce, and then came after me earlier that night. A cop ended up shooting him.

Kim spread her hands. “I don’t know what to say. I’m still reeling. We’ve barely had time to talk about any of this tonight before getting on stage. I feel like my mind’s gonna explode. And Tom …”

She teared up, and that made me cry. Kim had been like a mother to Tom. Crazy, funny Tom. It was just so hard to believe he was gone.

I wiped my eyes and looked at my lap.

“Anyway.” Kim steadied her voice. “It’s so much to deal with. I don’t know how we’re going to keep up this pace for another month.”

Mom looked at Ross. “We can’t keep going very long with only Vance to drive the main bus.”

Ross nodded. “Until Thursday. I’d have to replace him by then.”

“With who?” Mom’s voice edged.

“I don’t know. I’ll have to jump on it.”

“You can’t just ‘jump on it.’ We need time to thoroughly check the new driver out.”

“Rayne.” Ross threw her a look. “I did check Jerry out. Completely. He had a false ID, remember? That’s what the police said. I couldn’t have known that.”

“You might have known if you’d checked harder.”

Ross’s face flushed. “I did—”

“No you didn’t! Or if you did it wasn’t good enough!” Mom pushed to her feet and paced a few steps. “Something’s mighty wrong if we can’t even find out a guy’s a convicted felon!”

What? I stiffened. “How do you know that?”

Mom waved a hand in the air. “The police told me just before we left the hotel.”

We’d huddled in the manager’s office after the policeman killed Jerry.

I stared at Mom. “When was he in jail?”

Mom threw a hard look at Ross. “He’d barely gotten out when we hired him.”

Heat flushed through my veins. I snapped my gaze toward the floor, Jerry’s last words ringing in my head.

Your father sent me.

How could my father have sent Jerry if he was in jail?

“Rayne,” Ross snapped, “I’ve told you I’m sorry a dozen times—”

“Sorry isn’t enough!” Mom whirled on him. “My daughter was taken hostage. She could have been killed!”

Rich jumped up and put his arms around her. “Come on, Rayne, it’s okay now.”

She leaned against him, eyes closed. The anger on her face melted into exhaustion. “It’s not okay.” Mom shook her head. “Tom’s dead, Bruce is dead. And Shaley—”

Her words broke off. Mom pulled away from Rich and hurried back to the couch. She sank down next to me, a hand on my knee. “Shaley, you’re the one who’s been through the most. What do you want to do?”

My throat nearly swelled shut. Go home! I wanted to yell. But I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be fair. This wasn’t my tour. I didn’t have to pay the bills.

I glanced around at all the band members. Morrey was holding Kim’s hand. Stan and Rich watched me, waiting. A canceled tour wouldn’t just affect them. Rayne had three back-up singers, one of them Carly, who’d been such a help to me. Plus all the techs and roadies. They’d all lose money.

Wait—maybe Mom would let me go home and stay with Brittany. Now that Tom’s and Bruce’s killer was dead …

“Shaley?” Mom tapped my leg.

“I don’t … I can’t stop the tour.”

Ross exhaled. “Rayne?”

Mom looked at the wall clock and pushed to her feet. “We can’t decide this now. It’s only fifteen minutes before we have to be back on stage. I still need to change.”

Stan stood. “I say we figure on doing Albuquerque, and then we can decide about the rest.”

“Yeah, me too.” Rich got up, along with everyone else. I could see the business-like attitude settle on all their faces, including Mom’s. Soon they had to perform again. Every other concern must be pushed aside. In the entertainment world the saying was true: the show must go on.

Within a minute everyone had left except Mom, Marshall and me. Mom threw herself into a chair by the bright mirrors so Marshall could adjust her makeup. When he left she changed into a steel blue top and skinny-legged black pants.

I sat numbly on the couch, four words running through my mind. Words, I sensed, that would change my life.

Your father sent me.

Mom didn’t know what Jerry had whispered to me as he died. I needed to tell her.

But how? Like me, she was running on empty. It would be one more shock, another scare. I wasn’t sure she could take anymore and still perform.

Had Jerry told me the truth? Had the father I’d never known—the man my mother refused to talk about—purposely sent a killer to join our tour?

I needed to know. I needed to find out. Because if it was true—the danger was far from over.

Shelf Discovery Challenge

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:39:00 +0000

Yep, I'm joining yet ANOTHER challenge. But the funny part is was that I was thinking about doing something with this book as well for a challenge but I wasn't really sure how to do it. So I'm really glad Julie from Bookingmama came up with this one!

Details:

The Shelf Discovery Challenge will run for six months (November 1, 2009 - April 30, 2010). To join me in this challenge, all you need to do is grab a copy of SHELF DISCOVERY and pick out what six books you want to read (of course, you can read more than six!) Then, after you read a book, just write a "book report" to share your thoughts with others!

Sign Up:

Grab the challenge button at the top of this page and write a post detailing what six Shelf Discovery books you are going to read within the next six months (you always have the option to change your original list -- I'm flexible like that!) If you don't already have the book, you can browse the table of contents here. Once you have posted your Shelf Discovery challenge post, come back to this post and click on Mr. Linky. Please leave your name and link directly to your introductory post (not just to your blog’s home page.) If you don’t have a blog, no worries -- you can just leave a comment on this post telling me you want to participate.

My List:

There are a whole bunch of books that I've read (and reread dozens of times to this day) on the list. But I decided to try out 6 books that I HAVEN'T read yet, to see why I missed out on them the first time around.

Sister of the Bride by Beverly Cleary
A Gift of Magic by Lois Duncan
Summer of Fear by Lois Duncan
Stranger With My Face by Lois Duncan
Down a Dark Hall by Lois Duncan
Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

As you can tell I like Lois Duncan. The thing was, I think I read the same books of hers over and over again and never gravitated to her other titles. Sister of the Bride is one of the few Beverly Cleary books I haven't read. And Understood Betsy was chosen at random (aka I opened up the book and found the first book I hadn't read yet). So here's to new classic reads!

Book Review: "The Spring of Candy Apples" by Debbie Viguie

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:50:00 +0000

It’s spring and Candace is busy working at the Zone’s Candy Counter while struggling to make decisions about her future. She’s been accepted to two different colleges, but family and friends are pressuring her to stay local. Her coworkers, however, are urging her to follow her God-given dreams no matter how far away they take her.

The Sweet Seasons series has been one of my favorite YA series from the time I picked up the first book. Debbie Viguie writes in a perfect teen voice and really gets you into the story. There's no label dropping and teens come across as very real. It's also one of the funniest and just plain enjoyable YA series that's out there. It's Christian YA but it's not preachy at all.

This book features Candace in her last season working at The Zone amusement park. She's been working there for almost a year and it's about time for her to leave not only the park but make plans to leave for college as well. This time the mission for the park's employees is to put on a talent show. While this may sound boring, the results definitely are not and it's a hoot watching Candace's group perfect their talent. And then of course, there are new things to discover about the The Zone which is always really exciting to read about. I think that these kids have the best job a high schooler could ever have.

I don't want to spoil the story about who Candace ends up with but let's just say I was super geeked and it was done absolutely perfect. Honestly I really can't find any fault with this book other than I'm really sad that this is the final book of the series. I've grown to love Candace and the gang at the Zone. I loved reading about their adventures in the park and seeing how the characters have grown and matured over the past year. I totally wish that The Zone amusement park existed in real life. It is pretty much the theme park of my dreams. If you're looking for some fun light YA reading, this series is definitely for you. HIGHLY recommended.

The Spring of Candy Apples by Debbie Viguie is published by Zondervan (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Book Review: "Plain Perfect" by Beth Wiseman

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

On the rolling plains of Lancaster County, PA., Lillian Miller is searching for her grandparents' house...and so much more. After years of neglect and abuse, she's turning to a lifestyle of simplicity among the Amish to find herself.

As she discards the distractions of her former life, she befriends the young boy working on her family's farm and his attractive widowed father, Samuel Stoltzfus. Despite Lillian's best efforts to the contrary, her feelings for Samuel--and his for her--deepen. Will Lillian find her faith in Plain living, or will she be forced to return to her former life?

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Lancaster County this past summer and finally got to experience what the Amish lifestyle really was about. It was wonderful to see all the books I've read come to life. I was able to fully appreciate and understand everything I had read about the culture. Therefore I was excited when I read this book because I recognized the settings because I had actually been there.

This story was really fun to read. I loved learning more about the culture and it was interesting to see Lillian change throughout the book. I felt that the Stoltzfus family were a bit less traditional than most other Old Order Amish families. They didn't seem as strict or condemning as other stories have portrayed families who have lost a child to the "outside world." I also remember reading that they had a recliner in the house. I guess I just had this feeling that the Amish only had wooden furniture and never pictured a lazy boy in the middle of the living room. I was glad that her grandparents did allow her to wear her jeans until she felt comfortable enough to wear Amish clothing. Also loved reading about the food because I absolutely love Amish food.

While I really liked this book, I did feel that it seemed to fall in the stereotype that everyone who comes in touch with the Amish suddenly wants to become one. It also bugged me a little that Lillian just assumed she's Amish because it's in her blood. While she may have Amish roots, she was raised "Englisch" so she's not Amish by choice. I wasn't really a fan of Samuel although I did like his son very much. He just came across as very standoffish to me.
Overall I really liked the author's style of writing. It was a very refreshing read and it made me eager to read the rest of the books in the series. This is one of those Amish books that I really liked. It doesn't feel like an agenda is being pushed at you. It's more comfort reading than escapist reading this time around.

Plain Perfect by Beth Wiseman is published by Thomas Nelson (2008)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Eye of the God by Ariel Alison

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0000

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
eye of the god
Abingdon Press (October 1, 2009)
by
Ariel Allison

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Allison is a published author who lives in a small Texas town with her husband and three young sons. She is the co-author of Daddy Do You Love Me: a Daughter’s Journey of Faith and Restoration (New Leaf Press, 2006). Justin Case, the first of three children’s books will be published by Harvest House in June 2009. Ariel is a weekly contributor to www.ChristianDevotions.us and has written for Today’s Christian Woman. She ponders on life as a mother of all boys at www.themoabclub.blogspot.com and on her thoughts as a redeemed dreamer at www.arielallison.blogspot.com.

From Ariel:
I am the daughter of an acclaimed and eccentric artist, and given my “unconventional” childhood, had ample time to explore the intricacies of story telling. I was raised at the top of the Rocky Mountains with no running water or electricity (think Laura Ingles meets the Hippie Movement), and lived out the books I read while running barefoot through the sagebrush. My mother read to me by the light of a kerosene lantern for well over a decade, long after I could devour an entire novel in the course of a day. Authors such as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, George MacDonald, and L.M. Montgomery were the first to capture my heart and I have
grown to love many others since.

ABOUT THE BOOK

eye of the god takes the fascinating history surrounding the Hope Diamond and weaves it together with a present-day plot to steal the jewel from the Smithsonian Institute.

We follow Alex and Isaac Weld, the most lucrative jewel thieves in the world, in their quest to steal the gem, which according to legend was once the eye of a Hindu idol named Rama Sita. When it was stolen in the 17th century, it is said that the idol cursed all those who would possess it. That won’t stop the brilliant and ruthless Weld brothers.

However, they are not prepared for Dr. Abigail Mitchell, the beautiful Smithsonian Director, who has her own connection to the Hope Diamond and a deadly secret to keep. Abby committed long ago that she would not serve a god made with human hands, and the “eye of the god” is no exception. Her desire is not for wealth, but for wisdom. She seeks not power, but restoration.

When the dust settles over the last great adventure of the Hope Diamond, readers will understand the “curse” that has haunted its legacy is nothing more than the greed of evil men who bring destruction upon themselves. No god chiseled from stone can direct the fates of humankind, nor can it change the course of God’s story.

If you would like to read the prologue and first chapter of eye of the god, go HERE

Book Review: "Wisdom Hunter" by Randall Arthur

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

This rerelease of Randall Arthur's bestselling novel presents the hypocrisy of Christian legalism and a man's search for the only surviving member of his family. The story's hero, Pastor Jason Faircloth, embarks on a journey that lasts eighteen years and takes him through four countries in a quest to find the granddaughter who is being hidden from him. In a process that mirrors our own spiritual journey, he discovers a rich relationship with God and the peace that finally comes with true faith.

Legalism in Christianity has always been such an interesting subject to me. This is just my personal opinion but I just always wonder where these rules came from and who decided that they were right. What's even more interesting is that a lot of times when someone describes Christianity, legalism rules are always brought up as the stereotype of the religion. This book brings up the topic and questions it and shows that it's not always the right way to follow. One topic that came up that I found extremely thought provoking was whether these rules were what God said, or whether this is just one person's personal views and opinions. This book started off extremely interesting. There's suspense and drama but it's balanced very well and the story is page turning. You don't know what's going to happen and, I sound sadistic, but it's quite moving to see Jason going from extreme legalistic pastor to a guy who has no idea what he wants or what to do.

Then about halfway through the book, it just went downhill. Story lines were never answered. Characters did complete 180s. The tone of the book became extremely preachy. First off, Corrina just disappears. There was so much of the book focused on her and the storyline is just dropped. I'm half convinced Jason invented her in his mind. Then that one scene involving the "bath powder" was just really unbelievable naive on Jason's part. The situation with Cody and Renee could have been handled a lot better in my opinion. I know the book takes place in the 70s so the laws that are effective now weren't as strict back then. However, the situations that take place just seem so over the top. It just makes me feel like the author was making it as dramatic as possible just to create effect. As for being preachy, there were parts of the book that felt like a sermon, mostly Jason's journal entries and the scenes with the church in Norway.

One thing that really bugged me was how the character of Yoma was portrayed. He's supposed to be a refugee from Burma who escaped after becoming a Christian and becomes a pastor. That's all fine, but the author has him speaking in third person all the time. This makes him sound like Yoda which is really annoying. He's the only Asian character in the whole book and it feels like a horrible stereotype. I even asked my Dad, who's from Burma, if anyone who immigrated from there spoke that way and he said no.

I just felt like this story could have been so much better. While legalism is a topic that is focused on heavily in the front of the book, it just dies away as the book progresses. There's too much drama that happens, I mean literally everything that could have possibly happen in a soap opera happens in this book. I mean rape, drugs, suicide, alcoholism, incest, you name it's in here. The problem is how it's presented. The target audience is blatantly at Christian readers. To be honest, if I were not a Christian and picked up this book, I would lose interest very quickly. The writing is not really top notch. However the book does present a good argument and I did appreciate the topics that were brought up. If you are interested in reading more about legalism in the Christian church this is a good book to pick up. It just could have been better for me.

Wisdom Hunter by Randall Arthur is published by Multnomah (2003)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Shadow Government by Grant Jeffrey

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Security cameras, surveillance of private financial transactions, radio frequency spy chips hidden in consumer products, eavesdropping on e-mail correspondence and phone calls, and Internet tracking. No one is protected, and privacy is a thing of the past.

An ultra-secret global elite, functioning as a very real shadow government, controls technology, finance, international law, world trade, political power, and vast military capabilities. These unnamed, unrivaled leaders answer to no earthly authority, and they won’t stop until they control the world.

In Shadow Government, prophecy expert Grant Jeffrey removes the screen that, up to now, has hidden the work of these diabolical agents. Jeffrey reveals the biblical description of Satan’s global conquest and identifies the tools of technology that the Antichrist will use to rule the world.

Readers will have their eyes opened to the real power that is working behind the scenes to destroy America and merge it into the coming global government. Armed with this knowledge, readers will be equipped to face spiritual darkness with the light of prophetic truth.

Grant R. Jeffrey is the internationally known prophecy researcher, Mideast expert, and author of Countdown to the Apocalypse, The New Temple and the Second Coming, The Next World War, and twenty other best-selling books. He is also the editor of the Prophecy Study Bible. His popular television program, Bible Prophecy Revealed, airs weekly on TBN. Jeffrey earned his master’s and PhD degrees from Louisiana Baptist University. He and his wife, Kaye, live in Toronto.

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Book Winner

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Congrats to the winner of Angels: A Pop Up Book (your email has been sent, please respond within a week)!

Vasilly

Book Review: "A Little Help From My Friends" by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:38:00 +0000

Zoe is used to being overlooked. As the youngest and shyest Miracle Girl, she was happy to fade into the background last year. But when she sheds her baby fat and shoots up four inches the summer before her junior year, everything changes. Now she's turning heads at school, and this new attention is beginning to strain her relationship with her sweet, serious boyfriend, Marcus. Pressure builds when Zoe's assigned partner for history class is Dean Foster--a handsome New York transplant who isn't afraid to show her how he feels. ..

Zoe's character has somehow always stood in the background for me in this series. It's probably because she's soft spoken and shy which made me not really notice her too much in the other books. The other three Miracle girls have such loud personalities that they tend to overpower Zoe. Therefore I was glad that she got her own book with her own storyline so we could focus on her because I think her life was really interesting. Her parents are unlike the other girls and it's always fun to read about having to struggle with feelings between two boys. I liked Dean a lot and I thought he was a good match for Zoe.

In addition to Zoe's story is another subplot about their mentor Ms. Moore. I found this story to be extremely interesting because it involves a situation that many teacher fear will happen to them, where they try to do a good deed and instead become punished for it. The girls' determination to prove justice is admirable and even more astounding is the source of the unexpected help that comes their way.

One thing I've always liked about Anne and May's books is how well the story flows together. With some books, it is very obvious that there are two authors, as character's personalities or POV's will change when the authors switch writing. This can be very distracting as you feel pulled away from the novel and can be a big jolt. Luckily you never experience this in their books which is a huge plus.

As I've said before in the past, I'm a HUGE fan of Anne and May's books. They really know how to write for teens and they do it so extremely well. The stories are relatable and down to earth, showcase Christians in the real world without being preachy, and are able to reach to two audiences at the same time. Every teen girl should read their books (and adults who like YA too as well!) because not only are they good stories, but they speak to you as well. I cannot wait for Riley's story to come out next year to round out the series. VERY Highly recommended.

A Little Help From My Friends by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt is published by Faithwords (2009)

This review copy was provided for a blog tour with the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.

24 Hour Readathon Post Recap

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:32:00 +0000

Somehow I totally omitted another book in my final totals. I blame it on lack of sleep.

Forget About It by Caprice Crane was read and finished throughout the night. I "forgot about it" in my totals.

So final totals should be 23 books and 7250 pages.

24 Hour Readathon Mini Challenge Final Meme

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:49:00 +0000

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? 4-5 am, I had to take a break and walk around, watch TV, eat, almost nearly gave up.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? books written in email format! ie. Holly's Inbox, The Boy series by Meg Cabot, The SAHM series by Meredith Efken. Seriously, they are addictive and you can't stop reading. Great for early morning hours!

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? none, it's great the way it is!

UPDATE 3:02 PM (when i'm a bit coherent) i was a bit disappointed that during the wee hours there weren't any mini challenges. i know that there were a bunch of us still up and the mini challenges were good to keep you from falling asleep while reading so the fact that there was nothing to do was a bit sad.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? twitter! great community to see all the tweets about it, and to see readathon trending!

5. How many books did you read? 22

6. What were the names of the books you read? Leaving Carolina by Tamara Leigh, The Elevator by Angela Hunt, Confessions of a Fat Girl by Liza Palmer, Why the Sky is Blue by Susan Meissner, Red and Lowering Sky by Lynn Morris, Ready to Wed by Melody Carlson, Seeing Me Naked by Liza Palmer, Love Finds You in Romeo, Colorado by Gwen Ford Faulkenberry, The Mother Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick, Love Finds You in Valentine, Nebraska by Irene Brand, Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas by Sandra D. Bricker, Princess Izzy and the E Street Shuffle by Beverly Bartlett, Sins of the Mother by Patricia Rushford, Love Finds You in Miracle, Kentucky by Andrea Boeshaar, Carpool Diem by Nancy Star, The Will of Wisteria by Denise Hildreth, Georgia on Her Mind by Rachel Hauck, Cyber Cinderella by Christina Hopkinson, Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham, Love Finds You In Sister, Oregon by Melody Carlson, Buried Sins by Marta Perry

7. Which book did you enjoy most? Holly's Inbox

8. Which did you enjoy least? I would have to say Red and Lowering Sky was a bit tough to get into.

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? N/A but thanks to all the cheerleaders! Loved all the comments, great motivation!

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? 99.9% sure i will as a reader again! (unless future schedules don't allow for it :(