Christy Awards

Dear Readers,

… and the winner is…  The Christy’s were given out this past week in Atlanta at the Christian retailers show (ICRS).  There were so many good books that sometimes I think they should just give them all an award. 

I will admit that I find great pleasure in seeing a few of the books that I have/am recommending to readers, win.  It kind of gives me that “see I told you it was a good book” satisfaction.   This year it was with even greater pleasure I saw one of the books that was in the running for my book of the year win not just one but 3 Christy’s and one of them was for Book of the Year.    

If you have not seen the list here are the winners…

Book of the Year

Burning Sky – Lori Benton - http://bbhfiction.blogspot.com/2013/08/lori-benton.html

Contemporary- Romance/Suspense

Dangerous Passage – Lisa Harris

Historical

Burning Sky – Lori Benton

Historical Romance

Harvest of Gold – Tessa Afshar

Contemporary Series

Take a Chance on Me – Susan May Warren

Suspense

Ted Dekker

Visionary

Dragonwitch – Anne Elisabeth Stengl

First Novel

Burning Sky – Lori Benton.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Happy Reading,

New Release - Firewall - DiAnn Mills

Dear Readers,

DiAnn Mills writes in quite a few genres.  She has fans in every genre and many of her fans crossover and read more than one.  The best thing about it is no matter what genre you are reading you know that DiAnn will write a good book.

In Firewall DiAnn takes us into the world of cyber terrorism.  Taryn and her new husband are at the airport ready to leave on their honeymoon when a bomb explodes and killing people and injuring Taryn.  When she awakens, her husband is missing and she is the prime suspect in the bombing.

Agent Grayson knows in his gut that Taryn is not guilty, but is working to find out who was really behind the bombs.  As he digs deeper and deeper he figures out that the real target of the bomb was Taryn and the new program she has just written.  A high security software that  in the wrong hand will leave America open to attacks.

So the stage is set for a terror attack on America and we the readers get to follow along as once again our heroes save the day.  Books like this are so much fun to read because we get to protect America without ever leaving the safety of our own houses.

Happy Reading,

Steven James

Dear Readers,

Steven James ran himself to the top of my favorite authors with the Patrick Bower series.  The books gave me chills and were so interesting they were hard to put down.  Steven’s Jevin Banks series made me think a bit about what was being written.  It used mind control, magic and frightening scientific realities.  So I was very interested in reading his first book in his new teen series.  Blur is definitely written for the teen reader even though Steven writes about the veil between reality and imagination and how that veil can blur or disappear altogether sometimes.

Daniel is the star quarterback for his high school team.  The last thing he thought he would have to deal with is death, but he finds himself at a funeral for one of his schoolmates.  Just before the funeral starts, Emily sits up in her casket and asked Daniel to find her glasses.   She grabs his arm and leaves a mark.  The only problem is no one else sees this just Daniel and he is pretty sure he is going insane.

Daniel decides that he needs to figure out if Emily’s death was actually an accident or if someone murdered her.   But how do you explain to your father or friends that you “see dead people.”  Not only do you see them, but they talk to you also.

With the main character being in High School, you will know that this book is not written for adults and it does have issues that are unique to teens.  How do you confront someone who is in authority of you? 

I enjoyed the mystery of it all and will recommend it to other readers, but especially to teens looking for a good read.

 

Happy Reading,

 

 

New Release - Four Weddings and a Kiss - Various

Dear Readers,

I don't usually do release announcements about compilations, it just becomes clunky to tell you about every story.  I don't want any author feeling left out.  But Four Weddings and a Kiss by Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Mary Connealy and Robin Lee Hatcher really just struck my funny bone.  I read the prologue and was laughing out loud.  I thought I would just share a bit of the part that made me laugh.

Reverend Gregory Miller is headed back home after attending a pastor's revival meeting.  He is not looking forward to going as he is going to have to tell the woman he loves that he can not marry her because he doesn't feel she will make a good pastor's wife because she is not serious enough.  He ends up having a conversation with 4 other pastors and they tell him stories of other very unlikely couple who have married and gone on to have very good marriages. 

That lets you know the idea behind the story, which I think is a cute idea.  In the prologue the following conversation happens and is one of a couple of things that made me laugh. 

""Miss Princeton is ... " He searched for a way to describe her. "Reckless."

" Reckless?"  The word escaped all four men in perfect harmony.

He sighed. It wasn't like him to talk about personal matters.  Drawing attention to himself was not his style.  Back home in Phoenix people expected their minsters to be dignified and sedate.  At age thirty, he's served his church well. He could only imagine what his congregation would say if they knew their esteemed leader bared his soul to a group of near strangers.

"Maybe that is not the right word but..." He couldn't think of another.  "She taught our church ladies to play rounder."  Women wielding sticks was shocking enough, but irate husbands insisted the games interfered with the women's household chores."

Ok it goes on from there, but heaven forbid women did something that interfered with their household chores.  :-D 

Happy Reading,

New Release - Love Comes Home - Ann H. Gabhart

Dear Readers,

It is V-J day!  That is the best news to report on, but Kate Tanner isn't worried about the reporting of it, she just wants to celebrate because that means the boys are coming home and the Merritt sisters can look forward to starting their happily ever after.  But as the boys start arriving, each girl must learn that sometimes happily-ever-after may be different than what they imagined.

We met the Merrit sisters in Ann H. Gabhart's book Angel Sister.  A wonderful gentle story of a young foundling being adopted by the family.  It is a tale of love that can be stronger than blood ties.  We watched the girls grow up and start dreaming of a future in Small Town Girl and now we will join in the girls' story as they begin the lives with their favorite guy in Love Comes Home. 

Ann has such a beautiful way of writing.  Right from the beginning Rosey Corner felt like home, even if it was written about a time before I was born.  There was the wonderful small town feel, where neighbors are always in each others business, but when the chips are down, those same neighbors are the first ones to help. 

The Rosey Corner series is a  prefect read for curling up with and disappearing for a while or better yet, find a place with a soda fountain and you will really believe you are in the small town you are reading about.

Happy Reading,

New Releases - June 16 - 21

Dear Readers,

Here is a fun fact for you and may explain why that to-be-read book list never gets any shorter.

Americans buy approximately five million books a day. 125 new titles are published daily. 

Thank you Margaret Brownley for that. 

Here are a few of those 125 per day books.
Happy Reading,

Love Comes Home - Ann H. Gabhart - Sequel to Small Town Girl and Angel Sister - WWII if finally over and the sisters are ready to welcome their men home and start the happily ever after they have been planning.

Death Takes a Ride - Lorena McCourtney - #3 the Cate Kinkaid Files - When Cate arrives at the Vintage Auto Restoration to give her friend a ride, she finds more than she bargained for.  A dead man, and wounded man and what looks like a case of self defense. 

Captured by Love - Jody Hedlund - Michigan 1814 - The British army have invaded and taken control of Michilimackinac Island.  When Pierre returns to his family farm he finds those he loves starving and under the control of the invading army.  Will he stay and help or will he return to his wandering ways?

Annie's Stories - Cindy Thomson - #1 Ellis Island Novel - A new novel is taking New York City by storm.  But for Annie Gallagher the Wonderful Wizard of Oz is some much more.  It reminds her of the stories her father use to tell.  When everything she holds dear is threatened she knows she must find her own way.

All for a Sister - Allison Pittman - Celeste DuFrane has fame and fortune.  When her mother passes she finds out more secrets that her mother kept hidden from them all.  Uncovering the past reveals more lives that were changed by her mother's action.

Firewall - DiAnn Mills - #1 FBI Houston novel - Taryn and her new husband are leaving on their honeymoon when a bomb at the airport leaves her injured and him missing.  The FBI consider them their prime suspects and now Taryn  is doubting all she knows about her husband and who he really is.

When I Fall in Love - Susan May Warren - #3 A Christiansen Family novel - Grace isn't sure if she is excited about the cooking retreat her family is sending her on.  Maxwell looks forward to the retreat every year, even though his hockey fans might never guess.  They are teamed up and they find themselves drawn to each other, but Maxwell isn't sure he is ready. 

New Release - The Cat Lady's Secret - Linda W. Yezak

Dear Readers,

 If nothing else the cover of The Cat Lady's Secret by Linda W. Yezak will make you want to pick it up, tuck it into your beach bag and go a read for the day.  It is bright and what I would call a happy cover.  One that makes you curious as to what is inside.

Emily love to help people either with cash or with an item that will help them through there difficulties.  But she loves it even more because she doesn't tell anyone who she is.  She works very hard to keep that a secret. 

When a reporter snaps a picture of her in action, it threatens to unravel not only her gift giving but also her private life.  Will she be able to get her life under control again or will this change everything for herself and those that so desperately need her help?

I love a book that offers a bit of a mystery a bit of humor and a whole lot of human nature to it.  Books like those are the perfect read for a lazy summer afternoon.

Happy Reading,

Lori Benton

Dear Readers,

One of the best things about fiction books is that you really never know what you will find between the covers until you open the book and start.  When I started The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton I felt I would get a good story as I really enjoyed her first book Burning Sky, but other than that I was unsure.  After having read this book, I can safely say I am really glad I did not live during that time of America’s history.  Too much work, too much danger and not enough running water. 

Tamsen lives with her mother and step-father.  Hezekiah Parrish is not anything like what she remembers her father being like.  Her step-father is cruel and abusive and is looking for a husband for Tamsen who has a large bankroll.  He is not worried about anything else.  So Ambrose Kincaid looks like the perfect fit.  He is a land owner with several other business dealings and will pay a very large dowry.   On the outset he seems like a very nice gentleman, until Tamsen witnesses him interacting with one of his slaves.  Then she knows she cannot live with a man like him, and she flees. 

Jesse Bird helps her to run away from her step-father at a great risk to himself, because he is then accused of kidnapping and even murder.  As Tamsen and Jesse flee farther and farther into the wilderness, she is not sure she will survive out here, but knows she cannot return to her step-father’s household. 

The rest will give away plot-line and I don’t want to do that.   It is always interesting to step between the pages into a past that you know little about.  What was the norm for the people who inhabited that time in history is so foreign to me.  Plucking geese and saving the feathers and down for future use, cooking over the fire in the fireplace, houses with few or no windows, goodness I could go on and on, but not one of those things made me want to live at that time in history.   You also have the danger of not only Natives in the area who are not welcoming to the new settlers, but also wild animals and criminals that work their way west to avoid the law.  So living in colonial America wasn't an easy task and was not for the faint of heart.

With that in mind, Lori actually writes a story that makes you want to live at that time.  The beautiful unspoiled landscapes, the neighbors who help each other – no questions asked, and a freedom to take care of things.  Lori has a gift for writing that makes you settle right into the story, walking alongside her characters and wishing they would stay a bit longer than the few pages that they have to share their story with you.  I really enjoyed this book because of that, the feeling that I wanted to move in next door and be part of the neighborhood.  Well if I could have running water anyway. 

 

Happy Reading,

New Release - Murder at the Mikado - Julianna Deering

Dear Readers,

I decided to move to the next decade for the next new release available.  Murder at the Mikado by Julianna  Deering is set in the 1930's in England.  The series is like a mixture of Downton Abbey and Agatha Christi, which makes for a great fun read. 

Drew and his fiancée Madeline are ready to have life be a little calmer.  No more murders would be high on that list as they start to prepare for their up coming wedding.  Then Drew's old flame is accused of murder and he knows that he can't leave Fleur and her family on their own. 

As their investigation continues things become strained between Drew and Madeline.  Will their relationship be able to survive?

I have read and reviewed the other two books in the series and completely enjoyed them and am looking forward to spending a couple days investigating a murder along side Drew and Madeline again.  The humor is fun to read, but the mystery is what make this series the best. 

Happy Reading,

New Release - The Hatmaker's Heart - Carla Stewart

Dear Readers,

I know I have said it before, one of the best things about reading historical novels is finding out things about the past.  The Hatmaker's Heart by Carla Stewart takes us into the world of fashion during the era of the roaring 20's. 

Nell Marchwold has a talent for making hats.  She loves seeing a very satisfied customer finding the perfect hat for themselves.  One that makes the customer feel beautiful, one that brings out the best qualities in the customer.

In-spite of her boss trying to keep her talents a secret, word gets out and suddenly she is thrust into the spot light by a designer that wants her to become his partner for his 1922 collection.  Nell finds herself in London where she spots a childhood friend and now she has to decide how much and what she will sacrifice for her dream.

I never think of all those hats that were worn in the roaring 20's as being handmade.  Each one being unique and designed.  Here is a fun chance to learn about what it took to make a perfect hat for one of the flappers of the age.

Happy Reading,

New Releases - June 9 - 14

Dear Readers,

June is already half over.  I hate that the warm summer months pass so quickly.  It just is not enough time to be outside and read.  Especially when the reading list just gets longer and longer with each new day.

Happy Reading,


Murder, Simply Stitched - Isabella Alan - #3 An Amish Quilt Shop Mystery - Angie stumbles on a body behind the canning shed.  Wanda had been poisoned by a blueberry fry pie.  Will Angie figure out the who-dun-it before her best friend ends up in jail for murder

Passing Strangers - Angela Hunt - 3 very different strangers form a makeshift family on a train tour through the south.  Each brings their own baggage and each is needed by the others.  Will they find healing from their little family?

The Hatmaker's Heart - Carla Stewart - Nell loves making hats.  Her creations attract the attention of a famous designer, who wishes to have her designed hats to go with his new collection.  After arriving in London, she meets an old friend and suddenly she isn't sure what her dream is and what she will have to sacrifice to make it happen.

Raina's Choice - Gilbert Morris - #3 Western Justice - Raina needs to get out of town.  She needs a hero and Tyler seems to fit the bill.  But is he really the answer to her prayers?

The Cat Ladies Secret - Linda W. Yezak - Emily's greatest joy is helping others.  She has fled back to her hometown from Houston and now is going to great lengths to hide what she does.  But when one of her gifts gets the attention of a journalist, it could all fall apart.

Four Weddings and a Kiss - Margaret Brownley/Debra Clopton/Mary Connealy/Robin Lee Hatcher - At the end of a pastor's revival meeting, a group of minister share stories of some of the most unlikely couples that fall in love and marry.  Quite happily I might add.

The Revealing - Suzanne Woods Fisher - #3 The Inn at Eagle Hill - Naomi King is willing to give up everything to follow her heart.  Tobe is worth it.  Then a young woman arrives with a delivery for Tobe and a nosy guest gets involved.

Murder at the Mikado - Julianna Deering - #3 A Drew Farthering Mystery - Drew and Madeline are ready for a calmer life, one that looks forward to an up and coming marriage - theirs.  But an old flame of Drew's is accused of murder and he knows he can't leave her in a lurch.

A Match of Wits - Jen Turano - The last person Agatha wants to meet up with is her old friend Zayne, but when she does she knows he needs to be sent home.  Zayne on the other hand does not want to return east, instead decides to help Agatha whether she wants it or not.

New Release - Blur - Steven James

Dear Readers,

I fell in love with Steven James' writing when he released Pawn just a few short years ago.  His thrillers can keep you awake all night.  His second series really got you to put on your thinking cap as he delved into the world of neurological research and mind control.  Then there is Blur and he once again he adds a very interesting element to his book.

Daniel Byers has a vision of Emily Jackson.  A very terrifying one, she actually talks to him after her death. 

Emily is found dead in a near by lake and the community is mourning her passing.  As he attends her funeral Emily begs him to find her glasses and tells him that one of his friends was in the car with her.  What does that all mean?  Why would Trevor be in the car also?

Okay Okay so a book where a dead girls sits up in her coffin and talks to you is probably not one I would recommend reading just before bed, but it is one that I have put on my TBR list. 

Happy Reading,

Kellie Coats Gilbert

Dear Readers,

When I first started A Woman of Fortune by Kellie Coats Gilbert I just thought it was going to be a book about a very rich family that happens to run into a problem when the husband is arrested for fraud.  A family that was suddenly going to have to face reality when they are forced to give up “the house staff, the lawn maintenance guys, the stable hands and even my masseuse,” as one of the adult children complains.  At that point I thought yeah that is almost reality, but the book is really more about finding yourself when you are not defined by worldly items, but by your character.

Claire Massey wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but her mother’s second marriage made it readily available and it is what she is used to.  Whether throwing multi - million dollar parties or  calling her personal shopper to find her shoes to match her dress, Claire loves her life.  It all comes crashing down when her husband is arrested for fraud.  He was playing fast and loose with his investors' money and it all has caught up with him.

As Claire struggles to understand how it could all happen to her and her family, she also has to deal with the loss of everything she holds dear.  Not only their family home in Texas, but also the other homes they have, their cars, clothes, everything is being taken to pay back all the investors that loss their money.  For some of the investors not only did they lose their money, but also they were close friends of the family or fellow church members, so they all have to deal with the loss of the friendship.  

I am sure most of us will never have to deal with our spouse being arrested for something minor let alone fraud, but we have all had times in our lives that have rocked our world and knocked it off the axis.  Even though at times when I was reading it I had a hard time not rolling my eyes when Claire or one of her children were talking about having to let the house staff go or their masseuse, I did understand Claire and how at times it feels like God has abandoned you. 

I really did enjoy this book, it was an interesting glimpse into how the 1% lives, but also how far they have to fall when something goes wrong.  I can’t imagine a world where you take a helicopter back to your family house, but I do understand a mother wanting to protect her children and how angry she would be at a husband who threatened that.

Happy Reading,  

New Release - Wish - Jake Smith

Dear Readers,

There will be no doubt in your mind that when you pick up Wish by Jake Smith you better pick up a box of tissues also.  This book has all the ingredients needed to make the waterfall start.  A sick young boy, a father wanting to just have a healthy son and a family struggle.  Throw in a little baseball and this book makes for that perfect read, but one you probably want to read in private for when the tears start.

Aaron has been fighting cancer most of his young life.  His father James will do anything to make his son happy and healthy, but when the cancer returns he know that the battle may be ending.  Aaron has one wish, to see his dad play in a major league game.  James isn't sure he will be able to fulfill that dream for Aaron, but is willing to give it a try, even if it means missing Aaron's last few days on earth.

I am a sucker for a good baseball story.  There is something about the grand old game that just seems to make us all slow down and enjoy.  It reminds us of yesterday, when we had time to spend on a Sunday afternoon, outside enjoying the weather, playing a pick up game or listening to the Tigers play with your grandpa. 

Even though Wish also includes a story of a little boy in the struggle for his life, it is really a story of boys and their dads and America's pastime.

Happy Reading,

New Release - Oath of the Brotherhood - C.E. Laureano

Dear Readers,

What is the one genre that more people ask for in Christian fiction?  Ok there are those, but what is the one where there are not many titles to give them?  Fantasy/Sci Fi.  I still get asked if there are any good reads in that genre more than almost any other genre in which I can't give them many suggestions.

The Oath of the Brotherhood by C.E. Laureano book #1 of the Song of Seare has waded into the pool and looks to help fill that gap.  Conor Mac Nir is a disappointment to his clan, he plays the harp and is dangerous with the sword.  Not a danger to other, but to himself. 

The warrior brotherhood think he may actually be the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, but can he be trained to fight?  Is he really the answer to the prophecy?  Is he ready to sacrifice everything include his love for Aine to fight the evil taking over their island?

What more do you look for in an fantasy novel.  Ancient prophesies, an unlikely hero and evil that is posed to take over the world.  That is the type of book that you want to pick up as you curl up into your favorite reading chair and help fight on the side of good.  Got your sword ready?

Happy Reading,

New Releases - June 2 - 7

Dear Readers,

The good new titles keep rolling in.  Just when I think we are getting a lull in the number of titles we are getting, more roll into the store.  It will make for a busy summer of reading, but I have no problem with that. 

Happy Reading,


The Fight - Luke Wordley - To say Sam Pennington has anger issues is probably an understatement.  He has plenty of reasons to be angry, but it is going to get him kicked out of school.  When boxing trainer Jerry finds Sam and reaches out to him, both their lives are changed, but maybe not for the better.

Mark of Distinction - Jessica Dotta - #2 Price of Privilege Trilogy - Julia is now under the protection of Lord Pierson.  She is the toast of London but she find it hard to maintain the illusions that is her life now. 

Blind Trust - Sandra Orchard - #2 Port Aster Secrets - Kate Adams is caught red- handed with counterfeit money.  What makes it even crazier is she got the money from her dear sweet neighbor.  While investigating the counterfeit ring, she stumbles on something even darker. 

Saving Amelie - Cathy Gohlke - Rachel is hunted by the SS because of the child she is hiding, but also secrets from her own past.  When Rachel and Amelie hide in Oberammergau, they are not only risking their own lives, but also the lives of those willing to help save others from the threat of the Nazi's beliefs.

Wish - Jake Smith - Tear jerking story of a young boy with cancer and his dying wish.  Aaron's one wish is he wants to see his father play in a major league baseball game.  His father is afraid that he does not have the skills to make the team and fulfill that wish.

All Right Here - Carre Armstrong Gardner - A Darling Family Novel #1 - Ivy is unable to have children of her own and her husband has begun to resent it.  When a ready made family is almost dropped in their laps, Ivy is ready to adopt them, but her husband is sure he wants such a mismatched family.

Oath of the Brotherhood - C.E. Laureano - #1 The Song of Searf - (from the back cover) An island at the edge of the world.  An ancient prophecy. A reclusive warrior brotherhood.  When Evil encroaches, who will find the faith to fight it?

Yankee in Atlanta - Jocelyn Green - Heroines Behind the Lines - Civil War #3 - (from the back cover) She hid from her past to find a future and landed on enemy soil. 

A Mother's Secret - Amy Clipston - Unmarried but with a son, Carolyn doesn't believe she will ever marry.  Her parents try to marry her off to a widow in need of a mother for his young daughter, but Carolyn is looking for love. 

The Bridge Tender - Marybeth Whalen - A Sunset Beach Novel - Emily and Ryan made a pact to buy a house on the beach in Sunset Beach - someday.  Someday never comes when Ryan suddenly passes away.  That is until a secret insurance policy comes to light. 

New Release - The Heart's Pursuit - Robin Lee Hatcher

Dear Readers,

Robin Lee Hatcher has been a fixture in the Christian fiction market for as long as I can remember.  She writes a variety of genres, but historical fiction is what she does the most.  I don't want to say best, because I love her contemporary books also.

The Heart's Pursuit is Robin newest release and once again Robin takes us on an adventure from by gone eras.  Set in Colorado in 1873, we get to chase some bad guys along side bounty hunter Jared Newman.  He is determined to hunt down the murder of his family and he does not need a woman tagging along.

Silver is left at the altar by a man who not only deserted her, but stole her family's money.  Because of him her family is left in ruins.  She is going to find him and make him pay.  But traveling with Jared is probably not such a great idea.

There is something romantic about the wild west.  It maybe the ruggedness of men, the women who stood along side them or just the chance to find a place that no one else has tamed, but whatever it is, we all seem drawn to a good western.

Happy Reading,

The Midwife - Jolina Petersheim

Dear Readers,

This is the third time I have started this review.  Not because The Midwife by Jolina Petersheim is not good, but because I can’t find the right words to use to tell you how really good it is.  It is truly a story about walking in someone else’s shoes to understand what they have been through. 

Rhoda keeps everyone at a distance.  All the girls and young ladies that come through the home for unwed mothers that she works for, her fellow workers and midwives, the handy man/driver, everyone.  She does this because it seems like to her, everyone she loves abandons her and she no longer wants to risk her heart.

She works at Hopen Haus, a Mennonite support home.  When the community left the area it left the little house with little or no support and they are struggling to survive.  Rhoda sees it as just one more abandonment. 

I really can’t go on more or I will start giving the storyline away.  I was not too excited by Rhoda most of the story, but as I went on the journey that was her life I began to understand her more and more and that is what life is about also. 

There were so many different threads to this story.  It doesn’t make it hard to follow, it makes for a richer story.  Each person’s thread was important to what was happening at Hopen Haus.  I think that is what I liked the most about this book, how each person involved effected those around her for very different reasons, some good and some bad, and shaped the others because of it. 

 

Happy Reading,

 

Summer Reading list - part III

Dear Readers,

This is the last installment of my summer reading list.  It was long this year, but not long enough as more and more titles come in.  Enjoy these titles and then look for more as we get new titles every day.

Happy Reading,

Dear Mr. Knightley – Katherine Reay - Sam hides in her books, her only friends lie between the pages of the classics like Austen, Dickens and Shakespeare.  The problem is she lives in the real world.  When a mentor offers a free passage to college she finds out what it means to really be loved and how to be a friend.

The Traitor's Wife - Allison Pataki - We all know about Benedict Arnold and the most notorious act of treason in America's history, but did you know that he was drawn into the act by his much younger wife.  Peggy Shippen was loyal to the British, she is the one who hatches the plan to turn West Point over to the British.

The Pursuit of Tamsen Little John - Lori Benton - Tamsen escapes the life of hardship under her step-father and an arranged marriage with Jesse Bird.  What she finds is harder than she imagined, but maybe just what she is seeking.

Sing for Me - Karen Halvorsen Schreck - Set in 1937.  Rose Sorenson longs for something more than just the hymns she sings at church.  Introduced to the world of Jazz clubs, she finds an exciting place that offers her what she wants.

Where Courage Calls - Janette Oke & Laurel Oke Logan - When Calls the Heart novel - This book compliments the new series on the Hallmark Channel.  Set in the Canadian frontier it brings us back to Janette's much loved Canadian West series.

Songs of the Shenandoah - Michael K. Reynolds - An Heirs of Ireland Novel - (from the back cover) In this dramatic conclusion to the Heirs of Ireland series... the clash of loyalties and beliefs threatens an entire family. 

The First Phone Call From Heaven - Mitch Albom - On the same morning that Sully Harding is released from prison is when the first phone calls start happening.  Phone calls from people to their loved ones.  Which doesn't sound so unusual except the one that is calling is dead.  Sully sets out to prove it is all faked by someone with a sick sense of humor.

Stones for Bread - Christa Parrish - Liesl's world is all about bread.  Her heritage, her job, her life.  That is until those who surround her start interfering.  The troubled teen her head baker brings in, the waitress who summits a recipe to a cooking show, and the flour guys who thinks he can win her affection.

Strait of Hormuz - David Bunn - One call and Marc Royce is once again on an assignment.  He is trying to find the threat to world peace and safety stretching from Asia to the Middle East.

Heart Failure - Richard L. Mabry M.D. - Medical thrillers at its best.  Carrie found a second love almost to good to be true.  Then Adam confesses that he is on the run from the witness program and now they are both in danger.

I, Saul - Jerry Jenkins with James MacDonald  - What if a manuscript written by Paul was found completely intact in spite of being stored in the walls of his prison cell?  Augie finds out when he gets a call from a friend who say he needs help.

A Beauty so Rare - Tamera Alexander - #2 A Belmont Mansion Novel - Eleanor never plans on marring, but her aunt has other idea for her.  While Eleanor tries to start a place for widows and orphans of the civil war, her aunt is trying to marry her to a man she doesn't love.

The Amish Groom - Mindy Starns Clark/Susan Meissner - #1 the Men of Lancaster County - Torn between two worlds, Tyler needs to decide if he is going stay in the Amish community where he was raised after his mother passed or return to the Englisch world that his father is part of.

What Follows After - Dan Walsh - (Not part of the series he is working on with Gary Smalley) Scott and Gina's marriage is over.  They have carried out a lie for over a year, but their sons, Colt and Timmy are sick of it.  So they decide to run away and force their parents to back together.

The Devil Walks in Mattingly - Billy Coffey - (from the back cover) For three people, secretly complicit in a young man's death, redemption is their most precious desire... and the last thing any of them ever expect to receive.

My Mother's Chamomile - Susie Finkbeiner - The Eliot family is used to assisting people in the time of their greatest need, now they will need comforting and support for others.  Will they make it through the drought to find God's promises of comfort again?

 

New Release - Sky Zone - Creston Mapes

Dear Readers,

After being gone for a few years, Creston Mapes is back and treating readers to a wonderful new series.  He writes fast paced action filled adventures that keeps you turning pages as quick as you can to the end and then regretting that you are finished so quickly.  Sky Zone is book #3 in the Crittendon series and the newest release for Creston.

Jack Crittendon is the reporter with a knack for stumbling on a huge story.  That doesn't always set well with his bosses and never with the criminal.   He is now out of work and his very pregnant wife is working full time trying to make ends meet. 

He takes on a job helping a friend at the Festival Arena.  He agrees to work at a political rally and that is when thing start going wrong.  A terrorist plot is revealed and Jack and his friend Brian Shakespeare have to race to save not only themselves but the lives of thousands.

Creston's novels are timely and ones that while you are reading it you wonder if you had just read that story in the newspaper or if it was in the book.  He writes wonderful gritty characters that you love and yet they have a bit of an edge to them so you are not always comfortable with them.  But he draws you back for more over and over again.  I for one am very glad that he is back.

Happy Reading,

New Releases - May 26 - 31

Dear Readers,

It is June already.  I am having a hard time believing that spring is almost over and summer is on the way.  Here in Michigan it took a bit longer to thaw out enough to get outside, but once the warmer temps hit, outside is where we were enjoying dozens of new books for the season.

Here are more good titles to add to the list.

Happy Reading,

Child's Play - Bill Meyers - First of the Last Fool series - (from back cover) - Fifty years in the future, religion is banned. Location - Sisco Heights mental Health Facility. Unconventional characters delve into a statement on a fortune found in a cookie - "You are my favorite child, God."

Through the Deep Waters - Kim Vogel Sawyer - Bad decisions and a shameful past because of her mother, Dinah doesn't feel she is loveable to anyone.  Amos wants to show her unconditional love, but will she be able to except it?

Sidetracked - Brandilyn Collins - Delanie is hiding from her dark past.  Reinventing herself, she has everything she ever dreamed of.  In fact her boyfriend is going to ask her to marry him.  That all crashes to an end when her friend, Clara, is murdered.  She wants to find the killer, but that will mean revealing her past.

Hallowed Halls - Hannah Alexander - Joy Gilbert is fired from her position in the city, returning home she finds much the same, but some has changed.  Her mother is struggling, her former fiancé is still single and her former bosses' daughter stowed away and refuses to return home. 

Sky Zone - Creston Mapes - #3 The Crittendon Files - Jack Crittendon is working part time, his pregnant wife is working full time, life is strained to say the least.  When he takes a job to help at a political rally life changes rapidly when a treat of a terrorist attack is revealed.

Forever Amish - Kate Lloyd - #3 of the Legacy of Lancaster series - Sally needs sometime away to sort through what is to come.  What she finds is a Amish woman who introduces her to a very different perspective on life and a handsome farm hand.  All of which may change her life forever.

Sarah's Choice - Rebecca St. James/Nancy Rue - Sarah is on the verge of getting the job she has dreamed of.  Huge raise, new car, travel, she is ready for it.  Only one thing stands in her way, her unborn baby.

For Love or Country - Jennifer Hudson Taylor - #2 the MacGregor Legacy - Tyra's spying for the colonials comes to a halt when she is placed under house arrest.  Donahue Morgan is sent to guard her and even though they are sworn enemies, there is attraction that can't be denied.

Rival Hearts - Tara Randel - Quilts of Love series - Molly writes for Quilter's Heart and Ben writes for Outdoor Adventures.  They are both up for a new promotion and to prove who is the better writer, they must switch jobs and learn about and then write about the other's magazine. 

Hacker - Ted Dekker - #2 Outlaw Chronicles - Nyah is a genius hacker.  She cracks firewalls for a living.  When the biggest job of her life goes wrong it becomes a life or death situation.

Blur - Steven James - When the veil between reality and madness begins to blur, Daniel isn't sure what to believe anymore.  He is sadden over Emily's death, but a terrifying vision brings that into questions.  Is there more to her death than what meets the eye?