Books, Movies, and Chinese Food

The Nancy Drew Challenge

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:53:00 +0000

This is a very personal reading challenge for myself. I have tried EVERY year for the past 15 years (I honestly kid you not) to try to read every one of the original 56 Yellow Spine Nancy Drew books. But every year other obligations or loss of interest cause me to stop after a few books. However I have determined that 2010 is the year I will finally accomplish a goal that has plagued me over half my life.

While there are other types of Nancy Drew books out there (Files, Notebooks, Clue Crew, On Campus, River Heights, Girl Detective, Supermysteries with Hardy Boys), I am going to focus on the original Nancy Drew Mystery stories. I have tried reading the original versions from the 1930s, but I just could not get into the language. Therefore this challenge will be spotlighting the revised Yellow Spined hardback books that were reprinted and are universally recognized when you think Nancy Drew. The books for this challenge will be 1-56 (The Secret of the Old Clock to The Thirteenth Pearl).

Example of Yellow Hardback:

Goal: To read Books 1-56 in the Nancy Drew series that have the yellow spines in 2010. A list of the books can be found here http://www.nancydrewsleuth.com/mysterystories.html

I realize that 56 books sound like a lot, but Nancy Drew books are really quick reads...and there are pictures!

FAQ (thanks to S.Krishna's Books for this tip)

What are the dates for the challenge?
The dates for the challenge are January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010.

Are audiobooks and ebooks allowed?
Yes! Any format will be allowed for this challenge.

Can I read any version of Nancy Drew books?
For this challenge, only the yellow hardback versions will be counted.

What if I've already read some of the books? Do I have to reread? Can I skip those? Re-reads can count. If you've already read some and want to skip to those you haven't read, that is allowed as well. The goal is to be able to say you've read ALL the books.

Do I have to write any reviews?
Reviews are not required.

Is there an age restriction for this challenge?
Nope! Anyone any age can join! Whether you've been reading Nancy Drew for years or are just starting to discover the books.

Can these books be used for other challenges?
These books can be used as crossovers in other challenges.

What if I don't have a blog? Can I still participate?
Yes! leave a comment on this post with the information for the challenge, along with an e-mail address. Use the link to the comment (hover over the date/time of the comment and copy that link) as your URL for Mr. Linky. (Borrowed with permission from S.Krishna's Books)

Please sign up in the Mr. Linky below with your post for the challenge. Please link directly to your post page and NOT your main blog page.

Shelf Discover Challenge Report: Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

For all of her nine years, fragile Elizabeth Ann has heard her Aunt Frances refer in whispers to her "horrid Putney cousins." But when her aunt can no longer care for her, Elizabeth Ann must leave her sheltered life to live in the wilds of Vermont with those distant relatives.

In the beginning, Elizabeth Ann is shocked by country living--pets are allowed to sleep in the house and children are expected to do chores! But with country living comes independence and responsibility, and in time, Elizabeth Ann finds herself making friends and enjoying her new family. When the year is up and Aunt Frances comes to get her niece, she finds a healthier, prouder girl with a new name--Betsy--and a new outlook on life.

I will admit, even though this book is touted as being really famous and a landmark in children's literature, I had never heard of it before I picked up Shelf Discover. The reason how I picked up this book was that I randomly opened the book and chose the book the pages landed on. This happened to be the lucky one. This book is an oldie (orginally pubilshed in 1912) but it's a goodie.

This story takes place in the early 20th century. Betsy has been raised by two aunts who treat her well but raised her to quite prim and proper. She has never really done anything for herself and has grown up being treated more like an old lady than a little girl. Betsy however is not spoiled. She just hasn't had a chance to really enjoy her life. One of her aunts becomes ill so she's moved to another house with distant relatives. While there she discovers there's more to life and learns to do chores, take care of herself, and run around and be a kid. One of my favorite scenes was Betsy learning that she could eat as much as she wanted. Previously in her old home she had only been allotted one small share of the quart of cream, but here she could have all she wanted. She was shocked and amazed that this was possible. The entire book is filled with stories like that, Betsy discovering how much more to life it was with her new family.

Even though this isn't a prairie story a la Little House, it still reminded me very much of that lifestyle. It's a simpler time that doesn't depend on gadgets or fancy do dads to get the story across. I was also reminded very much of Caddie Woodlawn with how the story was told with each chapter being a potential separate story. The only thing I thought a bit weird was that Betsy is never referred to as Betsy in the book, she's always called and mentioned as Elizabeth Ann.

I would recommend this book for middle grade girls who like stories about girls their age and the time period. It's a really good comfort read as well for adults.

Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana by Tricia Goyer and Ocienna Fleiss

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:25:00 +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 authors are:

Tricia Goyer
and
Ocieanna Fleiss

and the book:

Love Finds You In Lonesome Prairie, Montana

Summerside Press (December 1, 2009)

***Special thanks to Amy Lathrop of LitFUSE Publicity Group for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tricia Goyer was named Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference "Writer of the Year" in 2003. Her book Night Song won Book of the Year from ACFW in the Long Historical Fiction category. Her book Life Interrupted: The Scoop On Being a Young Mom was a Gold Medallion Finalist. Tricia has written hundreds of articles, Bible Study notes, and both fiction and non-fiction books.

Visit the author's website.

Ocieanna Fleissis a published writer and has edited six of Tricia Goyer's historical novels. She lives with her husband and their four children in the Seattle area. Connect with Ocieanna on Facebook!

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

The sound of little girls’ voices and the sight of the sun streaming through the tall, second-story window of the Open Door Home for Destitute Girls, a privately owned orphanage on upper Manhattan, told nineteen-year-old Julia Cavanaugh that the day had started without her. Julia, an orphan herself, now running the place for the owner, brushed a strand of dark hair from her eyes. She submitted to a second yawn as a twelve-year-old girl hopped onto her bed.

“He’s gonna ask her to marry him, don’t you think, Miss Cavanaugh?”

“Oh, Shelby.” Julia wiped the sleep from her eyes and smiled into the freckled face staring eagerly at her. “Give me a moment to wake before you go asking such things.” Julia stroked the girl’s cheek, her heart seeming to double within her chest with love for the youngster.

The embroidery sampler she’d fallen asleep working on still lay at the end of her bed. She picked it up and eyed the image of a small house she’d copied from Godey’s Lady’s Book. Above the house, she’d stitched the words Home Sweet Home in fancy script. Gazing around the broad room lined with small metal cots and bustling with little-girl chatter, Julia noted the embroidered pillowslips, carefully pressed—albeit dingy—curtains, and dandelions smiling from scavenged jam-jar vases. She’d done her best to make the room pleasant for the girls—and herself. She glanced at their faces and smiled, gladly embracing her role as caretaker.

A less-than-subtle “ahem” from Shelby reminded Julia she’d been asked a question. She glanced at her young charge, still perched on the end of her bed. “What did you ask?”

“Finally.” Shelby eyed her with mock frustration. “I said, do you think they will get married—Mrs. Hamlin and Mr. Gaffin? Haven’t you noticed the way they look at each other?” Shelby’s cheeks hinted of red. Her golden hair was already fixed in a proper bun, her hands and face washed, and her simple dress clean and pressed despite its patches and stray threads.

“Shelby Bruce.” Julia shook her head, as Shelby’s two-year-old sister Beatrice wiggled onto Julia’s lap with a squeal. Julia planted a firm kiss on the top of Bea’s head.

“Married? I don’t think so,” Julia continued. “Mrs. Hamlin would’ve told us—told me—if she was being courted. Mr. Gaffin’s just an old family friend.” Julia wondered where on earth the girl got the notion that their headmistress wished to marry.

Although they have been spending a lot of time together. Julia pushed the thought out of her mind as little Bea shuffled to a stand, planting her pint-sized feet on Julia’s thighs. “Fammy fend!” She pointed a chubby finger at her older sister, Shelby.

“All right, Bea.” Julia plopped the toddler on the floor and swiveled her toward the small bed she shared with Shelby. “Time to straighten your bed.” Then Julia eyed the twins. “Charity, Grace, would you two virtuous girls fetch fresh water for the basin?”

Shelby pushed away from the bed, wrinkled her brow, and thrust her hand behind her as if to support her back—a perfect imitation of their middle-aged headmistress. “Now where did I put my spectacles?” Shelby clucked her tongue as she waddled forward.

Laughter spilled from the lips of the girls around the room. Encouraged, Shelby scratched her head. She plopped down on her bed then hopped up again as if surprised, pulling imaginary spectacles from under her rump. “Oh!” she squealed. “There they are.”

The laughter grew louder, and Julia pursed her lips together to smother the impulse to laugh along with them. She planted her fists on her hips. “That’s enough. All of you know what must be done before breakfast.” The girls’ laughter quieted to soft giggles hidden behind cupped palms as they scattered to do their chores.

Shelby lingered behind, her form now straight and her eyes pensive. “Maybe she forgot to tell you, Miss Cavanaugh.” The young girl gazed up at her. “The way they look at each other—it’s like my ma and pa used to, that’s all.”

Julia folded a stray sandy blond curl behind the girl’s ear. “Don’t worry, my sweet. If Mrs. Hamlin was getting married, we’d be the first to know.”

Julia hoped her own gaze didn’t reflect the sinking disquiet that draped her. Mr. Gaffin was a rich world traveler. If there was any truth to Shelby’s suspicion, Julia couldn’t imagine he’d let Mrs. Hamlin continue to work with orphans. Perhaps they’d get a new headmistress.

Or maybe the girls would be separated, moved to new homes…

If Mrs. Hamlin got married, all their lives would be radically changed. And if Julia had to leave the orphanage, she had no idea what she would do. Julia swept that painful thought away and steadied her gaze at Shelby. She couldn’t hide her true feelings from this girl. Julia took Shelby’s hand and answered as honestly as she could.

“I don’t think she’ll get married, but if she does, God will take care of us, like He always has.” Julia lifted her chin in a smile. “And really, Mrs. Hamlin may be forgetful, but no one could forget that. I sure wouldn’t.”

Ardy, a shy Swedish girl, removed her dirty sheets from a small bed and then approached, taking Julia’s hand. “Don’t ya think you’ll ever be gettin’ married?”

“Actually, there is something I’ve been wanting to tell you all….” Julia leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees.

The two girls eyed each other in surprise, and Shelby’s brow furrowed.

“Come closer.” Julia curled a finger, bidding them.

“What is it?” Shelby asked, her eyes glued to Julia.

The girls leaned in. “I’d like to tell you…that there’s a wonderful man who’s asked me to marry him!”

The squeals of two girls erupted, followed by the cheers of nearly three dozen others who’d been quietly listening from the stairwell.

“There is?” Shelby reached forward and squeezed Julia’s hand.

Julia let out a hefty sigh and giggled. “No, you sillies. Well, at least not yet. Someday. Maybe.”

Shelby pouted “But you said… ”

“I said I’d like to tell you I had a man. I’d sure like to, but of course since I don’t, I’m happy to stay here with all of you.”

The girls moaned.

The squeak of the front door down on the first floor of the Revolutionary War–era home-turned-orphanage drew their attention. They waited as Mrs. Hamlin’s familiar chortle filled the air, along with a bash and clang of items—hopefully food and supplies that she’d picked up.

“Julia!” Mrs. Hamlin yelped. “Julia, dear, where are you?”

“Coming.” Julia hurried down the stairs to help the older woman.

Julia neared the bottom of the steps and paused, trying to stifle a laugh at the sight of the twinkly-eyed woman sprawled flat on her back. Scattered boxes and bags covered the donated rug.

“Mrs. Hamlin! What on earth? Why didn’t you get a steward to help you?”

“Oh, I didn’t want to be a bother.” She cheerfully picked herself up. “I was in such a hurry to show you all what I’d bought. And to tell you my surprise. Such a wonderful surprise.” Julia eyed the boxes and noted they were from R.H. Macy & Co. More than a dozen boxes waited to be opened, and she couldn’t imagine the cost.

“I found just what the girls need, and on sale!” the headmistress exclaimed.

What they need is more food—vitamin drops, too—and maybe a few new schoolbooks. But Julia didn’t dare say it. And somehow God’s hand of providence always provided.

“New clothes, I gather. That is a surprise.”

“But only half of it, dear.” Mrs. Hamlin rubbed her palms expectantly. “I also must tell you my news. The best news an old widow could hope for.”

Julia followed Mrs. Hamlin’s gaze toward the idle youngsters who’d gathered on the staircase to watch. Her eyes locked with Shelby’s, then she quickly looked away. “News?” The muscles in Julia’s stomach tightened.

“Girls,” Julia shooed them away with a wave of her hand, “you know better than to eavesdrop. Off to chores with you. We’ll have breakfast soon.”

The girls started to scurry off, but Mrs. Hamlin halted them with her words.

“No, no,” her high-pitched voice hailed. “Come back. This news is for all of you.” They circled around her, and she tenderly patted their bobbing heads.

“What is it?” Julia wasn’t sure she’d ever seen Mrs. Hamlin’s cheeks so rosy or her eyes so bright.

“I’m getting married!”

Christmas Present Time!

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:05:00 +0000

It's about that time! Are you looking around for presents to get for the holiday season? Well make sure you stop by Keepsakes, Etc.'s website. They are an online store retailing in theme throws and wall decor.

Among their products include photo throw Blankets, Custom Designed Throws, Blanket Throws, Mink Faux Fur Blankets, Wall Tapestry, Wall Tapestry Hangings, personalized throw blankets, Fleece Blankets, Furniture Throws, College Stadium Blankets, tapestry throw pillows and College bedding. There are over 2500 gift items available on their website.

I received a Christmas throw blanket for gratis and let me tell you it's really nice. I chose the Thomas Kinkade Christmas throw blanket.

My mother is a HUGE fan of Thomas Kinkade (you should see the house) and I also like his paintings as well. It's really pretty and quite warm and snuggly (and HUGE!) as evidenced by this picture here:

You can get your gift monogrammed as I did which I was really geeked to do as it's our first item that says our married name on it. So we got a little giddy when we opened up the package and saw it. The package shipped really fast and came well packaged.

There are tons of other throw blankets on the site as well as many other gifts. I'm really happy with what I picked and am looking to see if I'll be ordering more for other presents! Be sure to also check out Simply Bags as well!

Thanks to Keepsakes' Etc for providing this product.

2010 100+ Reading Challenge

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:49:00 +0000

Ok, this is a total no brainer for me so i HAD to join this one. I've decided to join a few challenges this upcoming year. I figure, I'm going to be reading these books anyways so why not?

This challenge, hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog, is to read 100+ books during 2009. This is a great challenge for me as I have, as of today, read 491 books for 2009. Yeah, I know. But believe me, I am definately NOT going to be reading that many next year! Even so, I think I can still crank out 200, so 200 is once again going to be my goal for next year. I chose that number because I am shooting for 100 at least for library books alone so I figure the other 100 will either be review books or books I own.

To sign up for the challenge, go here.

To see other challenges I'm participating in, go here

I will be adding to this post as the year goes by with the books I have read.

2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Another challenge, I can't resist! It's that time of year again and I've decided to join a few challenges this upcoming year. I figure, I'm going to be reading these books anyways so why not?

This challenge, hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog, is to read YA books for 2010. I love YA so why wouldn't I do this challenge?

There are four levels:

--The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.

--Just My Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 25 Young Adult novels.

--Stepping It Up YA Reading Challenge – Read 50 Young Adult novels.

--Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge – Read 75 Young Adult novels

I'm going to go with the Super Size Me option. Surely I can find 75 YA books! If you want to join in on the fun click here to sign up.

To see other challenges I'm participating in, go here

I will be adding to this post as the year goes by with the books I have read.

Book Review: "Green" by Ted Dekker

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

At Last . . . The Circle Reborn The story of how Thomas Hunter first entered the Black Forest and forever changed our history began at a time when armies were gathered for a final battle in the valley of Migdon. Green is a story of love, betrayal, and sweeping reversals set within the apocalypse. It is the beginning: the truth behind a saga that has captured the imagination of more than a million readers with the Books of History Chronicles.But even more, Green brings full meaning to the Circle Series as a whole, reading as both prequel to Black and sequel to White, completing a full circle. This is Book Zero, the Circle Reborn, both the beginning and the end. The preferred starting point for new readers . . . and the perfect climax for the countless fans who've experienced Black, Red, and White.

I think Ted Dekker is one of the most brilliant authors out there today, Christian or general fiction. I have enjoyed every single one of his books and have been amazed at how he takes a story and creates a whole new world with words. The stories really take you into the story and are able to make the outside world disappear. The Books of Histories Chronicles has been absolutely amazing. This is due the fact that an entire world has been created through several books even when you think the books have absolutely nothing to do with that world. Also if you think that Christian fiction is boring and only aimed at women, you HAVE to read the Circle trilogy. It will blow your mind away.

Green takes you back into the trilogy, pretty much starting right where White ended. Without spoiling the story, familiar characters are revisited, new characters are introduced, battles take place and evil tries to reign over all. That's pretty much the basic plot of the story. We meet up again with Thomas Hunter in the future and then his sister and their friends in the present time. The story shifts back and forth but it isn't confusing especially if you've read the past books. Even though I'm not a big fantasy fan, I really enjoy this series, mainly due to how in depth the characters are portrayed. The battle scenes are written very well as I could feel myself thrown into the action. The twist at the end was quite interesting though at the same time, I feel it was kind of a cop out. I guess how many times does this happen if it's a circle.

The book keeps saying that you can start with this book, even if you've never read the previous Circle books before. I have to disagree with that. I really feel as if you HAVE to read Black, Red and White BEFORE reading Green to really grasp everything. It just feels like Green plops you in the middle/end of the story and there are people, places and even terminology that are never explained in this book but are in the other books. It's kind of like watching Revenge of the Sith before you watch Empire Strikes Back or even Phantom Menace. You COULD start there but you'd be horribly confused. I think even if you've read the books but it's been awhile you could still get confused. Luckily for me, I had just read the books (for the first time) a few weeks ago, so I was still up to date.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and the entire series for that matter. Unanswered questions were finally answered and it was nice to see everything tied together. Other than the blip I mentioned before, this book was outstanding and would definitely recommend the book to both Dekker fans and newbies to Christian fiction.

Green by Ted Dekker is published by Thomas Nelson (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

2010 Library Reading Challenge

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:28:00 +0000

Wee hooo. It's that time of year again and I've decided to join a few challenges this upcoming year. I figure, I'm going to be reading these books anyways so why not?

This challenge, hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog, is reading to support your local library. And we all know what a HUGE fan of the library I am. Who needs a bookstore when you can get books for free from the library?

You can chose from four options:

--The Mini – Check out and read 25 library books.

--Just My Size – Check out and read 50 library books.

--Stepping It Up – Check out and read 75 library books.

--Super Size Me – Check out and read 100 library books.

I'm going to go for the max and say that I challenge myself to read 100 books from the library in 2010. This year I read, 50 like it's nobody's business so I should have no problems doing 100!

To see other challenges I'm participating in, go here

I will be adding to this post as the year goes by with the books I have read.

Book Review: "Leah's Choice" by Marta Perry

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Amish schoolteacher Leah Beiler is content nurturing her young "scholars" and helping out on her large family's Pennsylvania farm in Pleasant Valley. She has long since recovered from the defection of her former fiance Johnny Kile, who left the Amish community several years ago. But now Johnny has returned. Working at a local medical clinic on research into inherited diseases common among the Amish, he asks for Leah's help in circumventing his "shunned" status and reuniting him with his family, in particular with his twin, Rachel, who is also Leah's best friend. Johnny also encourages Leah to help out at the clinic, working as a liaison with the Amish community. Is Johnny secretly hoping to convince Leah to leave the community and join him in an "English" life together?

This book is one of few Amish books that I think really gets it. By it, I mean it allows the reader to enter the Amish world, yet does not try to push Amish beliefs on them, does not paint the Amish lifestyle as ideal or makes the world feel as if you're living in a bubble. I really enjoyed this book for the realistic way the Amish and the English worlds are portrayed.

This book talked a lot about subjects that I have never read in Amish fiction before. The one that stood out the most was the medical issues. This book mentioned a great deal about birth defects and other medical problems that stem from communities that continue to live in close proximity and only marry within that community. This is something I have never read in any other Amish book I have picked up and is a topic that I have always wondered about due to the circumstances of who someone can marry. Therefore kudos to Marta Perry for bringing this up. It may be a sore subject that no one wants to talk about but to deny that it exists because it makes the community look not so ideal is not helping anyone either. Honestly I feel like other authors don't bring it up because it breaks the bubble of the image that they are trying to portray of making Amish lifestyle appealing.

I thought I was going to have problems with Daniel due to comments he made early in the book but after finding out about his background, I understood him a lot better. His family's past was unique to the typical Amish storyline and even more so by the way he handled the situation. As for Johnny, I really liked the way his storyline played out. Everyone (for the most part) ends up where they want to be.

Honestly this is one of the most refreshing Amish novels I have ever read. I didn't feel as if this book was unrealistically portrayed and the outside world is seen in a positive light for once. If the rest of the series continues to be written in the same manner and tackles difficult but necessary subjects, it might possibly rank as one of my favorite Amish books. That being said, if you want a dose of reality with your Amish fiction, pick up this book.

Leah's Choice by Marta Perry is published by Berkley (2009)

This review copy was provided by the Amazon Vine program

Book Review: "Jillian Dare" by Melanie Jeschke

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Jillian Dare leaves her Shenandoah Valley foster home behind and strikes out on her own as a nanny at a large country estate in northern Virginia. She is delighted with the beauty of her new home, the affection of her young charge Cadence Remington, and the opportunity for frequent travel to the Remington castle in England. She is less certain about her feelings for her handsome but moody employer, Ethan. In spite of herself, Jillian realizes she is falling for her boss. But how can a humble girl ever hope to win a wealthy man of the world? And what dark secrets from the past is he hiding?

I will admit that I have not actually read the original version of Jane Eyre. I have however watched several movie versions, including my favorite starring Timothy Dalton as Rochester. Therefore I remember the original storyline even if parts might be a bit fuzzy. This tale is a modern updated version of Jane Eyre. In place of Jane, we have Jillian a 20 year old nanny who has been hired to take care of the daughter of Ethan Remington, a famous movie producer. Jillian is a very humble character who takes delight in her job and her new way of living while at the same time starting to feel affection for her employer. I really liked the scenes that took place in England. I love the castle and enjoyed exploring it with Jillian. I could almost see myself there and would have loved to have spent more time in that setting.

The scenes in Virginia were exciting too but that was mainly due to the fact that I live in the same area as the story. It's always nice to read books that take place in my area and I can identify the places and locations. However, one quick qualm that a member of my book club pointed out: Jillian and her entourage go out to Tyson's Corner to go shopping. Where they live though, Tyson's would be extremely far and out of the way to go, and really wouldn't be the best place to shop. At the most, it would be an all day event and not the quick trip taken in the book. I liked Jillian's character. She just came across as very down to earth to me. She's not meek like Jane's character was yet she's not brash or outspoken. She was portrayed very well and I felt her character to be good for the story.

I felt that there were several conflicting issues throughout the book though. I felt that Ethan acted way older than his actual age. The explanation might be because he's British, but my argument would be that Jude Law is mentioned in this book and is the exact same age as Ethan. Jude is also British but he doesn't act stuff or old fashioned like Ethan does. I mean the way Ethan would talk sometimes just made me picture a 50 year old man. At the end scene at the hospital, the dialogue between Ethan and Jillian had me cringing because at how dated the conversation sounded. I also did not like John's character at all. After talking with other members of my book club, we discussed how his character vs. St. John in Jane Eyre acted totally different. John represents the stereotypical, preachy, condescending Christian that I hate reading about. Everything he did just got on my nerves. Also the fact that he wanted to marry his foster sister (warning bells!) but doesn't love her pretty much goes against everything he's supposed to believe in. I guess I was just really confused as to why John's Christianity comes off so strong because the rest of the story is meek and mild compared to him. While Jillian is a Christian, she doesn't feel the need to preach at everyone she comes in contact with. Therefore John seems to be a bad guy who wants it to be his way or no way at all.

Overall, while I enjoyed the story, I guess I just realize I'm not really a fan of modern adaptations. For this book, it comes from the fact that the characters acknowledge Jane Austen but either Bronte's story doesn't appear to exist or the characters just don't see that their lives are exactly parallel to Jane Eyre. I think the story best stands by itself and not as a modern adaptation. It does make for an interesting read and I look forward to going back and reading Melanie's previous books.

Jillian Dare by Melanie Jeschke is published by Revell (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Book Review: "The Secret of Joy" by Melissa Senate

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

As 28 year old New York paralegal Rebecca Strand's widowed father lays dying, he confesses a secret: he had an affair 26 years earlier when Rebecca was just a toddler. Now he wants Rebecca to deliver the secret stash of letters he wrote, but never mailed, to the daughter he fathered. Rebecca's lawyer boyfriend, Michael, is adamant that she forget the woman exists. He's sure the woman will be an opportunist who will demand half of Rebecca's father's million-dollar estate. But Rebecca, now without any family in the world, can't help but wonder about her one living relative. With her relationship with Michael in tatters, Rebecca drives from New York City to Maine to find Joy Jayhawk, who operates a Weekend Singles Tour service out of an orange mini-van that her regulars dub "The Love Bus." Enter a cast of lovable, colorful characters, from Joy's eccentric mother to the singles on The Love Bus, and a sexy carpenter for whom Rebecca finds herself unexpectedly falling in love...

Melissa Senate has always been one of my favorite chick lit authors. I loved all her books that she wrote for the Red Dress Ink line and was excited to hear that she had another one coming out. As soon as I started reading this one, I knew I'd love it as well. The story is really easy to get into and I couldn't stop reading as soon as I started. The setting is wonderful as you go from the hectic lifestyle of New York to the calm tranquility of Maine. It really made me want to go up and visit one day. The idea of singles tours and running an entire weekend tour event like Joy did seems like such an interesting job.

The characters are all very engaging and multidimensional. What I actually liked best were the secondary characters such as the Divorced Ladies Club. I felt that they could have had a book all to themselves! I felt extremely bad for Ella. She kept trying and trying to make her marriage work and her husband pretty much is acting like a baby. It just pained me to see him treat her like crap and then expect her to accept it. Even when confronted, his excuses are just flimsy and pathetic. It's really sad that there are guys out there who think like that and aren't able to commit.

Rebecca's and Joy's story brought feelings of warmth and uncomfortableness throughout the entire book. I felt that Rebecca could have handled things a little bit better with Joy. I understand her excitement and concern over finding out she has a sister. However, I don't think she really thought the whole situation over. She imagines that Joy would welcome her with open arms as soon as she hears the news. She doesn't think about the other reactions her words would cause. Rebecca is not very tactful at all either. I wanted to jump in the story and be like "Come on, THINK!!!" I'm not excusing Joy's brusque behavior but at the same time I could totally understand why she kept treating Rebecca in that way. At the same time, sisters are always exciting and it's a bond that's one of the closest you'll ever have.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, but keeps you thinking as you read. It's not just a sister story, it's a relationship story. Marriage issues, family issues, and just relationships overall are discussed throughout the book. There are also discussion questions and an interview with the author included at the end of the story to help keep the conversation going about the story. There is some language and a little bit of sex but both are not main factors in the story. If you're a fan of chick lit, you'll really enjoy this one. I can't wait for Melissa's next book!

The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate is published by Downtown Press (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Touched by a Vampire by Beth Felker Jones

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000

People around the world are asking the same question, enraptured with Edward and Bella’s forbidden romance in the Twilight Saga, a four-book serial phenomenon written by Stephenie Meyer. The bestsellers tell the story of a regular girl’s relationship with a vampire who has chosen to follow his “good” side. But the Saga isn’t just another fantasy–it’s teaching girls about love, sex, and purpose. With 48 million copies in print and a succession of upcoming blockbuster films, now is the time to ask the important question: Can vampires teach us about God’s plan for love?

Touched by a Vampire is the first book to investigate the themes of the Twilight Saga from a Biblical perspective. Some Christian readers have praised moral principles illustrated in the story, such as premarital sexual abstinence, which align with Meyer’s Mormon beliefs. But ultimately, Beth Felker Jones examines whether the story’s redemptive qualities outshine its darkness.

Cautionary, thoughtful, and challenging, Touched by a Vampire is written for Twilight fans, parents, teachers, and pop culture enthusiasts. It includes an overview of the series for those unfamiliar with the storyline and a discussion guide for small groups.

Christy Awards Challenge

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:48:00 +0000

Heh, I suppose since I'm running the challenge I better post up what books I'm going to read.

Anywho, I'm doing the perpetual challenge and reading ALL the books that have been nominated and there's no time limit for me. I've read a good chunk, but apparently not as many as I thought seeing as how I still have a bunch left per below. Getting some of these will be hard as some are OOP. But it will be good for me because some of these are genres I normally don't read.

I wonder how long it will take me to read them all....

For more information about the challenge go here.

These are all the books I haven't read yet, books I have already read, I've taken out. Books will be crossed out when read.

Christy Nominated and Awarded Books

2000

Contemporary

Romey's Place by James Calvin Schapp

International Historical

Out of the Red Shadow by Anne de Graaf - WINNER
The Power and the Glory by Clint Kelly
Triump of the Soul by Michael R. Joens

North American Historical

The Dark Sun Also Rises by Denise Williamson
For Whom the Star Shines by Linda Chaikin

Romance

Whispers from Yesterday by Robin Lee Hatcher – WINNER
Blue Mist on the Danube by Doris Elaine Fell
Surrender of the Heart by Sally John

Suspense

Final Witness by James Scott Bell – WINNER
The Chairman by Harry Kraus
A Ship Possessed by Alton Gansky

2001

Contemporary

Home to Harmony by Phillip Gulley – WINNER
The Trial by Robert Whitlow
The Book of Hours by T. Davis Bunn
Bookends by Liz Curtis Higgs

Futuristic

Transgression by Randall Ingermanson – WINNER
Eli by Bill Myers

International Historical

The Black Rood by Stephen Lawhead

North American Historical

Reaping the Whirlwind by Rosey Dow
Passing by Samaria by Sharon Ewell Foster

Romance

A Touch of Betrayal by Catherine Palmer - WINNER
Awakening Mercy by Angela Benson

Suspense

The Great Divide by T. Davis Bunn - WINNER
Blind Justice by James Scott Bell
Lethal Harvest by William Cutrer and Sandra Glahn

First Novel

Passing by Samaria by Sharon Ewell Foster - WINNER
Refiner's Fire by Sylvia Bambola

2002

Contemporary

Ain't No River by Sharon Ewell Foster
Carly's Song by Patricia Sprinkle

Futuristic

Oxygen by Randall Ingermanson and John Olson - WINNER
The Last Guardian by Shane Johnson

International Historical

While Mortals Sleep by John Cavanaugh – WINNER
Jerusalem's Heart by Bodie and Brock Thoene
Riona by Linda Windsor

North American Historical

Hidden Places by Lynn Austin – WINNER
Highland Hopes by Gary Parker

Suspense

Drummer in the Dark by T. Davis Bunn – WINNER
Out of the Shadows by Sigmund Brouwer
Sadie's Song by Linda Hall

Western

The Long Trail Home by Stephen Bly - WINNER
Picture Rock by Stephen Bly
Sea of Glory by Ken Wales and David Polling

2003

Allegory

Arena by Karen Hancock – WINNER
Covenant Child by Terri Blackstock
A Sword for the Immerland King by F. W. Faller

Contemporary

All the Way Home by Ann Tatlock – WINNER
Not a Sparrow Falls by Linda Nichols
Women's Intuition by Lisa Samson

Futuristic

The Fifth Man by John Olson and Randall Ingermanson
Ice by Shane Johnson

International Historical

His Watchful Eye by Jack Cavanaugh – WINNER
Hallelujah by J. Scott Featherstone

North American Historical

Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin - WINNER
Virginia Autumn by Sara Mitchell

Suspense

Directed Verdict by Randy Singer – WINNER
Crown of Thorns by Sigmund Brouwer
They Shall See God by Athol Dickson

Western

Toward a New Beginning by R. Williams Rogers – WINNER
Last of the Texas Camp by Stephen Bly
The Outlaw's Twin Sister by Stephen Bly

First Novel

A Place Called Wireglass by Michael Morris – WINNER
Daughter of China by C. Hope Flinchbaugh
Yucatan Deep by Tom Morrissey

2004

Allegory/Fantasy

The Light of Eidon by Karen Hancock – WINNER
Crying for a Vision by Walter Wangerin Jr
Dark Horse by John Fischer

Contemporary

Songbird by Lisa Samson – WINNER
The Living End by Lisa Samson

Futuristic

Soon by Jerry B. Jenkins - WINNER
Apocalypse Dawn by Mel Odom

Historical

Fire by Night by Lynn Austin- WINNER
Beyond the Sacred Page by Jack Cavanaugh
First Light by Bodie and Brock Thoene

Romance

Hideaway by Hannah Alexander – WINNER
Playing by Heart by Deborah Raney

Suspense/Mystery

Thr3e by Ted Dekker – WINNER
Into the Nevernight by Anne de Graaf
The Lies of Saints by Sigmund Brouwer
Steal Away by Linda Hall

First Novel

Welcome to Fred by Brad Whittington - WINNER
Flabbergasted by Ray Blackston

2005

First Novel

The Mending String by Cliff Coon – WINNER
The Dead Don't Dance by Charles Martin
There is a Wilderness by Mark McAllister

General

Bad Ground by W. Dale Cramer – WINNER
Tiger Lillie by Lisa Samson

Historical
King's Ransom by Jan Beazley and Thom Lemmons – WINNER
Retribution by Randall Ingermason
Third Watch by Bodie and Brock Thoene

Romance

Wild Heather by Catherine Palmer

Suspense

Tiger in the Shadows by Debbie Wilson – WINNER
The Assignment by Mark Andrew Olsen

Visionary

The Shadow Within by Karen Hancock – WINNER
Beyond the Summerland by L.B. Graham
Dragonspell by Donita K. Paul

2006

Contemporary (Standalone)

Levi's Will by W. Dale Cramer – WINNER
Grace at Low Tide by Beth Webb Hart
Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin

Contemporary (Series, Sequels and Novellas)

The Road to Home by Vanessa Del Fabbro – WINNER
Living With Fred by Brad Whittington
Moment of Truth by Sally John

Historical

Whence Came a Prince by Liz Curtis Higgs – WINNER
Glimpses of Paradise by James Scott Bell
The Nobel Fugitive by T. Davis and Isabella Bunn

Romance

A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist – WINNER

Suspense

River Rising by Athol Dickson – WINNER
Comes a Horseman by Robert Liparulo

Visionary

Shadow Over Kiriatch by Karen Hancock - WINNER
Legend of the Emerald Rose by Linda Winchman
The Presence by Bill Myers

First Novel

This Heavy Silence by Nicole Mazzarella – WINNER
The Road Home by Vanessa Del Fabbro

2007

Contemporary (Stand alone)

Dwelling Places by Vinita Hampton Wright
Straight Up by Lisa Samson

Contemporary (Series, Sequels and Novellas)

Escape from Fred by Brad Whittington
The Proof by Austin Boyd

Historical

Madman by Tracy Groot - WINNER
Glastonbury Tor by LeAnne Hardy
Grace in Thine Eyes by Liz Curtis Higgs
Pieces of Silver by Maureen Lang

Romance

The Redemption by M.L. Tyndall

Suspense

Plague Maker by Tim Downs – WINNER
The Hidden by Kathryn Mackel

First Novel

Watching the Tree Limbs by Mary DeMuth
William Henry is a Fine Name by Cathy Gohlke

Young Adult

William Henry is a Fine Name by Cathy Gohlke- WINNER
Bad Idea by Todd and Jedd Hafer
The Way of the Wilderness by Jonathan Rogers

2008

Contemporary (Standalone)

Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin – WINNER
In High Places by Tom Morrissey

Contemporary (Series, Sequels and Novellas)

~~A Time to Mend by Sally John and Gary Smalley~~
What Lies Within by Karen Ball

Historical

A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin – WINNER
Tendering the Storm by Jan Kirkpatrick

Lits

Hallie's Heart by Shelly Beach – WINNER

Romance

Remembered by Tamera Alexander – WINNER

Visionary

Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead – WINNER
Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet

First Novel

The Stones Cry Out by Sibella Giorello - WINNER
Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet
Demon: A Memoir by Tosca Lee

Young Adult

Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson – WINNER

2009

Contemporary Romance

Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky – WINNER

Contemporary Standalone

Dogwood by Chris Fabry – WINNER
Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas

First Novel

Blue Hole Back Home by Joy Jordan-Lake - WINNER
Safe at Home by Richard Doster

Historical

Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin – WINNER
Shadow of Colossus by TL Higley

Historical Romance

From a Distance by Tamera Alexander - WINNER
Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy

Suspense

By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer
Winter Haven by Athol Dickson

Visionary

Vanish by Tom Pawlik – WINNER
The Battle for the Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka
Shade by John D. Olson

Young Adult

I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires by Cathy Gohlke – WINNER
On the Edge of the Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson

Book Review: "Thirsty" by Tracey Bateman

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:10:00 +0000

"Hello, I'm Nina Parker.and I'm an alcoholic." For Nina, even in recovery, the truth of the declaration has demolished her hopes and condemned her to return to the town she ran away from nearly two decades earlier-Abbey Hills, Missouri. But the place she once called home is no safe haven. A ritualistic-style murder.

Animals disappearing from the Ozark reserve where Nina works, and turning up slaughtered. And someone-or some thing-watching Nina. Wanting her. Stalking her with a 250-year-old desire that burns like a raging wildfire.

Nina's ex-husband Hunt shows up, hoping to protect Nina and Megan, the angry teenage daughter who followed her to Missouri. But another man has entered the picture, testing Nina as she attempts to walk the tightrope of recovery-and the power of thirst. Much more than Nina Parker's love hangs in the balance. The battle between love and obsession is destined to unfold to its startling, unforgettable end.

I want to first start off by saying this is NOT a Christian vampire story. The vampire in this book is NOT a Christian.

I have enjoyed Tracey's books in the past so I knew that I was going to enjoy the story. I was a bit worried though at how the vampire story was going to come into play. Would the vampires be real vampires or would they be vampire-like characters with addictive tendencies? Would they be Dracula type vampires or Twilight style vampires? Would this be a fantasy world or a realistic setting? There were many questions running through my head when I picked up the book.

After putting down the book, my thought was that Tracey had done an extremely excellent job. The story skillfully blends a story about alcohol addiction and the dependency on the drink and what it does to a person's life. It shows how the yearning for one last drop can ruin a person's life forever and cause great damage to the relationships with people they love. Thus this is the same as what it's like for a vampire and the thirst for blood. Nina's alcohol addiction parallels Markus's vampire tendencies and the two tend to circle around each other like vultures. Markus is a real vampire who is out for blood and there's nothing fake at all about him. The place where the story takes places gives off a creepy feeling. I kept picturing lots of fog everywhere. It's a good place to set the story in. I was happy with the ending of the story, there is no "vampire conversion" scene thankfully.

If there's any problems I had with the book, it's the switching in narration without warning. The story goes from Nina's first person past recollections like a diary, then switches to third person telling the current story and then goes to Hunt's first person recollections. The problem lies in that it's never told that it's Hunt's talking in first person, it abruptly changed and it took me a while to figure out who was doing the talking. Plus while, Nina's first person is written in italicized font, there's no change in Hunt's and looks like it's part of the regular story. It was just confusing to read at times.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. Vampires have never been a part of Christian fiction before. Mostly likely past authors had no idea how to use them or felt them to be so evil, that they didn't want them in their stories. This book does nothing to make a vampire seem good or Christian like so really it's just a story about good vs. evil. There's just more story in between to make a statement. I feel like both fans of Twilight and other vampire lit would enjoy this book as well as fans of Christian fiction. It is NOT a light read however. It's quite intense so I don't know if I would immediately pass this one right off to teens without reading it first. HIGHLY recommended.

Thirsty by Tracey Bateman is published by Waterbrook (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Good Books, Good Coffee

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:43:00 +0000

There's nothing better than curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee--and there's no better book than the Bible. Sandra Glahn continues her series of Coffee Cup Bible Studies, presenting Kona with Jonah and Frappe with Philippians. Using creative teaching resources, including the Internet, art, online study groups and more, Glahn provides a special blend of bold and flavorful experiences that will bring participants back for a second cup of God's Word.

Kona with Jonah begins with a brief history of Jonah and Ninevah. Merging historical event with current modern day practicality, Glahn invites readers to take a walk in Jonah's sandals. Coffee sippers will find it hard to escape the similarities as these two worlds collide. Prayer, mercy, city revival and other strong themes will perk the interest and heart of diligent students.

Frappé with Philippians brews for five weeks of strong, powerful conversation about Paul and the heroes of the Philippian church. With detailed study time spent examining the letters of Paul to the Church, readers will come away feeling like they have met with the man himself. With sections entitled "That God Will Get me Out of Here, and Other Prayer Requests Paul Doesn't Make," Glahn keeps the tone of the study light, without disrespecting the seriousness of the study of God's Word.

A Chat Over Coffee w/ Sandra

Women who typically feel they don't have the time to do Bible Study find your studies relevant and easy to use. What's the secret to making the study inviting?

I don't know if there's one secret. Different things appeal to different people. But I do know that with my own personal Bible study time, I've been able to stay fairly consistent Monday through Friday when my daughter is at school. But on the weekends everything changes in our household. Sometimes we travel. Or we sleep later on Saturday. And we rise and go to church on Sunday. Result: my routine gets disrupted. For this reason I often have a more difficult time doing Bible study on the weekends. So I designed the series for Monday-through-Friday study with only short devotional readings on the weekends. The weekday time can require twenty minutes or more; the weekend readings take less than five minutes.

I think the studies also appeal to the right-brained person. As an artsy type, I sometimes engage more with the Bible if I can write out a prayer, draw, view a related video, compose a story, sing a song... And I wrote this series with that person in mind. The devotionals are also full of stories, which most of us love to hear.

In addition (and this is probably the main reason), when I was working full-time, I wanted a study I could stash in my purse without having to lug a Bible and a commentary. I wanted to use my lunch break for a quiet time without parading my resources in front of people. And I think it helps that the Coffee Cup series books don't look like typical Bible studies; they're all-inclusive (text, commentary, questions included); they're small enough to throw in a briefcase or diaper bag; and they're both spiral and bound--making it easier to use on a treadmill or fold in the lap and write on while sitting. In short they're designed for the multi-tasker. I heard from an ob-gyn who uses them as she's sitting in the doctors' lounge waiting for babies to arrive.

And one more thing--I also include a prayer at the end. I heard from an eighty-something man who told me how much those prayers meant. All his life he had struggled with prayer, and that guidance helped him respond to God. I'm glad that a series directed to women didn't scare him off!

In Jonah with Kona, what do you hope participants will take away and apply to their own lives?

We tend to like our own causes best; we like our own country best; we like our denomination best; we like our own families best; we prefer the schools we attended, the neighborhoods where we grew up, our own political party or cause, our gender--even our brand of peanut butter. And somewhere along the way we cross the line from preference to prejudice. We pray for our loved ones but rarely, if ever, our enemies. Mention atheists, opposing politicians, humanists, materialists, homosexuals, and radical feminists in most churches today, and the response you'll evoke will sound nothing like, "Let's pray right now for God to pour out his love."

Genesis tells us that humans are fellow creations of one maker. The qualities of God that so angered Jonah are the very qualities we most need: grace, compassion, patience, mercy, abundant love, and truth. And not just for those we love--but for those we hate. For those who have wronged us. For those who want us dead. For those with whom we strongly disagree. The only possible way we can demonstrate such remarkable goodness is through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The focus of Frappé with Philippians is the life of Paul and the early church. What kind of historical research did you do and did you learn any surprising facts as you compiled your information?

I think it's enormously important to understand the world in which Paul was writing. Let's take the view of women, for example. The Jews were the most conservative. The Greeks were better, though greatly influenced by Aristotle's low view of women. And the Roman women had the most freedom--even owning property and supervising gymnasiums. Knowing a city's predominant citizenship helps us understand Paul's letters on such issues.

My PhD work relates a lot to the Greek pantheon and Greek and Roman history. The historical backgrounds for the Bible books are essential, and fortunately they interest me.

I also love getting a sense of the geography, if I can. I had the advantage this summer of taking a clipper to follow the journeys of Paul. Some of our stops included Corinth, Troas, Neapolis, Philippi, and Athens.

One sentence out of the mouth of a guide in Corinth really stuck with me, as she provided a key to understanding the cities we visited. She mentioned that while American visitors seem generally uninterested in talk of gods and goddesses, knowing which member of the Greek pantheon a city worshiped is essential to understanding that city's mentality. The more I thought about this, the more sense it made:

ATHENS. Athena was the goddess of wisdom, so citizens of Athens wanted their city to reflect culture, religion, and philosophy. And sure enough, in Acts 17 we find Stoic and Epicurean philosophers hanging out at the Areopagus (Mars Hill). Paul affirms them for being religious, and rather than dissing their many false gods, he zeroes in on their altar to the unknown God and tells them about this Almighty one who was not made with hands--One who is never far from any of us.

CORINTH. Corinth was the home of Aphrodite, goddess of love (and not the agape version). Behind the city ruins stands a towering hill at the top of which sat Aphrodite's temple. One could not walk down the street without being conscious of its prominence. Might that explain why the Corinthians had so many issues with sexual immorality, and why Paul tells them that it's good for a man not to touch a woman (1 Cor. 7:1)? For the sake of the kingdom, he encourages them to consider embracing sexual abstinence rather than marrying. How fitting that in a city that prides itself on being a center of love, Paul pens the beautiful definition of true love--known to us as the love chapter (1 Cor. 13).

EPHESUS. Ephesus was home to the virgin Artemis who loved her virgin status and was immune to Aphrodite's love arrows. Among other things, Artemis was the goddess of the hunt. If you take a close look at the Artemis statues from the first and second centuries, you find her legs covered with numerous animals and flanked by a couple of deer. Now, usually we think of women as gatherers and men as hunters. And the fact that Artemis was a hunter suggests she had a less-than-feminine persona. In Ephesus we find stone work with the Amazon story (these women were way independent!), and guides tell visitors that the city was founded by an Amazon queen. The Book of Ephesians was probably intended for more than one city (like Laodicea), so we don't find much that points to a specific city's mentality in that book. But we do find 1 Timothy directed to Paul's protégé in Ephesus, and in it we find an emphasis on widows, women teaching false doctrines, and the need to marry and have children.

When reading the New Testament, I think it's important to find out something of its geography and certainly what member of the Greek pantheon each book's readers were up against. How its authors approached the cities' demons can provide insight for us into engaging a culture that's in love with worldly wisdom, immorality, and a low view of family.

Just polling...

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:02:00 +0000

What kind of reviews do you read on my blog?(survey software)

Faith 'n Fiction Saturday

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:24:00 +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 Question

Do you recommend or lend your Christian fiction books to people who don't share your faith? If you do, do you tell them in advance that the book is Christian fiction? Why do you or don't you tell them?

My Answer:

Do I lend? No. I don't lend my books to out to people. I sound like a horrible person. Unless I really trust and know you, I don't lend out anything at all. I just worry that I won't get it back and that I have to keep asking for it and that ruins the friendship. But that's a WHOLE 'nother topic for another day.

Do I recommend? Yes. If I really enjoyed a book and someone asks me what was a good read then I will recommend a book, any book that I have read. BUT I do think of who is asking me. If the person normally reads Christian fiction, then I have no problems recommending anything Christian fiction I've read. If the person DOESN'T read Christian fiction and/or is not a Christian, I try to recommend titles that aren't preachy and don't slam the faith down your throat.

Christian fiction books are like the deadly plague. Once people find out they have been reading one, even if they have been enjoying it, they are horrified and stop reading it and post nasty reviews. Ok I'm exaggerating, but like Amy said, it is a bit frustrating to read reviews on Amazon where people complain that it would have been a good book if it hadn't been Christian fiction even though the book wasn't preachy at all.

For example one of my favorite books of 2008, was The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner. I recommend that book to anyone, regardless of what they normally read, or what their faith is. Is it a good book? YES. Is it a Christian book? Yes. Does it preach at you? No. Does it have Christian faith values in it? Yes. Does the story affect the reader? Yes. So will it is a Christian book, the story is so good that I think that is part of the story and that the reader can accept it and not feel like they are reading a sermon.

I don't "warn" people if it's a Christian fiction book. The books on my blog, people should know by now will mostly be Christian fiction. Only unless I feel the book is really preachy, that will be my warning. I do this because I feel by now, readers of my blog should know that I mainly review Christian fiction on my blog and that is my niche. In fact I used to have a warning on my blog everytime I reviewed a general market book.

We brought up this subject I think last year, but I still think to make everyone happy, any book that's Christian fiction needs to have a Jesus sticker on it. That way no one can say "I got tricked into reading this book!"

Book Review: "Lost in Las Vegas" by Melody Carlson

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

In a whirlwind, DJ accepts “lonely” Taylor’s invitation to join her mom’s tour in Las Vegas during Christmas break. DJ soon discovers that the unsupervised Taylor is focused on one thing only—partying with a capital “P.” She’s invited Eliza, too, and DJ is quickly overwhelmed by the behavior of the wild duo. Desperate, she calls on Casey for help and prays for a miracle to help Taylor before she self-destructs.

This book pretty much is the downfall of Taylor. It's been foreshadowed since the day we met her in the first book. Seriously, this girl is totally uninhibited and just out to have a good time. However she goes for the extreme in whatever she does and doesn't seem to care about the consequences. I really could not stand her condescending attitude towards DJ just because she doesn't want to drink or anything else Taylor does. It had nothing to do with DJ being a Christian, she just knew that it wasn't healthy and it was dangerous. Yet Taylor keeps acting like she's the cool one and DJ is a freak for not joining her. Therefore DJ feels that she has to be always on the watch for Taylor and can't enjoy everything because she's like the baby sitter. The whole story just builds up until the ending when Taylor finally realizes that she has a problem.

While I enjoyed this book, at the same time there's also a bit of a fantasy with the situation. Maybe it's just me, but there would have been no way, I would have been allowed to go to Las Veags at that age, let alone be on my own while there. It just seemed very unrealistic for a bunch of 16 year old girls to be on their own around in that city and no one really questioning them. Also DJ's grandmother is REALLY getting on my nerves. Seriously, throughout the entire series all she cares about is looks and making the right connections instead of being concerned about the girls' safety. I cannot wait until she gets a reality check.

Overall though, I have enjoyed this series and this one seems to be the edgiest one of all. I think it really speaks to teens and shows what they go through. Also I really like the cover, I think it's the first time I've ever seen fishnets on a Christian fiction book! I would recommend this book and the rest of the series for older teens.

Lost in Las Vegas by Melody Carlson is published by Zondervan (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Baby Sitters Club Week: Spotlight on Shannon

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:36:00 +0000

Shannon Louisa Kilbourne is an associate member of the Baby Sitters Club. She has also served as Alternate Officer. Shannon lives in Kristy's new neighborhood. She is first introduced in Kristy and the Snobs where she and Kristy start off with a rocky relationship (although if I can recall, she does appear in Kristy and the Big Day as an unnamed character at the end of the book). The two play pranks on each other, mainly because Shannon feels threatened by Kristy on her territory. Eventually they make up and become friends. Kristy invites Shannon to join the BSC as a full time member but due to Shannon's extracurricular activities she cannot make meetings 3 times a week. Instead she is offered the position of associate member, like Logan, and will be called in cases of emergencies.

Shannon has 2 younger sisters, Tiffany and Maria. She attends Stoneybrook Day School, which is a private school. She is an overachiever and pretty much does every extra curricular activity you can think of. As a peace offering to Kristy, after the Thomas' dog Louie died, Shannon gave them a puppy from her own dog's litter. Therefore, Kristy's brother David Michael named the dog Shannon. It can be awkward at times when Shannon the person and Shannon the dog are in the same room.

Why did I pick Shannon to spotlight? Well, frankly because I think she totally got shafted throughout the entire series. I would have loved to have read more about her but alas that was not meant to be. In almost every book when she is described, it's always mentioned that she has blonde hair, blue eyes and a ski jump nose. Oh and that she's really interesting looking whatever that means, although from the covers she seems to be really pretty so I guess they were jealous? She's REALLY smart, in fact I think she is the smartest out of all the members in the BSC. Yes she goes to a private school but still she wants to learn.

There's also the fact that she got one measly book. Meanwhile Logan not only got TWO books, he also get several narratives in the super specials. I think Shannon gets one in Baby Sitters Remember and that was just because she was lucky to be alternate officer when Dawn was in California. Other memorable storylines featuring Shannon include Buddy Barrett having a crush on her (storyline includes him hitting a softball on her head), Shannon helping Kristy with finding out her secret admirer, Shannon being such an overachiever that her sister feels threatened and a weird instance with her singing during a meeting and no one knowing why. Also during the first super mystery when most of the BSC goes off on vacation and Jessi and Mal are the only two full time members left in Stoneybrook, Shannon is brought into the story, but her character there is really flighty and acts superior to the two junior officers.

I really wish we could have gotten to know her better. Since book 11, she's mentioned in every single book because of her associate member status. It's usually less than 2 lines and always mentions how she's from Kristy's neighborhood. It's not until she takes over for Dawn does she get bigger coverage in the stories, but then when Abby comes, she fades away again. I also think that in the Friends Forever series, she quits the club completely. Also the both the movies and TV show never featured her, the games never mentioned her, pretty much she was totally left out. This wouldn't be a such a big deal if Logan hadn't gotten mentioned. I just think it's not fair that just because he was Mary Anne's boyfriend means he got special treatment. I was really glad when Shannon's Story came out because it was high time she got her own dang book! I might try to go and reread that one again.

So anywho this post is for you Shannon Kilbourne, we barely got to know you, but you were always a favorite of mine.

As far as I can remember, the four pictures in this post are the only four covers that Shannon is featured on.

(notice how Shannon is wearing the same uniform in both these books. Also I always thought Shannon looked super pretty and actually normal on this cover and looking on the web apparently a lot of people agreed with me)

I have no idea which blonde is supposed to be Shannon on this cover and which is Stacey. Dawn is not here because she's in California. There is a picture inside here which does show Shannon but she looks just like either Dawn or Stacey again.

Book Review: "Mennonite in a Little Black Dress" by Rhoda Janzen

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

A hilarious and moving memoir in the spirit of Anne Lamott and Nora Ephron about a woman who returns home to her Mennonite family after a personal crisis.

The same week her husband of 15 years ditches her for a guy he met on Gay.com, a partially inebriated teenage driver smacks her VW Beetle head-on. Marriage over, body bruised, life upside-down, Rhoda does what any sensible 43-year-old would do: She goes home.

But hers is not just any home. It's a Mennonite home, the scene of her painfully uncool childhood and the bosom of her family: handsome but grouchy Dad, plain but cheerful Mom. Drinking, smoking, and slumber parties are nixed; potlucks, prune soup, and public prayer are embraced. Having long ago left the faith behind, Rhoda is surprised when the conservative community welcomes her back with open arms...and offbeat advice. She discovers that this safe, sheltered world is the perfect place to come to terms with her failed marriage and the choices that both freed and entrapped her.

I've been on a memoir kick lately. I don't really read them that much because I'm really picky about my memoirs. It all comes down to the style of writing of the author. I have tended to notice that I like reading memoirs of non famous people more so than well known folks. I also tend to like the ones that write in a chick lit-ish style which is much more entertaining to me and keeps me hooked to the pages.

I really enjoyed reading this book. As you know, I'm a fan of Amish fiction. However, even though I like the genre sometimes I feel as it it's been sugar coated for the market. That's primarily what interested me about this book, the fact that it's from a different point of view that's not from the Christian market. I liked hearing about Rhoda's background and where her roots originally came from. The stories about her parents were quite interesting to me and were actually my favorite parts of the book. I knew that Mennonites are not as strict as the Amish yet it was still a bit of a surprise to read about how modern her family was. It's obvious that the author does not want to return to that style of life yet at the same time she knows she can't forget where she came from.

I did find some of the parts about the author's marriage to be a bit boring and repetitive. I just wasn't a fan of reading about how her husband has apparently always been bi and she just now realized it. Still the rest of the book is really interesting. I loved the Mennonite primer at the end of the book. It's extremely informative and just a lot of fun to read. There is some cursing in the book and talk about sex for those who would be concerned. However they are not really an issue that takes away from the story. I would totally recommend this book for those who enjoy memoirs and especially for those who like Amish fiction but want to read a different side to the story. It's funny, entertaining and highly informative and makes for a great read.

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen is published by Henry Holt and Co. (2009)

This ARC was provided by the publisher

Baby Sitters Club Week: Spotlight on Claudia

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:30:00 +0000

Claudia Lynn Kishi is the Vice President of the Baby Sitters Club. She is Japanese American. Her father is a banker and her mother is head librarian at Stoneybrook Public Library. Claudia has one older sister Janine who is extremely smart. She was very close to her grandmother Mimi before she passed away. Claudia is also very close to her aunt Peaches.

She is known for her love of Nancy Drew books and junk food, both which are hidden throughout her room. She is notoriously a poor speller although her IQ is quite high, she just doesn't apply herself in school. She was moved back to seventh grade for a while. She is a very talented artist however. This spills over into her fashion choices which are described in almost every single book.

She has known Kristy and Mary Anne her entire life as the 3 of them lived in a triangle from each other. However, she didn't have a best friend until Stacey McGill moved from New York in 7th grade. She was chosen as Vice President due to the fact that meeting were held in her room and she had her own private phone line. Some of her favorite sitting charges include The Perkins and The Newtons.

Claudia has had many boyfriends throughout the series from Trevor Sandbourne to Will from Camp Mohawk to Terry from California.

Lolz lolz lolz. Would you believe I typed almost all of that from memory? As you may have guessed Claudia was my favorite member of the BSC. Of course this is mainly due to the fact that she is Asian American and thus as an Asian American I liked her. It's interesting that, even though it's almost always pointed out that she's exotic (or even having almond shaped eyes...for realz????), no one ever has a problem with her being Asian until the book Keep Out Claudia.

Claudia and her junk food habits always got a kick out of me. But how did she remember where everything was? What if it spoiled? And you're telling me her mother NEVER went into her room? Also apparently Janine hides candy too. Speaking of which, I actually liked Janine. There were times when she was a bit annoying but overall she wasn't bad at all. She helps out Claudia and stands up for her. BTW I HATED reading Claudia's handwritten posts. First off the handwriting was terrible. Second, I couldn't stand the misspellings. Especially when she got her own friends' names wrong!

Then there are the clothes. Oh my. If you haven't been to this website http://whatclaudiawore.blogspot.com/ then you MUST visit it. Some of her outfits are just OMG what were they thinking???? Like this one for example

TBH I have no idea which book this is from as I think I had stopped reading them by this point. But what on earth were they thinking???? First off, I've seen to notice that Claud is the shortest BSC member, as this cover confirms. The clothes just kills me. But what really sets me off is LOAFERS with WHITE SOCKS!!!

Claudia's Book Catalog

#2	Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls: Claudia's not sure she wants to find out who's on the other end of the line.

#7	Claudia and Mean Janine: Claudia's sister makes everything impossible - even baby-sitting!

#12	Claudia and the New Girl: Claudia's got to decide: either the Babysitters Club or the new girl-one of them's got to go.

#19	Claudia and the Bad Joke: Claudia's not worried when she hears her newest babysitting charge, Betsy Sobak, is a great practical joker.

#26	Claudia and the Sad Good-bye: Claudia has a sad good-bye to make.

#33	Claudia and the Great Search: Claudia thinks she's adopted, and no one understands!

#40	Claudia and the Middle School Mystery: How could anyone accuse Claudia of cheating?

#49	Claudia and the Genius of Elm Street: How could a seven-year-old make Claudia feel so dumb?

#56	Keep Out, Claudia: Who wouldn't want Claudia for a baby-sitter?

#63	Claudia's --Freind-- Friend: Claudia and Shea can't spell, but they can be friends!

#71	Claudia and the Perfect Boy: Mary Anne has Logan. Stacey has her boyfriend Robert. Kristy even has a sort-of boyfriend Bart. Isn't there someone out there for Claudia?

#78	Claudia and Crazy Peaches: Claudia can't believe her luck - wacky Aunt Peaches, one of her favorite people on the planet, is moving back to Stoneybrook...and she's going to have a baby!

#85	Claudia Kishi, Live From WSTO!: Claudia has a radio show! Will she be ready when Stoneybrook tunes in?

#91	Claudia and the First Thanksgiving: Claudia's drama class gets to write a play for the third graders at SES and help them stage it! They decide on the Thanksgiving story.

#97	Claudia and the World's Cutest Baby: Claudia's baby cousin is finally here!

#113	Claudia Makes Up Her Mind

#117	Claudia and the Terrible Truth

#123	Claudia's Big Party

#128	Claudia and the Little Liar

Mysteries

#6	The Mystery at Claudia's House: Dawn's house may have a ghost, but Claudia's has a mystery!

#11	Claudia and the Mystery at the Museum: What kind of crook would steal art?

#16	Claudia and the Clue in the Photograph: The Baby-sitters learn that the bank has been robbed. Has Claudia caught the thief on film?

#21	Claudia and the Recipe for Danger: When a big baking contest comes to Stoneybrook, Claudia can't wait to enter.

Portrait Collection

Claudia's Book: "So this is my autobiography. Even though I'm not good at writing, it's been cool remembering when I was little."

Book Review: "Someday My Prince Will Come" by Jerramy Fine

beatccr@hotmail.com (Deborah) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Most young girls dream of becoming a princess. But unlike most girls, Jerramy Fine never grew out of it. Strangely drawn to the English royal family since she was a child, Jerramy spends her childhood writing love letters to Buckingham Palace and absorbing any information she can find on modern-day princesses throughout the world. Years later, when her sense of destiny finally brings her to London, Jerramy navigates the murky waters of English social circles, etiquette, and dating with hilarious results.

I don't know about you, but I have had a crush on Prince Harry for years. Seriously, I've always had a thing for him over Prince William. Not only is Harry hotter and has a full head of hair, by being second son, you would get all the benefits of being a princess without having to worry about being queen. Because as we all know, being a prince or princess is far less stress worthy than being king or queen.

I adored this book from the get go. The writing is extremely engaging and hooks you right from the beginning. Jerramy is just wonderfully witty and so funny in her tale of how she believes she was switched at birth and is the true daughter of British parents. Her difference from her parents is extreme and it's funny reading about how she keeps trying to distance herself from them and be the princess she was born to be. I thought it was just brilliant that this book focuses on the forgotten royal, Peter Phillips, son of Princess Anne. Honestly, I would have never expected this book to be about him. I thought no one else knew about Princess Anne's kids!

Reading about her escapades in England was just fascinating and made me feel like I was really there. She does such a good job at explaining the locale and what's going on that I could hear the British accents and see all the big landmarks like Big Ben in my head. Jerramy pretty much lived the life I have always wanted to so I'm glad that it was her and not me that had to go through all the hurdles to maintain that lifestyle! She gives good explanations of British history, how the government is run, and just tidbits about every day life as a Brit. I really enjoyed the footnotes throughout the story, that either gave more information about certain topics or added more off beat humor to the story.

I just about died of laughter when Jerramy opens up the gossip magazine and finds the article that says Peter had a girlfriend. Her reaction was exactly what I would have done. I also squeeed when I saw the last chapter. It was so exciting, and a picture to boot! If only that could have happened with me and Prince Harry. Granted Jerramy tried a lot harder than I have to get close her royal. I wonder what her reaction was when Peter got married last year. (In case anyone was wondering, he now lives in Hong Kong as well).

There is a little bit of cursing, but it doesn't play a bit factor in the book. This is probably the best and funniest memoir that I have ever read. The book is really easy to get into, it reads like a chick lit novel. Honestly, it's now one of my favorite reads of 2009. I really recommend this for everyone. There's something in it for everyone. Those who are Anglophiles. Those who love memoirs. Those who love chick lit. Those who love the royals. And especially for those who ever dreamed of being a princess. VERY HIGHLY Recommended.

Someday My Prince Will Come by Jerramy Fine is published by Gotham (2008)

This review copy was provided by the publicist

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: