BOOKS TO MOVIES

As soon as I heard about THE LAST SONG coming out, I knew I had to see it. I was pleasantly surprised by Miley's acting. I think she did a great job. It was an amazing story. Having watched a few of Nicholas Sparks movies, I know to expect something amazing ... except when I read the book first.



After seeing A WALK TO REMEMBER several times, I finally made the decision to read the book. The first I've read by Nicholas Sparks. Though it was well written and a good story, I could not believe how different it was from the book. I mean really different.

I guess I should have then known when I decided to see DEAR JOHN after reading it, how different the movie would from the book. What a letdown, though I'm sure it would have been good if I didn't have the book to base if off of.

Why, oh why do authors let this happen! Or movie directors for that matter. If a book is a hit, why in the world would you change it? And I don't mean minor changes, I mean major changes. It makes me wonder which I should pick between, because clearly reading the book AND seeing the movie isn't working ... for the most part. 

So what are your thoughts?

KAREN KINGSBURY - FIFTEEN MINUTES - ONE OF THE BEST BOOK TRAILERS EVER!

I love books. Love to read. Love the look, the feel, the smell of a book. Being a visual person, the cover of a book holds great importance. It can totally capture my attention, or cause me to look the other way.

Another aspect of a novel is a trailer. Though at times they can be disappointing, for the most part, I like to see what the main characters looks like. Even if that means the author posting pictures on their website of a famous - or not so famous – person that they envisioned to play the role.

I ran across the book trailer for Karen Kingsbury’s book, FIFTEEN MINUTES. Up until that point, I hadn’t heard of the book. After viewing the trailer, I was hooked. It has to be one of the best trailers I’ve seen, equivalent to that of a movie trailer. If every book had a trailer comparable to FIFTEEN MINTUES, I have to believe they’d sell many more copies.

What are your thoughts on book trailers?
 

DUCK DYNASTY - WHAT'S THIS WORLD COMING TO?

I was at Wal-Mart the other day and couldn't believe all the Duck Dynasty stuff. Then I spotted Duck Dynasty Devotionals, for him and for her (I was at the book section, what a surprise.). It brought a smile to my face. How wonderful is it that finally a TV show, especially a reality one, is producing a positive impact, with good morals. We are so overdue for this world. I have yet to watch it, just because I don't really watch TV, only stuff like The Voice, American Idol and such, but from what I've sensed from what I've caught glimpses of, it's a great combination of faith and reality, in that it's not some goody-goodies living a "religious" life, but good old, normal people trying to live in a Godly manner.



Wow, I love these guys! Tears. How amazing. Only God! What an inspiration to all.

OCTOBER 2013 ACFW NEW RELEASES

October 2013 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Contemporary Romance:

Yuletide Twins by Renee Andrews -- Pregnant with twins, Laura Holland needs a friend and a job, but she gets--a town she adores, a job she cherishes and a guy she loves. However, it may all go away...at Christmas, unless someone--maybe even a Secret Santa--decides this is the Christmas for miracles. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired)

Merry Humbug Christmas by Sandra D. Bricker -- A Merry Humbug Christmas features two holiday romance novellas from hilarious and heartwarming author Sandra D. Bricker. -- the perfect gift to yourself or someone else at this most wonderfully stressful time of year. (Contemporary Romance from B&H Publishing)

The Christmas Quilt by Vannetta Chapman -- Annie's life is deliciously full as the Christmas season approaches. She helps her husband, Samuel, attend to the community's minor medical needs. She occasionally assists Belinda, the local midwife. And most days, she finds herself taking the buggy to her brother, Adam's home. Leah is due to deliver their first child before Christmas morning, and Annie is determined to finish a crib quilt before the boppli arrives. But God's plans are different from Annie's and she may not finish the quilt in time. And, it may hold a far greater significance that she ever imagined. (Contemporary Romance from Abingdon Press)

Healing Grace by Beth Shriver -- The Touch of Grace trilogy series is about three faithful women who, when faced with three separate hardships, are torn between the men they love and staying true to themselves. Even in a world where retribution is almost expected, the Amish demonstrate that all can be pardoned, by following their vow of no resistance which shows the deep-rooted forgiveness within them. (Contemporary Romance from Realms[Charisma Media])

The Dawn of Christmas by Cindy Woodsmall -- Sadie Yoder enjoys her freedom away from home but after four years, her Old Order Amish family insists it's time to come home and settle down. Levi, a bachelor who distrusts women after a family heartbreak, also has no desire for romance. To keep their families from meddling in their lives, Sadie and Levi devise a plan-but soon discover that the walls around their hearts are breaking down. Can they let go of their prejudices, learn to trust each other, and embrace a future together? (Contemporary Romance from Waterbrook Multnomah [Random House])

Romantic Suspense:

Severed Trust: The Men of the Texas Rangers, Book 4 by Margaret Daley -- As Sadie Thompson is pulled into doing something about the growing problem, she becomes involved with Ethan Stone—a Texas Ranger who suspects the drug ring reaches far beyond the high school. (Romantic Suspense from Abingdon Press)

Warning Signs by Katy Lee -- When a drug-smuggling ring rocks a small coastal town, the DEA sends Agent Owen Matthews to shut it down. A single father with a deaf son, Owen senses that the town's number one suspect—the high school's new principal-doesn't fit the profile. Miriam Hunter hoped to shrug off the stigma of her hearing impairment when she returned to Stepping Stones, Maine. But her recurring nightmares dredge up old memories that could prove her innocence-and uncover the truth behind a decades-old murder. Yet Owen's help may not be enough when someone decides to keep Miriam silenced-permanently. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired)

Danger in Amish Country by Marta Perry, Diane Burke, Kit Wilkinson -- Love and Danger collide in three new Amish novellas: Fall from Grace by Marta Perry, Dangerous Homecoming by Diane Burke and Return to Willow Trace by Kit Wilkinson. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired)

Thread of Suspicion by Susan Sleeman-- Can private investigator Dani Justice find the expert hacker framing Luke Baldwin for espionage before the hacker succeeds in ending her life? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired)

Historical Romance:

Perfectly Matched by Maggie Brendan -- Anna Olsen knows it's time to leave her sister's increasingly crowded house and start a life of her own. Following her sisters' examples, she becomes a mail-order bride, and after a short correspondence with clock maker and jeweler Edward Parker, she moves to Denver to become his wife. Almost immediately it's painfully apparent that Anna and Edward are very different. Anna is a free spirit who would rather be painting and enjoying the company of friends than cleaning house. Edward is a consummate perfectionist who, on their wedding day, hands Anna a list of chores that need to be done around the house daily. Can this mismatched couple see past their differences to a harmonious future? (Historical Romance from Revell [Baker])

Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley -- She's a Pinkerton detective. He's working undercover for Wells Fargo. Neither has a clue about love. (Historical Romance from Thomas Nelson)

A Bride for Noah (Seattle Brides) by Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith -- Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith, beloved authors of the Amish of Apple Grove series, team up again in an exciting new series for devoted fans and new readers. It's 1851, and Evie Lawrence is penniless and heartbroken after a failed romance. When a kind elderly man announces his plan to move west and make his fortune, Evie jumps at the chance to go with him and start a new life. She says goodbye to the only home she's ever known and sets out for the Northwest. There she meets Noah Hughes, a handsome young man who has gambled everything he owns on the chance to make a fresh start. (Historical Romance from Harvest House)

A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears -- Set in 1876 Kansas, a love story reminiscent of Love Comes Softly meets poignant romance in the style of Deeanne Gist. "Melissa's writing put me in mind of Janette Oke's sweet prairie romances but with a bit more edge, which I found compelling...I loved it." - Mary Connealy (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])

The Soul of the Rose by Ruth Trippy -- Celia is searching for her own sense of hope after the tragic death of her closest friend. Moving in 1876 to work in a Massachusetts bookstore to start life afresh, she soon catches the eye of not one, but two men: the elite but unkempt Edward Lyons and the charming law student Charles Harrod. One is hiding from his past and from God. The other promotes a religious belief Celia had never before considered. (Historical Romance from Abingdon Press)

The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky -- Two worlds . . . one calling. Will Julia return to her missionary work in exotic India, or should she follow her heart and stay on as governess at the magnificent country estate of Sir William Ramsey? Fans of Downton Abbey and the Edwardian era will love the romance of The Governess of Highland Hall where the divide between upper and lower class meets the spirit of faith, hope, and trust. (Historical Romance from Waterbrook Multnomah [Random House])

Promise to Return by Elizabeth Byler Younts -- When World War II breaks out, Miriam's fiancé, Henry, is drafted and sent to a conscientious objector camp. But when Henry feels called to fight on the front lines, he goes against the Amish church to follow God's will - forcing Miriam to choose between the rules of her religion and the leading of her heart. (Historical Romance from Howard [Simon & Schuster])

Medical Suspense:

Heart Failure by Richard L. Mabry, MD -- When her fiance's dangerous secrets turn her world upside down, a beautiful doctor must choose between her own safety and the man she loves--and thought she knew. (Medical Suspense from Thomas Nelson)

General Contemporary:

On a Summer Night by Diane Dean White -- A nightmare witnessed between two young women, and one couldn't forget or forgive. Kate had never told her husband about the experience that changed their lives forever in southern Florida. Maybe it was time to tell him her story. (General Contemporary from CrossLink Publishing)

General Historical:

A Reluctant Courtship by Laurie Alice Eakes -- A woman without a prospect. A man without a homeland. Can love give them a future? (General Historical from Revell [Baker])

Gideon's Call by Peter Leavell -- Tad, a very clever slave boy, comes of age as the American Civil War intrudes on the tropical sea islands of South Carolina. But his desire to better himself is obstructed by the color of his skin, until Northern soldiers force the evacuation of white plantation owners, setting 10,000 slaves free in a single day. These circumstances seem like a dream, but the newly freed slaves have no money, no education, no leadership, and little hope for the future. This is the story of how a boy grows into a man. (Literary Historical from Worthy Publishing)

The Earl's Ward by Carolyn R. Scheidies -- Turned out of the village, Angella has nowhere to go, but when the Earl rescues her she wonders if things have taken a turn for the better...or the worse. (Historical from Heartsong Presents)

Speculative Fiction:

Dark Biology by Bonnie Doran -- A scientist, marooned on the International Space Station, races to develop a vaccine for a deadly virus her brother unleashes on Earth at their father's Christian marriage seminar. (Speculative Fiction from Harbourlight Books [Pelican])

GUNPOWDER TEA by MARGARET BROWNLEY

Title: Gunpowder Tea (The Brides Of Last Chance Ranch Series)

Author: Margaret Brownely
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 8, 2013)
Pages: 352

GUNPOWDER TEA is the third and final book in THE BRIDES OF LAST CHANCE RANCH series. If you have not read the first two, I suggest reading them as well, though each certainly stands alone. If I had to pick, DAWN COMES EARLY is my favorite of THE BRIDES OF LAST CHANCES RANCH series.

Miranda Hunt, a Pinkerton Detective, answers an ad for a heiress to the legendary Last Chance Ranch as Annie Beckman. After all she’s perfect for the job. No Pinkerton expects to be married, and that’s exactly what the ad is looking for. It’s the ideal opportunity to find the Phantom, and prove that a woman is up for the task.

Wells Fargo detective, Jeremy Tagger is working undercover when he first encounters Ms Beckman. Little does either of them know, they are both working towards the same goal. To apprehend the Phantom, who rumor has it, is said to be hiding out at the Last Chance Ranch.

Not into mushy romances, then GUNPOWDER TEA by MARGARET BROWNLEY is the novel for you. MS BROWNLEY has an amazing ability to weave a unique story together with feisty characters. Add in a little bit of drama, mystery, action, and humor and you have GUNPOWDER TEA.  

I loved the information at the end of the story, ACCIDENTAL DETECTIVE. How intriguing to learn a bit of the past after reading a fictionalized version. Also included is some history on GUNPOWDER TEA, along with a recipe for GUNPOWDER TEA BREAD. How fun is that.  

 

*Please see my profile for more information on this review.

CAN I HAVE A BIG YEE HAW

Title: The Cowboy’s Christmas Courtship

Author: Brenda Minton

Publisher: Love Inspired (September 17, 2013)

Pages: 224

 

I just can't help myself. When I spot a BRENDA MINTON book at the store, I grab it. If I'm in the middle of reading a book, I'm suddenly inspired to complete it so I can get started on MS MINTON'S book. Her books NEVER sit around my house unread for too long.

Life has not been easy for Layla Silver's. After losing her parents, she's forced to grow up, thrust into the responsibility of raising her younger brother. She's always been a strong independent person, but with mounting bills, and her brother going through a rebellious teen stage, she feels herself faltering.

As Gage Cooper heads home for the first time in months, he runs into Layla Silver's. The girl he used all those years ago to get to her friend. He wants to make amends for the things he's done wrong in his life, and Layla is on the list of those he needs to ask for forgiveness. So why once she gives it to him, does he feel he needs to stick around and do all he can to help her?

MS MINTON is at the top of my list of favorite authors. As a storyteller, she never disappoints. As I've stated in many, and I do mean many reviews, she is an amazing writer. Love her plots, writing style, and characters as they come to life through written words. I always connect to her main, as well as secondary characters. She delivers great lines, never leaving the reader disappointed, and with satisfying endings.