New Releases - October 24 - 29

Dear Readers,

Happy Reading, 

A Sister’s Wish – Shelley Shepherd Gray - #3 The Charmed Amish Life - Amelia Kinsinger is the perfect Amish woman—at least according to her neighbors. And while Amelia takes pride in her role as homemaker, she’s also harboring a secret: She’s been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember. Too bad he’s about as far from “perfect” as an Amish man could get… but that’s exactly why she’s so drawn to him.

The Cautious Maiden – Dawn Crandall - Violet Hawthorne is beyond mortified when her brother Ezra turns their deceased parents' New England country inn into a brothel to accommodate the nearby lumberjacks but when Violet's own reputation is compromised, the inn becomes the least of her worries. In an effort to salvage her good name, Violet is forced into an engagement with a taciturn acquaintance, Vance Everstone   

The Devoted – Suzanne Woods Fisher - #2 The Bishop’s Family- Bright, curious, and restless, Ruthie Stoltzfus loves her family but is stuck in a sea of indecision about her future: Should she stay Amish? Or should she leave?  Patrick Kelly is a young man on a journey of his own. He's come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to "everything Plain." 

Tainted – Morgan L. Busse - Kat Bloodmayne is one of the first women chosen to attend the Tower Academy of Sciences. But she carries a secret: she can twist the natural laws of science. She has no idea where this ability came from, only that every time she loses control and unleashes this power, it kills a part of her soul. If she doesn't find a cure soon, her soul will die and she will become something else entirely.

Saffire – Sigmund Brower - For President Teddy Roosevelt, controlling the east-west passage between two oceans mattered so much that he orchestrated a revolution to control it. His command was to ‘let the dirt fly’ and for years, the American Zone of the Panama Canal mesmerized the world, working in uneasy co-existence with the Panamanian aristocrats. 

Long Way Gone – Charles Martin -Five years after losing everything, Cooper O'Conner falls in love with Daley Cross, an angelic voice in need of a song. But just as he realizes his love for Daley, Cooper faces a tragedy that threatens his life as well as his career. With nowhere else to go, he returns home to the remote Colorado mountains, searching for answers about his father and his faith. 

quote

Not all those who wander are lost.

– J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

My favorite Tolkien quote.  

New Release - Noah - Tim Chaffey/K. Marie Adams

New Release - Noah: Man of Destiny The Remnant Trilogy - # 1

Noah: Man of Destiny takes readers on a captivating, coming-of-age journey. Noah learns about the Most High while standing against a sinister belief system emerging throughout the land. Whether escaping legendary beasts, tracking kidnappers, or pursuing his future wife, Noah acquires the skills he will need when God calls him to his greatest adventure: surviving the global Flood.

• Witness the struggle of a righteous man’s battle against a culture that thought of evil continually
• Explore what it may have been like for a righteous man to relate to God before the Bible was written
• Non-fiction portions in the back of the book help explain historical concepts and provide teaching sections that deal with issues and concerns that arise in the account.

Gain fresh insights into the people and events of the pre-Flood world through the engaging, adventure-filled first novel of the Remnant Trilogy.

New Release - The Room with the Second Best View - Virginia Smith

The Room with the Second Best View - Virginia Smith 

The B&B Is Open for Business!
Shhh...

Excitement is in the air in Goose Creek, Kentucky, as the small town prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary and the veterinarian's upcoming wedding. But trouble is brewing in this provincial paradise...
Al Richardson agreed to open a B&B with his wife after his retirement in two years, but Millie secretly invites some guests to stay for the wedding. She plans to be the most gracious Southern hostess—until a tumble down the stairs leaves her unprepared for their quirky and cantankerous first guest.

Meanwhile, the town's anniversary plans are in a state of chaos as the celebration committee scrambles to raise the necessary funds—an effort spearheaded by a "newcomer," which ruffles the towns folk's feathers.

Goose Creek has lasted 150 years. Can it survive the next month?

New Releases - October 17 - 22

Dear Readers,

The colder temps are looming.  Snow is coming, I know it because I have lived in West Michigan most of my life.  Which means it is hot tea and a warm blanket weather.  Time to snuggle in for a long winter's read.

Happy Reading, 

The Looming Storm – Diane and David Munson -when Federal Agent Eva Montanna uncovers a menacing threat to harm Eva and her family. When daughter Kaley travels to Eastern Europe on a class trip, Eva’s Christian faith is challenged, and their lives are altered in the blink of an eye. Tensions skyrocket as Eva and Griff Topping, her FBI partner, use every trick to infiltrate a band of Florida smugglers.  

Mattie’s Pledge – Jan Drexler - Mattie Schrock is no stranger to uprooting her life. Even as her father relocated her family from one Amish community to the next, she always managed to find a footing in their new homes. Now as the Schrock family plans to move west from Somerset County to a fledgling Amish settlement in Indiana, she looks forward to connecting with old friends who will be joining them from another Pennsylvania community

The Undoing of Saint Silvanus – Beth Moore - Only God knew why Jillian Slater agreed to return to New Orleans on the news that her father had finally drunk himself to death. It's not like they were close. She hadn t seen him or her grandmother, the ice queen in almost 20 years. But when Adella Atwater, the manager of her grandmother's apartment house, called and said Jillian's expenses would be paid if she'd fly in for the burial, a free trip to New Orleans was too intriguing to resist

Mary; Chosen of God – Diana Wallis Taylor - Mary is ordinary girl from Nazareth. She helps her mother with household chores, she daydreams about a handsome carpenter's son named Joseph, and at night she lies on the roof and contemplates at the stars. But one evening, a heavenly visitor comes with unexpected news;and her life is changed forever. 

Room with the Second Best View – Virginia Smith - #3 Tales of the Goose Creek B&B- Excitement is in the air in Goose Creek, Kentucky, as the small town prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary and the veterinarian's upcoming wedding. But trouble is brewing in this provincial paradise...

Noah: Man of Destiny – Tim Chaffey & K. Marie Adams - The Remnant Trilogy # 1 -  Noah learns about the Most High while standing against a sinister belief system emerging throughout the land. Whether escaping legendary beasts, tracking kidnappers, or pursuing his future wife, Noah acquires the skills he will need when God calls him to his greatest adventure: surviving the global Flood.

Which Reading Nook is Perfect for you?

Dear Readers,

What a fun little quiz.  Turns out my library needs a secret room just for my reading.

What did you get?


https://www.qzzr.com/c/quiz/278258/which-reading-nook-is-perfect-for-you


Happy Reading,

Thoughts

Dear Readers,

I think most of you have heard me mention or review a book I have "read" by listening to on Overdrive.  It is an app on my phone through the local library.  It is the best app I have downloaded.  I only have a couple 'rules' about the books I read.  If it is fiction it needs to be something I wouldn't normally carry here in the store, with the exception being if it is for my bookclub and have no other chance to read it.

The other rule is if I really am not enjoying the book, then it really is okay to stop listening to it.  But I do have to give it at least two trips to and from work before I make that decision.  It has only happened twice.  One book turned out to be basically the characters running around sleeping with anyone and everyone and making crude jokes - not at all what the book was advertised as and the other the reader of the book had a voice that was way to tedious to enjoy the book.  I actually found myself not listening to the book most of the time and so never had any idea what was going on.

There is another aspect of this that I had never thought of.  It has shown me a glaring problem in Christian fiction.  Now before I get to that problem I have to say, there is tons of really good Christian fiction.  There are many that have become friends of mine and sit on my bookshelves at home. I love them, recommend them and will someday, reread them.  So I am not trying to throw out all of Christian fiction, this is just something I find missing.

That thing is the book that is just a good story.  Something that isn't trying to make a point, that isn't trying to get me to learn Bible verses or listen to a sermon.  Something that lets me wrestle with the moral dilemma or character's choices.  One that just never tells me the right or wrong on those choice and how I might agree or disagree with them.  A book where happily ever after just might be missing from the end of the book.  (I can't tell you how many books I have read in the Christian market that has an ending set 6 months later so people are saved, married or expecting a child or all of the above)

I just finished a book that will soon be on my shelves here at the store.  Overall all was a good read.  I love the premise of the book and yet conveniently the main character went to church every 4th or 5th chapter and we all got a lovely sermon.  *Sigh*  Not really part of the story, it was included so the main character could soon arrive at an epiphany that made sure we all had the plan of salvation.  

This story really didn't need it, but somewhere along the line, that is what Christian fiction has become. Only about the status quo.  If it worked once, lets continue doing it.  Now again, let me say, we do need those books, people read them and love them.  But there are others who want that in-depth story that they have to wrestle with more.  I am having trouble finding that title without a Christian lesson in it in the Christian market, but I am finding it in the secular market.

My pleas are not just for authors as I know authors who are or are trying to write books like this, but to publishers.  Challenge us as readers.  Make us question things and struggle with what our characters do.  It might even make us bump heads once and a while with other readers, but of course that is so much fun for us readers.

Those are just some thoughts I have

Happy reading,

New Release - Twilight at Blueberry Barrens - Colleen Coble

New Release - Twilight at Blueberry Barrens - Colleen Coble

Kate Mason has devoted herself to caring for her family’s blueberry barrens. But after her fields stop producing fruit, she’s forced to come up with alternative ways to make a living.

Renting out the small cottage on her property seems an obvious choice, but it won’t be enough. When entrepreneur Drake Newham shows up looking not only for a place to rent but also for a nanny for his two nieces, it’s almost too good to be true. And maybe it is—because Drake brings with him dangerous questions about who might be out to kill his family.

The more time Kate spends with Drake and the girls, the more difficult it becomes to hide her attraction to him. But a family crisis isn’t exactly the ideal time to pursue a romance.

Meanwhile, Kate learns that her uncle—in prison for murder—has escaped. Add to that a local stalker who won’t leave her alone, and Kate is looking over her shoulder at every turn. With threats swirling from multiple directions, she wonders if her blueberry fields will ever flourish again . . . or if this twilight is her last.

New Releases - Oct - 10 - 15

Dear Readers,

It has been a very busy two weeks here at the store.  Between author visits, booktables, writer's conference and an all day librarian event I felt like I was chasing my own tail.  Now there is time to breathe and relax again.  Time to pick a new book or two to enjoy and here are a few to get me started. 

Happy Reading,

Twilight at Blue Berry Barrens – Colleen Coble - #3 Sunset Cove Novel - Kate Mason has devoted herself to caring for her family’s blueberry barrens. But after her fields stop producing fruit, she’s forced to come up with alternative ways to make a living. Drake Newham shows up looking not only for a place to rent but also for a nanny for his two nieces, it’s almost too good to be true. And maybe it is—because Drake brings with him dangerous questions about who might be out to kill his family.

Season in Paradise – Barbara Cameron - #2 The Coming Home series - Rose Anna Zook has watched her two older sisters marry two Stoltzfus men and has always thought she and John, the third Stoltzfus brother, would marry, make a home together, have children. But John has other ideas. He’s enjoying his Rumschpringe in the Englisch world a little too much and isn’t interested in returning to the Amish community—especially to marry. 

A Gathering of Hope – Phillip Gulley - #3 of the Hope series - Thanks to an unexpected windfall, Sam Gardner's congregation (with the exception of a few malcontents) is eager to expand their meetinghouse. But before building can commence, the County Environmental Board and the Department of Natural Resources put the quietus on the plan.  A colony of endangered Indiana bats have made the tree beside the meetinghouse, and the meetinghouse attic, their place of hanging, mating, and living, which poses a big problem for the congregation

A Lady Unrivaled – Roseanna M. White - #3 Ladies of the Manor - Lady Ella Myerston can always find a reason to smile--even if it's just in hope that tomorrow will be better than today. All her life everyone has tried to protect her from the realities of the world, but Ella knows very well the danger that has haunted her brother and their friend, and she won't wait for it to strike again. She intends to take action . . . and if that happens to involve an adventurous trip to the Cotswolds, then so much the better.

Fates and Traitors – Jennifer Chiaverini – A novel of John Wilkes Booth - The subject of more than a century of scholarship, speculation, and even obsession, John Wilkes Booth is often portrayed as a shadowy figure, a violent loner whose single murderous act made him the most hated man in America. Lost to history until now is the story of the four women whom he loved and who loved him in return.

Librarians Event

Dear Readers,

This past Tuesday was our Fall Librarians event here at the store.  Twice a year we host over 100 librarians representing 80 churches.  It is a long, busy and fun day.  The whole store gets involved and by the end of the day, everyone is tired.  Even with that it is one of our favorite days and everyone looks forward to it each season.  If you are a church librarian or know a church librarians, please feel free to contact me for information on the next event.

Happy Reading,






https://www.facebook.com/bakerbookhouse/photos/a.132344769710.105795.129497814710/10154651763544711/?type=3&theater

Laura McNeill

Dear Reader's,

Laura McNeil's novels are filling a place in the Christian fiction market that not many authors can or will try to.  She writes very real issue driven books.  Sometimes that means she crosses the line with language, but for me it makes the book all the better for it as it is close to what the real world is like.

In Sister Dear, Laura takes us on a journey with Allie.  She has just returned home after serving a 10 year prison sentence for a murder she didn't commit.  Only two people know she is innocent, herself and the real murderer, the rest of the town believes she was and is guilty.  But she is determined to prove her innocence not only for herself, but for the daughter she had to leave behind.

Not only is this book about Allie's return to society it is about her family and how they deal with it, the community as a whole and how the church seems awfully quiet in the amount they have given and are giving the family.  It really did add a very interesting dynamic to the story that didn't always leave me comfortable with my reaction to what was happening.

I have recommended Laura's books strongly since reading Center of Gravity, and will continue to do so because she is turning out books that make you think about and maybe notice things you may not have before.

Happy reading

New Release - Tangled Webs - Irene Hannon

Tangled Webs - Irene Hannon

After a disastrous Middle East mission ends his six-year Army Ranger career, Finn McGregor needs some downtime. 

A peaceful month in the woods sounds like the perfect way to decompress. But peace isn't on the agenda once he crosses paths with publishing executive Dana Lewis, a neighbor who is nursing wounds of her own. 

Someone seems bent on disrupting her stay in the lakeside cabin she inherited from her grandfather. As Finn and Dana work together to discover who is behind the disquieting pranks, the incidents begin to take on a menacing tone. And when it becomes apparent Dana's foe may have deadly intent, Finn finds himself back in the thick of the action--ready or not. 

Bestselling author Irene Hannon draws readers into a web of psychological suspense where danger lurks in dark corners . . . and keeps them captive until the very last page.

New Releases - October 10 - 15

Dear Readers,

Another great list for the month of October.  When the weather is so pleasant out it is hard to stay inside to read.  With these titles available it does become a bit easier.  

Happy Reading. 

From this Day Forward – Lauraine Snelling - #4 Song of Blessing -Revisit Old Friends in Blessing in This Heartwarming Series Conclusion Deborah MacCallister, head nurse at the Blessing hospital, has loved Toby Valders since her school days, but she's had enough of their on-again, off-again relationship. Toby truly cares for Deborah, but he's never felt like he could commit to marriage or a family.When Anton Genddarm, the new schoolteacher, comes to town, the young women of Blessing see a chance to force Toby's hand with a little strategic matchmaking.

Tangled Webs – Irene Hannon - #3 Men of Valor - Someone seems bent on disrupting Dana Lewis' stay in the lakeside cabin she inherited from her grandfather.  Finn and Dana work together to discover who is behind the disquieting pranks, the incidents begin to take on a menacing tone.

Mrs. Grant and Jule – Jennifer Chiaverini - In 1844, shy Missouri belle Julia Dent met Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant, brilliant horseman and reluctant soldier. The two fell deeply in love, but Grant’s abolitionist family refused to attend their wedding. For despite her husband's objections, Julia kept as her slave another Julia, known as Jule.

The Wish – Beverly Lewis - Leona Speicher got the "sister" she'd always dreamed of the day Gloria Gingerich and her family moved to Lancaster County Amish farmland.   Leona is shocked when the Gingeriches suddenly pack up and disappear after being expelled from the church for reasons no one will discuss. Despite Leona's pleas, Gloria goes with them, leaving more than one broken heart behind.

When Love Arrives – Johnnie Alexander - Dani Prescott came to the children's hospital to spy on Brett Somers--so how did she end up on a date with him? Weeks earlier she'd seen an interview in which he blamed her mother for the plane crash that had killed his parents. But the crash had killed her mother as well, so Dani can't believe the story Brett's trying to sell to the media.

Newton and Polly – Jody Hedlund – A Novel of Amazing Grace - Now remembered as the author of the world’s most famous hymn, in the mid-eighteenth century as England and France stand on the brink of war, John Newton is a young sailor wandering aimlessly through life. His only duty is to report to his ship and avoid disgracing his father—until the night he hears Polly Catlett’s enchanting voice, caroling. He’s immediately smitten and determined to win her affection.

quote

Robert Whitlow

Dear Readers,

Robert Whitlow has done it again.  He has written a book that keeps your attention and is yet almost completely different than anything else he has written.  Okay true The Witnesses still a lawyer book and yes it is set in the South and does involve family, but other than that...

Parker is just starting his law career.  He is working for a small partnership in New Bern, North Carolina.   Things are moving along at a good pace.  He likes what he does even if sometimes the partners seem to want more from him than he can give.  Then one day a "hunch" about a jury member proves to be a great move.  He isn't sure what or why he knew that about her, but his boss doesn't care.

Parker's Opa Frank House also has that gift of foresight, but he has refuse to use it since he used it in WWII and many people lost their lives because of him.  Frank is now living a quiet life of a retired fisherman, enjoy his time with friends and family.  That is until men from his old unit track him down and plan on using him to find treasures lost since the war.

Robert weaves a wonderful story of forgiveness of self and the use of a gift from God.  Because the mystery of it all is so interesting, the whole story is fun to follow and of course Frank is such an engaging character I found myself wishing I knew him in real life.

Robert is known for his stand alone books, ones you wish had a sequel, but are very glad they don't as you really like to finish the story yourself.

Happy Reading,

New Release - Long way Gone - Charles Martin

Long Way Gone - Charles Martin

No matter where you go, no matter whether you succeed or fail, stand or fall, no gone is too far gone. You can always come home.

At the age of eighteen, musician and songwriter Cooper O Connor took everything his father held dear and drove 1,200 miles from home to Nashville, his life riding on a six-string guitar and the bold wager that he had talent. But his wager soon proved foolish.

Five years after losing everything, he falls in love with Daley Cross, an angelic voice in need of a song. But just as he realizes his love for Daley, Cooper faces a tragedy that threatens his life as well as his career. With nowhere else to go, he returns home to the remote Colorado mountains, searching for answers about his father and his faith.

When Daley shows up on his street corner twenty years later, he wonders if it s too late to tell her the truth about his past and if he is ready to face it himself.

A radical retelling of the prodigal son story, Long Way Gone takes us from tent revivals to the Ryman Auditorium to the tender relationship between a broken man and the father who never stopped calling him home."

Tonight

New Releases - Sept. 26 - October 1

Dear Readers,

October 1st!?!  How can that be wasn't it just Memorial day like 3 weeks ago?  Summer has gone by much too quickly.  But fall brings its own delights.  So here is a list of some "pumpkin spice" books. 

Happy Reading,

Waves of Mercy - Lynn Austin - Geesje de Jonge crossed the ocean at age seventeen with her parents and a small group of immigrants from the Netherlands to settle in the Michigan wilderness.  At the nearby Hotel Ottawa Resort on the shore of Lake Michigan, twenty-three-year-old Anna Nicholson is trying to ease the pain of a broken engagement to a wealthy Chicago banker. But her time of introspection is disturbed after a violent storm aboard a steamship stirs up memories of a childhood nightmare  

The Cautious Maiden - Dawn Crandall -Violet Hawthorne is beyond mortified when her brother Ezra turns their deceased parents' New England country inn into a brothel to accommodate the nearby lumberjacks but when Violet's own reputation is compromised, the inn becomes the least of her worries. In an effort to salvage her good name, Violet is forced into an engagement with a taciturn acquaintance, Vance Everstone   

The Devoted - Suzanne Woods Fisher - #2 The Bishop's Family - Bright, curious, and restless, Ruthie Stoltzfus loves her family but is stuck in a sea of indecision about her future: Should she stay Amish? Or should she leave?  Patrick Kelly is a young man on a journey of his own. He's come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to "everything Plain."

The Cottage - Michael Phillips - #2 Secrets of the Shetlands - When Loni Ford is informed that she has inherited property in the Shetland Islands, she laughs. She wants nothing more than to sell it and be done with it. But when she arrives in the North Sea enclave, she is stunned to find that "the Cottage" is not at all what she expected, nor is David Tulloch, the man most of the islanders believe to be the rightful heir

Hester Takes Charge - Linda Byler - 33 Hester's Hunt for Home - Hester, the Native American who was rescued as an infant by an Amish couple, now lives in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She shares a house with Bappie King, another Amish woman, living their independent lives in the fast-growing mid-18th-century city. Bappie runs a highly successful stand at the downtown farmers market; Hester is Bappie’s assistant when she isn’t out in the city nursing desperately sick children and their impoverished parents with her tinctures, teas, and rubs.