Thursday, September 29, 2011

ACFW NEW RELEASES

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.



A Wedding Invitation by Alice Wisler -- General Fiction from Bethany House; When Samantha Bravencourt receives an invitation to a wedding in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, she looks forward to reconnecting with her college friend. Instead her life collides with Carson, a fellow teacher and the man who broke her heart.



Attracted by Fire by DiAnn Mills -- A Thriller/Suspense from Tyndale. When a Secret Service Agent is assigned to the Vice President's rebellious daughter, danger lurks in every corner - and her heart.



Deeply Devoted: A Novel; The Blue Willow Brides Series by Maggie Brendan -- A Historical from Revell -- She is staking her future on a man she's never met. Can she learn to love him?



Freezing Point by Beth Goddard -- A Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired. Casey Wilkes didn't realize her simple human-interest story would put her life at risk—again.



Lethal Remedy by Richard L. Mabry M.D. -- A Thriller/Suspense from Abingdon; A doctor discovers that the experimental "wonder drug" that offers the only hope of cure for a universally fatal infection can be attacking more than just bacteria.



Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist, -- Historical Romance from Bethany House. Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.



Maggie's Journey by Lena Nelson Dooley -- A Historical from Realms (Charisma Media). Near her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she's adopted and her journey begins.



Recipe for Deceit by S. Dionne Moore -- Mystery from Barbour. The third LaTisha Barnhart mystery finds the sassy diner owner trying to figure out who put the hit on a hitman.



Rodeo Dust by Shannon Vanatter -- Romance from Barbour Heartsong; Can they rely on God to find their common ground or will they draw a line in the rodeo dust that neither will cross?



Southern Fried Sushi: A Novel by Jennifer Rogers Spinola -- General Fiction from Barbour; Ride the roller coaster of Shiloh Jacobs’s life as her dreams derail, sending her on a downward spiral from the heights of an AP job in Tokyo to penniless in rural Virginia.



Ten Plagues by Mary Nealy-- Thriller/Suspense from Barbour; A demon possessed serial killer pits himself against a former ego driven cop, who's found peace as a mission pastor and a tough lady cop with the spiritual gift of discerning spirits.



The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy-- Thriller/Suspense from Thomas Nelson; To save her husband and son, Audrey Bofinger must rescue her enemy.



The Chair by James Rubart-- Thriller/Suspense from B and H Publishing; If you were given an ancient looking chair and told Jesus Christ made it, would you believe them?



The Christmas Child by Linda Goodnight-- Romance from Love Inspired; When a battle weary cop and a Christmas crazy teacher join forces to care for an abandoned, mute boy in a small town, neither is prepared for the shocking revelations waiting...just in time for Christmas.



The Lady's Maid by Susan Page Davis-- Romance from Barbour; As a lady's maid, Elise will follow her mistress anywhere, even into the Wild West.



The Wishing Pearl by Nicole O'Dell-- Young Adult from Barbour; Join conflicted sixteen-year-old Olivia Mansfield on her journey to hope and healing as she leaves her messed-up life behind and moves into home for troubled teens



There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones-- Young Adult from Thomas Nelson; Grief brought Finley to Ireland. Love will lead her home.



When Love Gets in the Way by Janelle Mowery-- A Historical from Harvest House; Straight from the heart of the Old West, the Colorado Runaway series is full of adventure, humor, and romance.



When Two Hearts Meet by Janelle Mowery-- A Historical from Harvest House; Rachel Garrett finds that attaining her dream of becoming a nurse is fraught with peril, and a deputy sheriff with a wall around his heart doesn’t help matters,


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

VERY POWERFUL A MUST SEE

Please take the time to watch the entire video. It’s very powerful on so many levels.

Friday, September 23, 2011

BLOWN AWAY

Title: My One and Only
Author: Kristan Higgins
Publisher: HQN Books; 384 edition (March 29, 2011)
Pages: 384


Reading MY ONE AND ONLY BY KRISTAN HIGGINS was an unexpected shocker. Never having read any of her writing, I'd spotted ALL I EVER WANTED on Amazon, and decided to order it. It's always a risk when you decide to read a book by an unfamiliar author. Before I had a chance to read it, I did what you should never do...I purchased another book by the same author.

Hesitant to read a new author, I finally started ALL I EVER WANTED, but was soon disappointed. Reading mainly inspirational fiction, the offensive language and contemporary life style of the main character had me putting the book down at page twenty. Despite my issues that lead me to stop reading, the great quality of writing, the author's distinct voice, and the potential for a good storyline was all there.

MY ONE AND ONLY sat waiting to be read. I knew sooner or later I'd have to get to it...I just preferred later, sure I would have the same reaction as I had with Kristan's other book. Finally I picked it up, took a deep breath, and began to read the first words.

Right away it had contemporary and sassy written all over it. Mind you I prefer LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRE days. But to be fair I would give it several pages before giving up. I was contemplating putting it down when the main characters boyfriend was revealed to be a firefighter (the same profession as my husband). Another factor that kept me reading, it had a considerably less amount of foul language in compassions to the previous book I had attempted to read of hers.

As I continued to read I wasn't taken by the firefighter, though she did an excellent job with his character. Then without warning, another man entered the scene...Now I was intrigued. From there it only got better!

I was hooked, and hooked in the worse way.

The book I thought I'd put down, I COULDN'T stop reading.

MY ONE AND ONLY is witty, fun, amazingly written with a storyline and characters with such remarkable personalities and growth, you'll be searching for time to read. I just can't say enough about this book. It held my interest, made me laugh, made me cry, and made me want to rush to my computer to write my very own novel of the same caliber.

Harper James is a divorce lawyer and she'll stop at nothing to help her clients. After all she was once married. But it wasn't just a failed marriage that had given her a bad taste of love and marriage. No, there were a whole lot more there below the surface.

Nick Lowery had loved Harper James from the instant he laid eyes on her. He was a man that knew what he wanted, and went after it. Their marriage may have ended in divorce, but that didn't stop Nick from loving Harper.

Can years of separation prevent Harper and Nick from having a future together?

I just loved the direction Kristan took in MY ONE AND ONLY. Not only would I have not changed a thing, she had me pleasantly surprised in the direction she took the story at several places...and had me crying towards the end.

If you're wondering if I'll be purchasing another of KRISTAN HIGGINS books, don't. If fact I may just have to go back and give ALL I EVER WANTED another try.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

WOW

What an amazing story. What courage and faith.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

BRADY FREAK

I admit it…I’m a Brady freak! Have been since I was young and always will be.

My favorite episodes were always the singing ones.

Do I dare admit I have their CD?

What shows do you remember from your childhood that you can’t seem to let go?


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

FAVOTIE MOVIE MOMENTS

Do you have a favorite movie moment that keeps you coming back for more?

There are several movies I’ve watched where one particular scene captivated me so much that it made the entire move for me. So much so that I replayed it again and again in my mind.

Books can have the same affect. One particular scene can boost a good book into something great.
,
This scene in THE HANNAH MONTANA movie did it for me. Overall it was an okay movie, BUT this part put it over the top, leaving that warm, want to watch again feeling.

Is there a movie with a particular scene that captured your heart?

Monday, September 12, 2011

AN EMOTIONAL READ


When I spotted THE BEGINNING OF AFTER by JENNIFER CASTLE, I was immediately drawn to the cover, and the title was intriguing. Upon reading the blurb on the back cover, I made the decision to read it.

When Laurel Meisner’s world suddenly changes, she’s left with a whirlwind of emotions, unsure of which direction to turn. In a blink of an eye, her family is taken from her, leaving Laurel’s grandmother, the only surviving family member, to care for Laurel. But Laurel isn’t the only one hurting. David Kaufman, an only child whose father remains on life support after the devastating accident that killed Laurel’s family and David’s mother, is going through his own pain. After all it was his father who had been driving the car at the time of the crash.

THE BEGINNING OF AFTER takes you on a journey through one teen’s life as she grieves the loss of her family. Along the way she discovers people who make that journey a little easier.

Despite the stories slow pace, you want to keep reading.

Sometimes there are songs that make you want to dance and shout to the world. Then there are other slow and mellow songs where the words penetrate your soul, causing you to rethink things you may not have otherwise. THE BEGINNING OF AFTER is like the latter.

This beautifully written story provoked emotions and deep thoughts within me about losing loved ones. I wept inside for every child that has lost their parents and for all the parents who have passed away, knowing how tangible their loss would be.

I’d love to see a second book to THE BEGINNING OF AFTER, maybe simply titled AFTER. I’d love to be a part of Laurel and David’s journey into the future.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

BEN

I think the moment I felt differently about rats was when I saw the movie with Michael Jackson, BEN. Love the song as well. My first ever rat I named, Ben.


BEN

Ben, the two of us need look no more
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own
I'll never be alone
And you, my friend, will see
You've got a friend in me
(you've got a friend in me)

Ben, you're always running here and there
You feel you're not wanted anywhere
If you ever look behind
And don't like what you find
There's one thing you should know
You've got a place to go
(you've got a place to go)

I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
Ben, most people would turn you away
I don't listen to a word they say
They don't see you as I do
I wish they would try to
I'm sure they'd think again
If they had a friend like Ben
(a friend) Like Ben
(like Ben) Like Ben

Friday, September 9, 2011

A SAD DAY


This morning I discovered one of our rats passed away, Ralphy. He was such a great rat. Very sad.

Monday, September 5, 2011

POWERFUL WORDS


The Man I Wanna Be lyrics

God, I'm down here on my knees
Cause it's the last place left to fall
Beggin' for another chance
If there's any chance at all
That you might still be listenin'
Lovin' and forgivin' guys like me
I've spent my whole life gettin' it all wrong
And I sure could use your help cause from now on

I wanna be a good man
A "do like I should" man
I wanna be the kind of man the mirror likes to see
I wanna be a strong man
And admit that I was wrong man
God I'm asking you to come change me
into the man I wanna be

If there's anyway for her and me to make another start
could you see what you could doTo put some love back in her heart
Cuz' it's going to take a miracle
After all I've done to really make her see

That I wanna be a stay man
I wanna be a great man
I wanna be the kind of man she sees in her dreams
God, I wanna be your man
and I wanna be her man
God, I only hope she still believes
In the man I wanna be

Well, I know it's late at night, that talk is cheap
but Lord, don't give up on me

I wanna be a givin' man
I wanna really start livin' man
God, I'm asking you to come change me
Into the man I wanna be

Sunday, September 4, 2011

SO VERY POWERFUL

I know this is long but you won't regret watching the entire video. Wow! What an amazing story.

Friday, September 2, 2011

ACFW NEW RELEASES

What a great assortment to pick from. Check out the selections, make your purchase and enjoy.

And happy reading!

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.



A Biltmore Christmas by Diane Ashley and Rhonda Gibson -- A Historical Romance from Barbour; Explore the luxuries of America’s largest home through the eyes of the fictional Bradford sisters



A Bride’s Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas by Erica Vetsch -- A Romance from Barbour. Hoping to leave the shadows of her shady yesteryears behind, Adeline Reid is focusing on her photography career. But when her ex-boyfriend’s compatriot in crime shows up in Dodge City her entire past is threatened by exposure.



A Harvest of Hearts by Laura V. Hilton -- Shanna Stoltzfus thought nothing could make her return home to her Amish family. She was wrong. But can anything make her give up her dreams and stay?



A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman -- A Historical Romance from Revell. Her heart is tied to a youthful vow . . . but can true love set it free?



A Log Cabin Christmas Collection by Margaret Brownley, Wanda Brunstetter, Jane Kirkpatrick, Kelly Eileen Hake, Liz Johnson, Liz Tolsma, Michelle Ule, Debra Ullrick, and Erica Vetsch-- General Fiction Historical from Revell. In a time of peril, can they find the courage to confront their fears and embrace a love that lasts?



A Marriage for Meghan by Mary Ellis  -- Romance from Harvest House; An engaging story of one girl’s quest for independence and true love as social prejudice tests a community’s faith in a simpler world.



A Quaker Christmas by Laura Lee Bliss, Rachael Phillips Ramona Cecil, and Claire Sanders -- Romance from Barbour. Christmas is a simple matter among the Quakers of the historic Ohio River Valley, but can it be a a special time to welcome love into four households?



A Whisper of Peace by Kim Vogel Sawyer -- Historical Romance from Bethany House. Will Clay Selby be forced to choose between his desire to minister to the natives and the quiet nudging of his heart to spend his life with a quiet, independent Indian woman who is not a part of the tribe?



Ashes to Honor by Loree Lough -- General Fiction from Abingdon. If only he'd answered that last call from the World Trade Center....



Belonging; Where the Heart Lives Series by Robin Lee Hatcher  -- Historical Romance from Zondervan; Can two bitter pasts make one sweet future?.



Captive Trail by Susan Page Davis-- Historical General Fiction from Moody Publishers; A girl has become a woman while in captivity, and a stagecoach driver longs to take her to the home she barely remembers.



Christmas at Barncastle Inn by Lynette Sowell, Susan Page Davis, Darlene Franklin, and Janelle Mowery -- Romance from Barbour; Each Christmas the Barncastle family transforms its sprawling Victorian bed and breakfast into a fantasy world through time. Will its guests also discover that forgiveness is timeless?



Deadly Pursuit by Irene Hannon-- Thriller/Suspense from Revell; A woman who protects children. An ex-Navy SEAL turned police detective. A stalker with deadly intent.



Deep Cover by Sandra Orchard-- Romance from Love Inspired; Undercover Cops: Fighting for justice puts their lives--and hearts--on the line.



Dry As Rain by Gina Holmes-- General Fiction from Tyndale; Undercover Cops: Behind every broken vow lies a broken heart. A richly engaging story of betrayal and redemption, Dry as Rain illuminates with striking emotional intensity the surprising truth of what it means to forgive.



Falling to Pieces; A Quilt Shop Murder by Vanetta Chapman-- A Cozy Mystery from Zondervan; Not your usual Amish buggy ride!



Finding Angel by Kat Heckenbach-- Speculative Fiction from Splashdown Books; Angel doesn’t remember her magical heritage…but it remembers her.



From This Day Forward; American Tapestries by Margaret Daley-- Historical Romance from Summerside Press; Following the War of 1812, an Englishwoman, stranded in South Carolina, pregnant and recently widowed, struggles to make a life for herself. Can a disenchanted American physician heal her wounded heart?



Hailee by Penny Zeller-- Historical Romance from Whitaker House; Can this unlikely pair come to terms with their pasts and face the future together?



Hidden in the Everglades by Margaret Daley-- A Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired; Michael Hunt needs Kyra Morgan's help to keep his sister safe. It will take everything they have to escape the Everglades alive.



Love Finds You on Christmas Morning by Debby Mayne and Trish Perry -- Romance from Summerside Press; Two women receive marriage proposals in the same house— 85 years apart. Love finds a home on Christmas morning in two heartwarming holiday stories.



Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming by Miralee Ferrell-- Romance from Summerside Press; While war rages in Europe, Rebekah Hendricks dreams of life far beyond the family farm in Oklahoma. And when a telegram arrives in October of 1918, she believes God has provided her way of escape.



Naomi’s Gift-An Amish Christmas Story by Amy Clipston-- Romance from Zondervan; Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you'll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County.



Pirate of My Heart by Jamie Carie-- Historical Fiction from B and H Publishing; Forced to flee the only home she's ever known, Lady Kendra Townsend risks everything for a chance at finding true love in the wilds of a new America.



Remembering Christmas: A Novel by Dan Walsh-- General Fiction from Revell; Can one Christmas change a person's life forever?



Shadowed in Silk by Christine Lindsay-- Historical Romance from Whitefire Publishing; Neglected by family, Abby travels to India after WWI with her small son, only to be abandoned by her husband, a cruel stranger, and to fall in love with a man who can never return her love without offending God.



Surrender the Dawn by Mary Lu Tyndall-- Historical Romance from Barbour; You’ll be swept away in this seafaring romance between a plucky damsel-in-distress and a nefarious rake who’s selling out his country amid the War of 1812.



The Aristocrat’s Lady by Mary Moore -- Historical from Love Inspired; She was resigned to a life without love-until she met him...



The Christmas Belles of Georgia by Debra Ullrick, Jeanie Smith Cash, Rose Allen McCauley, and Jeri Odell -- Romance from Barbour; They were sisters once—identical quadruplets—given up for adoption at birth. Now each receives a letter advising her to claim her inheritance and the family she never knew. . .at Christmas.



The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund-- Historical Romance from Bethany House; Priscilla White knew God wanted her to be a missionary, not a wife. But the only way she can serve is to be married. Married in name only, her new journey will test her spirit. . . and the new longings of her heart.



The Healing; Kentucky Brothers Series by Wanda Brunstetter-- Romance from Barbour; Can Esther Beiler win Samuel Fisher’s heart, or has she already lost it to an English woman? How will God untangle star-crossed lovers when jealousies and misconceptions threaten to tear them apart?



The Wounded Heart; An Amish Quilt Novel by Adina Senft-- General Fiction from Faith Words (Hachette); When she's diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a young Amish mother must choose between obedience or following her heart.



To Have and To Hold; Bridal Veil Island Series by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller -- Historical Romance from Bethany House; Amid a time of growth and change for Bridal Veil, can Marshall and Audrey find a foundation on which to build a love to last forever?



Wings of a Dream by Anne Mateer-- General Fiction from Bethany House; While war rages in Europe, Rebekah Hendricks dreams of life far beyond the family farm in Oklahoma. And when a telegram arrives in October of 1918, she believes God has provided her way of escape.