Tuesday, April 30, 2013

New Release - Jocelyn Green

Dear Readers,
I remember the trip my family took to Gettysburg when I was quite young.  I want to say I was about 10 at the time, but am not entirely sure.  There are a couple things I remember, one is the guy that was in charge of the campground we stayed at told us all about the ghost that were in the area.  Now for us kids that was not what we wanted to hear, and I can remember my mother not being too happy with the guy for scaring us kids.
Coming Soon!There were a few other things also, but I have always wanted to go back again to learn more.  Well that trip will have to wait, in the mean time I can read books like Widow of Gettysburg by Jocelyn Green.  It is book #2 in the Heroines Behind the Lines – Civil War.  She wanted to give us different stories of what it is was like to be a woman caught up in the Civil War, whether because their husbands were off fighting or actually lived where the battles took place.
Liberty loses her farm to the Confederate army for an army hospital.  Forcing her to face the suffering of the men wounded in battle.  While she is struggling to find her future, her hired help Bella is finding her past.  A former slave Bella is surrounded by Southern soldiers that remind her of what she used to be.  Can these two women be able to pick up when the war moves on or will it defined them forever?
So until I can plan a trip back to Gettysburg, these book will have to do the trick and that is fine with me.
Happy Reading

Monday, April 29, 2013

New Releases April 22 - 27

Dear Readers,

It is the last Monday of April already.  It is time to break out the shorts, ball gloves and those wonderful reads that you have saved to read while lounging in a lawn chair in sight of some sort of body of water.

Well maybe not if you live in any of the more northern states.  But there are some good reads on the list so enjoy.

Happy Reading,
In Broken Places - Michele Phoenix - Shelby's life is very predictable, just the way she likes it.  Then it is all turned upside down when she becomes the legal guardian of 4 year old Shayla.  Shelby attempts to escape her past one more time and moves them both to Germany, but you can't around the past.

Sinners and the Sea - Rebecca Kanner - The Untold Story of Noah's Wife - What was it like to be the wife of the crazy man called by his God to build a boat in the middle of the desert?  She is only known as 'wife' in the Bible, but Rebecca uses what we know about that time in history to tell us what she lived through and with.

Past Darkness - Laurel Woiwode - Gabrielle has her future all figured out.  She is going to be come a Christian musician just like her parents.  When tragedy strikes that is all changed.  She is sent to live with her Aunt and Uncle in North Dakota where she struggles to put her past and future together.

Reign: The Chronicles of Queen Jezebel - Ginger Garrett - We all know her as the villain, but was there more to Jezebel than meets the eye?  She was torn from her own home land and thrust into a palace life.  She vows to create a legacy and have her revenge.  When she takes on the God of the universe it may cost her everything.

A Song for Matilda – Marcella Taylor Hoffman – When Matilda agreed to marry Ted she knew she was in for an adventure, but she wasn’t expecting the Depression.  With their third child on the way, they are now facing homelessness; will the love be strong enough to survive?
Not By Sight – Kathy Herman - #1 in Ozark Mountain Trilogy – Abby’s father and sister have been missing for 5 years.  When Abby spots a little girl she is sure is that missing sister, her and her friend Jay set out to find her.  The story behind the disappearance maybe darker than either one of them is ready for.

Rescue Team - Candace Calvert - #2 Grace Medical - Kate is tired of running, she is planning on staying at Austin Grace Memorial permanent.  Wes offers a life line to those who need one.  Wes and Kate start getting closer until a missing person case opens old wounds.

Widow of Gettysburg - Joyelyn Green - After the horrors of Gettysburg will Liberty or Bella be able to put their past behind them and move on to the future? Liberty lost her husband to the war and now the Confederates have made her home a hospital.  Bella finds herself surrounded by men that bring back everything she was trying to forget. 

Friday, April 26, 2013

New Release - Michele Phoenix

Dear Readers,

If you are a regular to my blog you read my review of Tangled Ashes by Michele Phoenix.  In the review I mentioned that Michele's next book, In Broken Places, is due out in May.  Well once again the publishing houses have proven me wrong.  It is here already.  Because of different obligations I am unable to read it right now, but it is on the top of my to-be read list. 
Shelby’s life is predictable and she has worked hard to make it that way.  After a childhood that was filled with violence this is how she survives.  Then she becomes a legal guardian to 4 year old Shayla and everything changes.  In one last effort to escape her past, Shelby decides to move herself and Shayla to Germany, but things there are not so predictable and she wonders if you can ever overcome your past.
I am looking forward to spending some time with Shelby and Shayla and learning what their secrets are.  Michele wrote such rich characters in her first book, I am looking forward to what she will do with book two.
Happy Reading

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Becky Wade

Dear Readers,
Tough Texans and horses, what more could you want in a book.  Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade has all of that and more in it.   Becky loves to write a fun, cute, interesting romance and that comes through in spades once again.  She sets her book in Texas and throws in a good looking cowboy to make the book more fun to read. 
Undeniably YoursOk so none of that sounds like what I normally like to read, and it isn’t.  But there is something about Becky’s books that makes me really enjoy her writing style.  She makes sure her characters have character to them.  They are closer to real people.  They have interests besides falling in love and having to be married.   They have jobs, friends and faith and that makes them much more interesting to read about. 
Meg’s father passes away unexpectedly and she inherits his controlling interest in Cole Oil.  She knows little or nothing about running her father’s company.  She is getting a crash course and that includes getting rid of things her father had in his company that she no longer wants.  Like the chauffer, the kennel of hunting dogs and of course the horse farm, she hates horses.  These are not easy decisions to make because of the people involved, but they are ones that need to be made.  That is until she gets to Bo; he runs the horse farm and is unwilling to go quietly. 
Bo loves the horse farm.  He is proud of the work he has put into it and how close they are to breaking even.  He is unwilling to give up on it without a fight.  He bargains for 6 months, please give him 6 months to get the farm running in the black.  Maybe in that time he can convince Meg to keep the farm instead of selling it off.
This is a pool/beach book.  It is a light romance that has funny parts but also characters that you come to love and enjoy sharing a bit of time with.  This is one of those books that is a great vacation read, but also one that is wonderful to read when life is stressing you out a bit and you just need to unwind at the end of the day.
Happy Reading.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

New Release - Ruth Axel

Dear Readers,
Moonlight MasqueradeMoonlight Masquerade by Ruth Axtell, has it all.  Mystery, romance, spies and a gorgeous back drop.   Set in the early 1800’s  this book is labeled as historical romance, but those that just like the history of the story don’t let the romance put you off.  The subject matter is much more about the war and who was spying on whom.
Lady Celine Wexham seems to be the perfect British subject.  Of course her birth place places that in question, France.  Napoleon Bonaparte is at war and someone is spying for him in the British court.  Rees Phillips thinks it is Lady Celine and he is going to prove it.
For fans of regency romances, this is a must read.  It has everything you want plus a great mystery.
Happy Reading

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

New Release - Denise Hildreth Jones

Dear Readers,
Once and a while a book just comes along that is begging to be read in the summer time.  Sometimes it is because it is a clear beach/pool read.  Sometimes it is because that is just the feel you get from the book.  Secrets over Sweet Tea by Denise Hildreth Jones, is one of the later books.  For some reason I think it would make a wonder summer read.  The matter is not a light read, but Sweet tea is best served, ice cold, on a hot summer day.
Jo Newberry has lived secrets most of her life.  She knows that they can come to light at the worse possible moment and mess everything up.  This time not only is the secret going to make a mess of her life it is also going to complicate things for Grace and Zach. 
Denise’s books are writing in the southern genre style, they are gentle stories that help you learn a tough truth.  I love disappearing into them for the weekend and coming up for air when I am finished.
Happy Reading
P.S. I love the cover.

Monday, April 22, 2013

New Releases April 15 - 20

Dear Readers,

Spring is sneaking up on us here in Michigan.  We have had a few really lovely days, but most have been cold and wet.  We have had our share of snow, yuck, and rain.  Just the other day I drove home in the morning after church in blowing snow and by afternoon I was outside in capris.  I think Mother Nature is a bit confused this year. 

Oh well, more time to read if it is raining. 

Happy Reading
Sweet Mercy – Ann Tatlock – Set in the 30’s – Eve is excited to be leaving St. Paul behind.  Her Uncle has offered her family a chance to live at and run his Marryat Island Ballroom and Lodge.  She thinks her family is leaving behind the riffraff of gangster ridden St. Paul, but are they just moving to a different kind of danger?
Jennifer – Dee Henderson – HC – Novella – Part of the O’Malley Series – This is Jennifer’s story.  If you are serious collector of Dee Henderson books this is a wonderful addition to your collection.  Jennifer’s life is going great, she found a great guy and Jesus.  She can’t wait to tell her family about them both.
Undeniably Yours – Becky Wade – Meg heads home to take over the reins of her families horse ranch.  She doesn’t have the patience to run it and gives the manager 6 months to close it down.  Bo wants to keep it running because it is the first job he has ever loved, but his attraction for her is also another reason.
When a Secret Kills – Lynette Eason - #3 Deadly Reunions – Years ago Jillian witnessed a murder, she is now ready to bring the killer down.  She is sick of looking over her shoulder to make sure he doesn’t catch up with her.  But did she see what she thinks she saw?
A Cowboy at Heart – Lori Copeland/Virginia Smith – Jesse is grateful for all the help he got turning his life around, but he is restless.  He is sure God has bigger plans for him.  When is wounded protecting Amish land from a cattle baron, he meets Katie who is trying not to fall in love with him.
Whispers of a New Dawn – Murray Pura – Snapshots of History – Check this review carefully, it is a bit different than what I said on Librarian’s Day at the 10:30 meeting.  Sorry.  Jude and Lyndy are back from the 1st book, but it is now 1941 and he is sent to Hawaii on the edge of WWII.  Their daughter, Rebecca, is also a pilot and befriends a young man who could become more.  That is until that fateful day in December.
Take a Chance on Me – Susan May Warren – A Christiansen Family novel – Darek is a very eligible bachelor.  Not only is he the oldest of the Christiansen clan, his handsome and in need of a wife.  But no one dares approach him because of his anger over the loss of his wife.  Ivy just doesn’t know that when she wins him in an auction, but she is about to find that out and more.
When the Morning Glories Bloom – Cynthia Ruchti – During the Korean war, Ivy throws herself into her work so she can provide for a child.  While working with Anna, Ivy begins to think the ramblings of a woman with dementia may actually be memories of a remarkable life.
The Cat that God Sent – Jim Kraus – I just took part of the description off the back of the book - Jake Wilkerson, a disillusioned young pastor who is an expert at hiding his fears, takes on a new assignment at a small rural church in Coudersport, Pennsylvania--which is a far piece from anywhere and full of curiously odd and eccentric people. His first day on the job, he is adopted by Petey--a cat of unknown origins and breed--but a very sentient cat who believes that he is on a mission from God to redeem Jake and bring him back to the truth.

Friday, April 19, 2013

New Release - Candace Calvert

Dear Readers,

Rescue Team by Candace Calvert is book #2 in the Grace Medical series.  This is Candace's second series and if you are looking for good medical mystery books, Candace's are worth checking out.  Because of her experience of being an ER nurse she speaks with authority and knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes at hospitals.

Kate is ready to leave her past behind.  She guards her heart and life with a prickly attitude and doesn't let any one get close.  She is ready to settle down and become Austin Grace Hospital next ER director.  When a tragedy shuts the ER down, she runs into a hero that seems to find it neccessary to meddle in her life.

Like I said before, Candace knows the interworkings of an ER and the shows through in her writing.  Fast paced, with loads of action, these books don't let you relax until the finally page is turned.

Happy Reading

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Susie Finkbeiner

Dear Readers,
Paint Chips by Susie Finkbeiner was written for those that say “that doesn’t happen in my home town.”  Susie takes on the issue of human sex trafficking.   She sets it in the town I work in and I have heard more than one person say they are glad that doesn’t happen here.   On a side note, the week after I read this book a local newspaper ran a series of articles on prostitution that is still going on in the area despite comments and thoughts that it had gone away.
This is a story of a mother and a daughter caught in very different (yet the same) ways in the sex trafficking world.  Cora is brought into the cycle by her own father and Dot is brought in by choices made by herself and circumstances in her life. 
Cora came from an abusive home.  Her father gets a job helping the local ‘godfather’ and he gets involved with the strip club/bar/casino that the man runs.  He sells one of his daughters to the owner of the strip club to pay off his debt and then continues working for the man.  In the meantime Cora dreams of the day she will be able to leave. 
Dot was born into a loving family.  Both her parents loved her and wanted the best for her.  Her mother hid a horrible secret from everyone, but it really didn’t seem to affect the family much.  Her mother loved to bake and take care of Dot and her brother, that is until something awful happened and destroyed their family for good. 
What follows is the story of why most of the girls and women get into that lifestyle.  It is also a story of a woman called Lola who is working hard to share God’s love with these women and to get them out of the vicious cycle that is their life.  Some she can help and some she can’t. 
This is not an easy topic, but Susie handles it well.  I think one of the things that struck me the most was the way the men in charge or pimping these woman out do not think of them as human.  They are just objects to be used and then when they are done with them the women are throwaways.   Susie makes sure we know these girls and women are not throwaways, but hurt people that need our help, prayers and protection.  This is a serious problem worldwide, one that does not have an easy answer, but one that we are all called to fight against.  Whether it is the trafficking of women from other counties lured here with the promise of a better life or a teenage runaway that does whatever she can to survive. 
Happy Reading
P.S  We are hosting a release party here at the store on April 22 at 7:00 p.m. Please come join us in celebrating with Susie with the launch of her book.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

New Release - Joanne Bischof

Dear Readers,

Joanne Bischof invites you to "come on in and sit aspell"  in her stories.  There is nothing about her books that makes you want to hurry onto the next page, but you do just to continue the beautiful flow of the story developing.  Book number one of the series, Be Still My Soul introduced you to Lonnie and Gideon who were married at the end of a rifle.  Her father's rifle to be exact.
Though My Heart Is Torn by Bischof, Joanne
In Though My Heart is Torn you walk back into their lives and find that they are enjoying married life and settling in well.  That is until Gideon's past seems to catch up with them in the shape of an old girlfriend who insist that she is Gideon's real wife.  Will their marriage be able to survive this new test of their faith?

Set in the Blue Ridge Mountians in the early 1900's, these books encourage you to take your shoes off and rest.  They are just a lovely gentle read.

Happy Reading

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

New Release - Ann Tatlock

Dear Readers,
Ann Tatlock is a must read at my house.  I usually try to read her books as soon as they come out or sooner if I can get my hands on an advance readers copy.  Her storytelling is such a treat and the way that comes through in her writing style is a pleasure and a treat.
Sweet MercyIf you haven’t read her before, you can start with Sweet Mercy.  This time Ann sets her story in the 1930’s,  Eve’s father loses his job at the Ford Motor Company and when a relative offers them a chance to live and work at his lodge, they head to Ohio.  Eve can’t wait to get out of St. Paul and away for gangsters, but little does she know what she will find at Marryat Island Ballroom and Lodge.
Once you are finished with that you are in for even more good reading as you read the rest of Ann’s books including Promises to Keep and Traveler’s Rest and several other titles.

Happy Reading

Monday, April 15, 2013

New Releases April 8 - 13

Dear Readers,

As I write this, it is raining to beat the band. (what a funny little saying)  It is blowing about 25 mph and just pouring.  I have had more than one person tell me that we should all go home and read.  I think that is a great idea on a cold wet spring day.  Who's with me?

Happy Reading


One Glorious Ambition - Jane Kirkpatrick - The Compassionate Crusade of Dorthea Dix - (from the back cover)  In bringing nineteenth - century historical reformer Dorothea Dix to life, author Jane Kirkpatrick combines historical accuracy with the gripping narrative of a woman who recognized suffering when others turned away, and the call she heeded to change the world.
Brandenburg - Glenn Meade - The Fourth Reich - re - release - Joe Volkmann starts to link several murders from around the world.  What he finds at the center stuns him and makes him wonder if anyone will believe him.  They are working to establish the 4th Reich.
The Winnowing Season - Cindy Woodsmall - #2 Amish Vines and Orchards - A tornado has devastated Kings' Orchard.  Rhoda, Samuel and Jacob have decided to make a new start in Maine, but first there are things in their Old Amish order that must be settled before they can make their new home

Forsaken Dreams - MaryLu Tyndall - After all the death and destruction of the War Between the States, Colonel Blake is looking to start over.  He escapes facing a war crimes charge by fleeing to what he hopes will be a new Utopia - Brazil.  Eliza is a woman without a country.  She married and northerner even though her family lived in the south.  With him gone, Eliza has no one to turn to, so she believes going to Brazil will give her the new start she is looking for.

The Message on the Quilt - Stephanie Grace Whitson - #3 The Quilt Chronicles - Emilie is fired by her father because she wants to write "real" news.  Noah feels like he doesn't belong anywhere.  As he starts looking into what he thought were just Grandma's stories, he finds those old quilts and stories were true.

Roses have Thorns – Sandra Byrd – a novel of Elizabeth the first’s court - Elin von Snakenborg heads to England to join the court of Elizabeth the first.  But the royal court is a treacherous place to be and can cost you everything.
Hidden Mercies – Serena B. Miller – Tobias is the cause of a tragic car accident that kills is brother just hours before his wedding.  Unable to deal with his own grief and his father’s grief, Tobias leaves the Amish community behind and joins the Marines.
When Love Calls – Lorna Seilstad – The Gregory Sisters #1 – Hannah is talented in many fields, but following rules is not one of the.  When she takes a job as a switchboard operator, she thinks that won’t be a problem, that is until a handsome lawyer shows up.
Adoring Addie – Leslie Gould - #2 The Courtships of Lancaster County – Addie and Jonathan are madly in love.  They can’t wait to spend the rest of their lives together, but like Romeo and Juliet their families are quarreling and refuse to allow them to marry.  When the couple decide to find out what started the feud, they may find out more than they bargained for.

Friday, April 12, 2013

New Release - Elizabeth Goudge

Dear Readers,
I am sure you all caught that I said this is a new release from Elizabeth Goudge, which is impossible as she passed away 1984.  Hendrickson Publishers is re-releasing several of her more favorite books.  The Bird in the Tree is the first of the Eliot Family Trilogy to release.
The Bird in the TreeMatriarch Lucilla loves her family and will do anything to protect them.  Her home is a center point for her family and their lives, it is a place to gather, relax and be part a loving family.  When her favorite grandson goes against her wishes in who he falls in love with, Lucilla has to figure out how to overcome the turmoil that is now causing problems in her well laid out plans. 
If any of you are fans of Downton Abbey, for some reason Lucilla, in my imagination, looks just like character that Maggie Smith plays.  She is loving, caring and yet expects things to go the way she wants them to.  I had a chance to read the first few chapters of the book and found myself delighted with the storyline and plan on finishing the book soon.
Happy Reading

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Michele Phoenix

Tangled Ashes by Michele Phoenix looked interesting to me from the minute it came in the store.  The storyline is one where you get mostly contemporary, but there is an interesting historical story also.  The historical part is set during WWII in France in a beautiful manor; the Nazis have taken over the manor, but not just for their headquarters in the area.  They have other plans for Meunier manor and they are not plans they want people to know about. 
50 years later Marshall Becker is hired to help renovate the manor for the new owner’s wife’s birthday.  He is short on time and he is in no mood to make it easy for anyone else.   He is an alcoholic who thinks he has it under control, but family and friends know better.  When his business partner springs the job in France in the hopes that Marshall can get his life back together, Marshall is not happy, but he goes to do the job anyways.   
The story is about the manor and all that happened there, but it is also about the people.  I was surprised how much I was drawn into the character’s lives.  It almost made the historical story secondary.  Between Marshall, Jade, the Fallon family and several of the workers, they are rich, well written characters that may make you want to run off to Lamorlaye, France to find them. 
This has been one of those books that I stayed up way too late reading.  Long after I should have turned my light off and gotten some sleep, I was reading.  Because there is a bit of mystery to the story and there are few times where things go “bump” in the night, this book kept my attention throughout the whole thing. 
I am really looking forward to reading Michele’s next book, In Broken Pieces, due out in May.
Happy Reading

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

New Release - Julie Lessman

Dear Readers,
Julie Lessman took the Christian fiction market by storm.  She set out to write a romance that young ladies could read without all the stuff that other authors seemed to think were necessary to write a good book.  She achieved her goal and has many loyal follows because of it.
Love at Any CostJulie's newest series is titled The Heart of San Francisco with book one being Love at Any Cost.  Set in 1902 during the time of gold age of West Coast.  Cassidy's family is has no money.  They are an oil family without a fortune.  Her heart was broken by a fortune hunter she decides to of visit her wealthy cousins in San Francisco.  As she settles in she meets and falls for Jamie, but is only seeing her for the money she can provide?  What will happen when he finds out her family is broke?
With a sense of humor and loads of romance, Julie weaves a story in a romantic time in America that will find you wishing to visit San Francisco.
Happy Reading

Monday, April 8, 2013

New Releases April 1 - 6

Dear Readers,

Ah spring is in the air.  Ok maybe not completely, I am hoping it isn't going to snow anymore.  That I am tired of.  I am ready to snuggle onto the front porch and read in the sunshine.  There have been several titles in the last couple of weeks and this week that I really would like to read.  I just haven't figured out how to read them all.  Any ideas?

Happy Reading

Stress Test - Richard L. Mabry M.D. - Dr. Matt Newman is leaving his life as a surgeon behind with the hope academic medicine will be a better life.  When kidnappers bent on killing him capture him, he can only think of escape.  He is able to escape their clutches, but now he is charged with murder. 
The Heiress of Winterwood - Sarah Ladd - #1 Whispers on the Moors - Amelia goes against family expectations and willingly promises to raise her dying friend’s baby.  When the baby is kidnapped, Amelia and the baby's father, Graham, are team together to find the baby, but it will test their boundaries.

Seaside Harmony - Evangeline Kelley - Postcards from Misty Harbor Inn - Caroline joins her sisters, Gracie and Sam for a Nantucket getaway.  They stumble on an old inn that their mother loved.  It is now a dilapidated place, but the sisters decide to buy, restore and open the Misty Harbour Inn.

Sunflower Summer - Evangeline Kelley - Misty Harbour Inn is open.  As they all adjust to the busy life of running an inn, each sister finds their place in the daily workings of the inn and it's guest.

Though My Heart is Torn - Joanne Bischof - #2 The Cadence of Grace - As Gideon and Lonnie settle into their new life, things look good.  Then news of a woman claiming to be Gideon's real wife forces them to return to Rocky Knob and face Gideon's past.
The Way Home - Thomas Kindkade/Katherine Spencer - An Angel Island Novel - Claire has settled into Angel Island's rhythms.  It has brought her peace and serenity.  When Jamie arrives in town, that all seems to be going by the way side.  Avery loves her new cafe, but Mike doubts that it will survive with all its new ideas and dishes
The House that Love Built - Beth Wiseman - Brooke figures her only chance at love died with her husband.  Now she is just trying to raise her two children and run a hardware store.  But when the new guy in town buys the old Hadley Mansion, she finds herself drawn to more than just the renovation of the house.



Friday, April 5, 2013

New Release - Katie Ganshert

Dear Readers,
Katie Ganshert's first book, Wildflowers from Winter, put her on the map as an up and coming author to watch.  Wishing on Willows is her second book and holds much promise of a great career.
Wishing on Willows by Ganshert, KatieRobin Price doesn't have much to remember her late husband by, a three year old son, a struggling cafe' and a few memories.  She pours everything she can into the Willow Tree cafe', but when Ian Mckay shows up with a plan to build condos where the cafe' stands, she refuses to let him have his way.
With a dash of romance, Katie weaves lovely stories of life in the US.  Stories that most of us can relate to in one way or another.
Happy Reading

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Nicole Seitz

Dear Readers,
I love Nicole Seitz’s books.  They are these lovely tales that have a bit of a twist to them.  Not always a huge twist where you say “oh my goodness I didn’t see that coming,” but always something that just makes her stories unique.  They are also set in one of my favorite parts of the country, the South Carolina coastline.
Beyond Molasses Creek, Nicole SeitzBeyond Molasses Creek by Nicole was released in January of last year, but my bookclub wanted to read it and so I waited till now to do so.  I took it on my vacation to Florida with me and it was the perfect spot to read it, warm sea breezes and sunshine. 
Ally Green has been running her entire life.  She couldn’t wait to get out of town and eventually became a stewardess for AirAmerica and enjoyed the jet set life.  She flew all over the world, lived in many different countries and didn’t have to think about what she left behind. 
Vesey Washington is who she was running from.  Growing up across Molasses Creek in the 60’s their relationship was forbidden.  With her being the daughter of a prominent doctor and him the son of a black coal miner, they had nothing in common.  But they were drawn together by the creek they both grew up on. 
I really don’t want to say more as it really gets into the story line that is just so much fun to discover.  The story flows along like the creek that is the center of the story.  I don’t know if you have ever been to South Carolina in the summer, but nothing moves quickly at that time including the water.  It just goes about its business of getting things moved along and at the end of the day all is completed and content.  This story is like that; it won’t be hurried, but savored and enjoyed so when you get to the end you feel rested in finding out Ally and Vesey’s story.
Happy Reading

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

New Release - Bodie and Brock Thoene

Dear Readers,
Brock and Brode Thoene have been favorite authors of many readers because of their award winning series Zion Covenant and Zion Chronicles.  They started writing Biblical fiction a few years ago with their series A.D. Chronicles.  They continue with that genre in the Jerusalem Chronicles with book #1 When Jesus Wept.
We all know the Bible story of the raising of Lazarus.  If the story still holds so much of our attention over 2,000 years later, what was it like when it happens?  Who is this man Lazarus?  What is his story?  He is listed as a close friend of Jesus and yet we know so little about him.   With Passion week having just past, now is a great time to slow down and read the story with fresh eyes.   
Happy Reading

Monday, April 1, 2013

New Releases March 25-30

Dear Readers,

So I could do a funny post than surprise you with April Fools.  But it is one of those practices that I really don't like.  Now don't get me wrong, I love a good joke, but April fool’s day is not one I participate in much. 
Rest easy, all the books listed below are on the shelves and ready for reading.
Happy Reading

A Matter of Trust - Lis Wiehl/April Henry - #1 A Mia Quinn Mystery - After listening to her friend’s murder, Mia teams up with Charlie to find the murderer.  The answers are more unsettling that she thought possible.

When Jesus Wept - Bodie and Brock Thoene - #3 Jerusalem Chronicles - Who is the man Lazarus?  He was the extraordinary man that Jesus raised from the dead, but that is not the only time we hear about him.  He was a witness to many parts of Jesus' life and yet we really know so little about him. 
Wishing on Willows - Katie Ganshert - Robin is trying to keep her Willow Tree Cafe' open.  It is one of the few things that help her remember her late husband.  Ian is trying to make sure the family business survives and it hinges on the development he is working on.  But Robin's Cafe' stands in the way. 
A Healing Heart - Angela Breidenbach - Quilts of Love - Mara decides the best gift to give her daughter at graduation is a photo quilt.  When a heart attack stops her, she needs time for her heart to heal, not only physically, but also emotionally.

The Bird in the Tree - Elizabeth Gouge - originally released in 1946 - #1 The Eliot Family Trilogy - Lucilla's family is all she cares about.  Her home is a refuge for them to come and visit.  When a beloved grandson goes against her wishes, she will need her faith more than ever.

The Guardian - Beverly Lewis - #3 Home to Hickory Hollow - Jodi is headed to Lancaster to house sit.  She finds a little girl alongside of the road.  There are no missing person reports and the little girl doesn't speak English.  Who could she belong to?  Why is no one missing a child?
Love at All Cost - Julie Lessman - #1 The Heart of San Francisco - Cassidy heads to San Francisco to get over her jilted heart.  When she meets Jamie she loses her heart to him.  But what Jamie doesn't know is Cassidy doesn't have any money either.  Will their love survive?
Jewel of the Pacific - Linda Lee Chaikin - #3 the Dawn of Hawaii - The long awaited sequel to Spoils of Eden and Hawaiian Crosswinds.  Eden seeks refuge at the leper colony and Rafe goes to San Francisco to seek help with his eye sight.  When he returns it becomes the year of decision.