Monday, December 26, 2011

The Sunday Salon Monday December 26, 2011

The Sunday Salon.com

* Happy day after Christmas! We had a great holiday. My sister and I did Christmas breakfast with my Dad's side of the family and Christmas lunch with my Mom's side. We are so blessed to have so much family close by.

* My big presents this year were a Cuisinart food processor and a Nook tablet (to be shared with my sister). I have been slow to jump on the ereader wagon but I did read a novella on it last night and it was not bad. I doubt I will switch all the way over to it. I have a ton of books on my TBR shelves and there is nothing like holding a real book in your hands and turning the page. :)

* I am still on an unofficial blogging break until January. I needed a break to reevaluate and breathe. I am still working on my goals for next year and I almost positive I will only be doing a few reading challenges. I failed most of the over twenty I signed up for this year. I am worn out on them too. I get excited when I see them come out but I don't have the time and energy to follow through.

* I have been off the diet wagon for the past few months and today was the day to start back. I did not count calories but made better choices. The ocd medicine the doctor has me on is really working and I am having a hard time counting calories and keeping up with what I eat. I want to get in shape and live a healthy active lifestyle.

* Off to read.  I hope everyone has a great rest of the week and plenty of reading time. :)

Monday, November 28, 2011

Lost Melody by Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith


This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Lost Melody
Zondervan (October 25, 2011)
by
Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith




ABOUT THE AUTHORS:





Lori lives in the beautiful Ozarks with her husband Lance. Lance and Lori have three sons, three daughter-in-laws, and six wonderful grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. Lance and Lori are very involved in their church, and active in supporting mission work in Mali, West Africa.



Lori began her writing career in 1982, writing for the secular book market. In 1995, after many years of writing, Lori sensed that God was calling her to use her gift of writing to honor Him. It was at that time that Lori began writing for the Christian book market. To date, she has had over 100 books published.







Virginia Smith is the author of more than a dozen Christian novels and over fifty articles and short stories. Her books have been named finalists in the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the American Christian Fiction Writer's Book of the Year Award, and ACFW's Carol Award.



A Certified Lay Speaker for the United Methodist Church, Ginny's messages are always well-received by a variety of audiences in conferences, retreats and churches across the country. When she isn't writing or speaking, Ginny and her husband, Ted, enjoy exploring the extremes of nature – snow skiing in the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City, motorcycle riding on the curvy roads in central Kentucky, and scuba diving in the warm waters of Mexico and the Caribbean.



ABOUT THE BOOK



The beautiful piano sitting in the corner of Jill King's apartment begs to be played. For over a year, it has sat untouched, ever since a terrible accident shattered Jill's ambition of becoming a concert pianist. The ragged scar on her left hand is a cruel and constant reminder of the death of her dream. But another dream is about to come to life---an unexpected, horrifying dream that will present Jill with a responsibility she never wanted. And choices she never wanted to make. Hundreds of lives depend on Jill's willingness to warn her small, oceanside town in Nova Scotia of a nameless, looming disaster. But doing so could cost Jill her reputation, jeopardize the political career of the man she loves, and ruin their plans for a future together. The fate of an entire community hangs in the balance as Jill wrestles with the cost of heeding one still, small voice.



If you would like to read a chapter excerpt of Lost Melody, go HERE.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

The Sunday Salon November 27, 2011

The Sunday Salon.com

* It is always hard to believe when it is Sunday night. Especially hard when we have a long holiday like Thanksgiving. It flew by but I am ready to go back to work. I am creature of routine. I am not ready for Christmas and a new year.

* We only have a little over a month left in 2011. I have a lot of goals to achieve. I want to start the new year with  a clean slate. I want to be caught up on all my review books. My motto this year was Building a Better Brittanie. I have not achieved what I wanted to. I had it and lost it rather. I am trying to think what I want 2012 to be like for my life and come up with a motto. Book wise I have already decided to accept less review books to focus more on reading whatever captures my attention whenever with no pressure. I want to find the pleasure reading used to have for me.

* In my personal life I want to lose the five pounds I gained back and go completely Paleo and stay that way. It feels like it will never happen because I keep falling off the wagon and it seems if it was something I truly wanted  I would make it happen. I lived the past week like mostly before summer 2010 when I started working out and changing my lifestyle and it stinks. The Texas cheese fries and chips and salsa at Chile's are good but not worth the hell that comes with it. It takes effort to change for good I know that. It seems like one part of me cares and the other doesn't and they are at war with each other inside me. It is not a pleasant place to live right now. I need peace and joy and happiness. I know I do not have a bad life and I am very blessed.

* Thank you for reading my ramblings. I hope everyone has a great week with lots of reading time. :)

Monday, November 21, 2011

Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee


***I am on page 216 out of 376 and I hope to finish it this week. It is different than most of what I read. It is good so far and of course well written. Both of these authors are great. ***

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card authors are:


and the book:

Center Street (September 13, 2011)
***Special thanks to Sarah Reck, Web Publicist | FaithWords & Center Street | Hachette Book Group, for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:




TED DEKKER is a New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels with a total of more than 5 million books in print. He is known for thrillers that combine adrenaline-laced plots with incredible confrontations between good and evil.



Visit the author's website.





TOSCA LEE left her position working with Fortune 500 Companies as a Senior Consultant for the Gallup Organization to pursue her first love: writing. She is the critically-acclaimed author of Demon and Havah and is best known for her humanizing portraits of maligned characters. She makes her home in the Midwest.


Visit the author's website.

Check out the Forbidden Facebook!

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Many years have passed since civilization's brush with apocalypse. The world's greatest threats have all been silenced. There is no anger, no hatred, no war. There is only perfect peace... and fear. But a terrible secret has been closely guarded for centuries: Every single soul walking the earth, though in appearance totally normal, is actually dead, long ago genetically stripped of true humanity.



But the blood will also resurrect hatred, ambition, and greed.

Set in a terrifying, medieval future, where grim pageantry masks death, this tale of dark desires and staggering stakes peels back the layers of the heart for all who dare to take the ride.




Product Details:

List Price: $24.99
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Center Street (September 13, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599953544
ISBN-13: 978-1599953540

AND NOW...CLICK ON THE OPEN BOOK WIDGET TO VIEW THE FIRST CHAPTER:


Sunday, November 20, 2011

The Sunday Salon November 20, 2011

The Sunday Salon.com

I can't believe it is almost Thanksgiving! Where is the time going? I am praying I make it to the new year without gaining anymore weight back. I have eaten around five pounds back. It is the weekends that are my weakest time of the week. Any advice on how to survive a weekend without overeating is welcome. Sugar is also my biggest weakness. I have always liked to bake and now I like to cook too. I have been experimenting with new recipes especially with alternate flours. I made banana nut bread with coconut flour today and I could have eaten the whole loaf. lol

I spend Sundays cooking, eating, and cleaning. I used to spend them reading and eating. I am still having trouble reading. I want to read but there are so many other things I need to be doing and I can't focus or rest because I am thinking about them. I think at this point I would settle for a book a week. I want my life to be more balanced. I want an active healthy lifestyle. Back when I was reading six or seven books a week I was not fit or healthy or trying for that matter. Why does life have to be so complicated or why do I make it that way?

I finished an audio book in the car this week that was pretty good. It is a nonfiction book called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. I am trying to get into jogging/running. The whole book was not a how to guide for running but told a story for the most part of him running with the Talmouri Indians. The only thing I did not like was how he took long side stories and then went back to the main story. It was sometimes confusing. There was also almost a whole Cd on evolution that I thought was unnecessary. Overall I recommend it.

Tonight I want clean some more and hopefully finish  a review book. I still have a couple to catch up on. In the new year I will be signing up for a whole lot less tours. I can't handle it anymore. I just want to read what I want when I want whatever captures my attention without worrying about a due date. I feel very guilty and overwhelmed when I miss a date which has happened way too much this year. I am thankful for the books and authors and I do not want to alienate anyone but I have to get some balance for my sanity.

I hope everyone has a great week and a Happy Thanksgiving if you live in the USA. :)

Friday, November 18, 2011

Christmas in Sugarcreek by Shelley Shepard Gray

Have not received my copy yet but I love the Seasons of Sugarcreek series and can't wait to read this book. :)

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Christmas In Sugarcreek
Avon Inspire (October 25, 2011)
by
Shelley Shepard Gray




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold over thirty novels to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Harlequin, and Abingdon Press. She has been interviewed by NPR, and her books have been highlighted in numerous publications, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.



Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for HarperCollins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. Her recent novel, The Protector, the final book in her “Families of Honor” series, hit the New York Times List, and her previous novel in the same series, The Survivor, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. Shelley has won the prestigious Holt Medallion for her books, Forgiven and Grace, and her novels have been chosen as Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club. Her first novel with Avon Inspire, Hidden, was an Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.



Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two children in college, and is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and currently leads a Bible study group, and she looks forward to the opportunity to continue to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.



When she’s not writing, Shelley often attends conferences and reader retreats in order to give workshops and publicize her work. She’s attended RWA’s national conference six times, the ACFW conference and Romantic Times Magazine’s annual conference as well as traveled to New Jersey, Birmingham, and Tennessee to attend local conferences.



Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page





ABOUT THE BOOK





Judith Graber has always been the obedient daughter. When her older brother Josh struggled with his love life, she offered wise counsel. When her younger brother Caleb flirted with the idea of leaving their order, she firmly told him he was wrong. Over the years, she’s watched her younger siblings, helped around the house, and worked in her family’s store during her spare time. Judith feels overworked, overlooked, and underappreciated this holiday season.



But everything changes when her father hires Ben Knox.



Ben Knox is the “bad boy” of Sugarcreek. Though he’s never considered jumping the fence, he’s certainly never tried to be anything close to dutiful. Two years ago he left Sugarcreek under a cloud of shame. Rumors circulated that his rumspringa had been filled with more than the usual harmless explorations.



Now he’s back and working side by side with Judith.

As the chaos of the holiday season threatens to sap all joy, sparks fly between Ben and Judith. But Judith steels herself to ignore her infatuation. The last thing she wants to be is just one more girl who falls under Ben’s spell. Ben, on the other hand, wants Judith to realize there’s more to him than his bad reputation. When he fled Sugarcreek, he was running from a disruptive home life. Now that he’s back, he wants a fresh beginning.

Could this Christmas season bring love and a new life for the unlikeliest pair in Sugarcreek?



If you would like to read the first chapter of Christmas In Sugarcreek, go HERE.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

40 Days to Better Living: Depression by Dr. Scott Morris and the Church Health Center

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:

Barbour Books (November 1, 2011)
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings – The B&B Media Group – for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


From the time Scott Morris was just a teenager, he knew he would do two things with his future—serve God and work with people. Growing up in Atlanta, he felt drawn to the Church and at the same time drawn to help others, even from a very young age. It was naturally intrinsic, then, that after completing his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia he went on to receive his M.Div. from Yale University and finally his M.D. at Emory University in 1983.

After completing his residency in family practice, Morris arrived in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1986 without knowing a soul, but determined to begin a health care ministry for the working poor. He promptly knocked on the doors of St. John’s Methodist Church and Methodist Hospital in Memphis inviting them to help, and then found an old house to refurbish and renovate. By the next year, the Church Health Center opened with one doctor—Dr. Scott Morris—and one nurse. They saw twelve patients the first day and Morris began living his mission to reclaim the Church’s biblical commitment to care for our bodies and spirits.

From the beginning, Morris saw each and every patient as a whole person, knowing that without giving careful attention to both the body and soul the person would not be truly well. So nine years after opening the Church Health Center, he opened its Hope & Healing Wellness Center. Today the Church Health Center has grown to become the largest faith-based clinic in the country of its type having cared for 60,000 patients of record without relying on government funding. The clinic handles more than 36,000 patient visits a year while the wellness center, which moved to its current 80,000-square-foot location on Union Avenue in 2000, serves more than 120,000 member visits each year. Fees are charged on a sliding scale based on income.


Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Depression is a serious condition—and 40 Days to Better Living: Depression provides clear, manageable steps for people to manage it, through life-changing attitudes and actions. Readers can select one or more elements of the 7-step Model for Healthy Living—Faith, Medical, Movement, Work, Emotional, Family and Friends, and Nutrition—and follow the 40-day plan to improve their lives, just a bit, day by day. With plenty of practical advice, biblical encouragement, and stories of real people who’ve taken the same journey, this book—from the Church Health Center in Memphis, the largest faith-based clinic of its type in the U.S.—may be one of the most important books your customers will read this year.

The 40 Days to Better Living series offers clear, manageable steps to life-changing attitudes and actions in a context of understanding and grace for all people at all points on the journey to optimal health. With plenty of practical advice, spiritual encouragement, and real stories of those who have found a better life, this simple and skillfully crafted book inspires readers to customize their own path to wellness by using the 7-Step Model for Healthy Living as a guide:

· Nutrition: pursuing smarter food choices and eating habits

· Friends and family: giving and receiving support through relationships

· Emotional life: understanding feelings and managing stress to better care for yourself

· Work: appreciating your skills, talents, and gifts

· Movement: discovering ways to enjoy physical activity

· Medical care: partnering with health care providers to optimize medical care

· Faith life: building a relationship with God, neighbors, and self


Along with tips from the Model for Healthy Living, the easy-to-read format features a Morning Reflection and an Evening Wrap-Up as well as a place for documenting plans, progress, and perspectives. Targeted scriptures and prayers that undergird the focus of each day’s message make this compact book an excellent choice for a daily devotional.

Subsequent titles in the Better Living series will be released bi-monthly and address key health topics including hypertension, diabetes, depression, weight management, stress management, aging, and addiction. All promise substantial support to those who are ready for a newer, better way of living—body and spirit.


Product Details:

List Price: $7.99
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books (November 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616262664
ISBN-13: 978-1616262662

AND NOW...THE FIRST FEW PAGES: Click on the images to see them larger:

























Monday, November 14, 2011

A Sound Among Trees by Susan Meissner

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:

WaterBrook Press (October 4, 2011)
***Special thanks to Laura Tucker of WaterBrook Press for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Award-winning writer Susan Meissner is a multi-published author, speaker and workshop leader with a background in community journalism. Her novels include The Shape of Mercy, named by Publishers Weekly as one of the Best Books of 2008. She is a pastor’s wife and a mother of four. When she's not writing, Susan directs the Small Groups and Connection Ministries program at her San Diego church.


Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A house shrouded in time. A line of women with a heritage of loss. As a young bride, Susannah Page was rumored to be a Civil War spy for the North, a traitor to her Virginian roots. Her great-granddaughter Adelaide, the current matriarch of Holly Oak, doesn't believe that Susannah's ghost haunts the antebellum mansion looking for a pardon, but rather the house itself bears a grudge toward its tragic past.

When Marielle Bishop marries into the family and is transplanted from the arid west to her husband's home, it isn't long before she is led to believe that the house she just settled into brings misfortune to the women who live there.

With Adelaide's richly peppered superstitions and deep family roots at stake, Marielle must sort out the truth about Susannah Page and Holly Oak— and make peace with the sacrifices she has made for love.





Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (October 4, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307458857
ISBN-13: 978-0307458858

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Excerpt

The bride stood in a circle of Virginia sunlight, her narrow heels clicking on Holly Oak’s patio stones as she greeted strangers in the receiving line. Her wedding dress was a simple A-line, strapless, with a gauzy skirt of white that breezed about her knees like lacy curtains at an open window. She had pulled her unveiled brunette curls into a loose arrangement dotted with tiny flowers that she’d kept alive on her flight from Phoenix. Her only jewelry was a white topaz pendant at her throat and the band of platinum on her left ring finger. Tall, slender, and tanned from the famed and relentless Arizona sun, hers was a girl-nextdoor look: pretty but not quite beautiful. Adelaide thought it odd that Marielle held no bouquet.

From the parlor window Adelaide watched as her grandson-in-law, resplendent in a black tuxedo next to his bride, bent toward the guests and greeted them by name, saying, “This is Marielle.” An explanation seemed ready to spring from his lips each time he shook the hand of someone who had known Sara, her deceased granddaughter. His first wife. Carson stood inches from Marielle, touching her elbow every so often, perhaps to assure himself that after four years a widower he had indeed patently and finally moved on from grief.

Smatterings of conversations wafted about on the May breeze and into the parlor as received guests strolled toward trays of sweet tea and champagne. Adelaide heard snippets from her place at the window. Hudson and Brette, her great-grandchildren, had moved away from the snaking line of gray suits and pastel dresses within minutes of the first guests’ arrival and were now studying the flower-festooned gift table under the window ledge, touching the bows, fingering the silvery white wrappings. Above the children, an old oak’s youngest branches shimmied to the tunes a string quartet produced from the gazebo beyond the receiving line.

Adelaide raised a teacup to her lips and sipped the last of its contents, allowing the lemony warmth to linger at the back of her throat. She had spent the better part of the morning readying the garden for Carson and Marielle’s wedding reception, plucking spent geranium blossoms, ordering the catering staff about, and straightening the rented linen tablecloths. She needed to join the party now that it had begun. The Blue-Haired Old Ladies would be wondering where she was.

Her friends had been the first to arrive, coming through the garden gate on the south side of the house at five minutes before the hour. She’d watched as Carson introduced them to Marielle, witnessed how they cocked their necks in blue-headed unison to sweetly scrutinize her grandson-in-law’s new wife, and heard their welcoming remarks through the open window.

Deloris gushed about how lovely Marielle’s wedding dress was and what, pray tell, was the name of that divine purple flower she had in her hair?

Pearl invited Marielle to her bridge club next Tuesday afternoon and asked her if she believed in ghosts.

Maxine asked her how Carson and she had met—though Adelaide had told her weeks ago that Carson met Marielle on the Internet—and why on earth Arizona didn’t like daylight-saving time.

Marielle had smiled, sweet and knowing—like the kindergarten teacher who finds the bluntness of five-year-olds endearing—and answered the many questions.

Mojave asters. She didn’t know how to play bridge. She’d never encountered a ghost so she couldn’t really say but most likely not. She and Carson met online. There’s no need to save what one has an abundance of. Carson had cupped her elbow in his hand, and his thumb caressed the inside of her arm while she spoke.

Adelaide swiftly set the cup down on the table by the window, whisking away the remembered tenderness of that same caress on Sara’s arm.

Carson had every right to remarry.

Sara had been dead for four years.

She turned from the bridal tableau outside and inhaled deeply the gardenia-scented air in the parlor. Unbidden thoughts of her granddaughter sitting with her in that very room gently nudged her. Sara at six cutting out paper dolls. Memorizing multiplication tables at age eight. Sewing brass buttons onto gray wool coats at eleven. Sara reciting a poem for English Lit at sixteen, comparing college acceptance letters at eighteen, sharing a chance letter from her estranged mother at nineteen, showing Adelaide her engagement ring at twenty-four. Coming back home to Holly Oak with Carson when Hudson was born. Nursing Brette in that armchair by the fireplace. Leaning against the door frame and telling Adelaide that she was expecting her third child.

Right there Sara had done those things while Adelaide sat at the long table in the center of the room, empty now but usually awash in yards of stiff Confederate gray, glistening gold braid, and tiny piles of brass buttons—the shining elements of officer reenactment uniforms before they see war.

Adelaide ran her fingers along the table’s polished surface, the warm wood as old as the house itself. Carson had come to her just a few months ago while she sat at that table piecing together a sharpshooter’s forest green jacket. He had taken a chair across from her as Adelaide pinned a collar, and he’d said he needed to tell her something.

He’d met someone.

When she’d said nothing, he added, “It’s been four years, Adelaide.”

“I know how long it’s been.” The pins made a tiny plucking sound as their pointed ends pricked the fabric.

“She lives in Phoenix.”

“You’ve never been to Phoenix.”

“Mimi.” He said the name Sara had given her gently, as a father might. A tender reprimand. He waited until she looked up at him. “I don’t think Sara would want me to live the rest of my life alone. I really don’t. And I don’t think she would want Hudson and Brette not to have a mother.”

“Those children have a mother.”

“You know what I mean. They need to be mothered. I’m gone all day at work. I only have the weekends with them. And you won’t always be here. You’re a wonderful great-grandmother, but they need someone to mother them, Mimi.”

She pulled the pin cushion closer to her and swallowed. “I know they do.”

He leaned forward in his chair. “And I…I miss having someone to share my life with. I miss the companionship. I miss being in love. I miss having someone love me.”

Adelaide smoothed the pieces of the collar. “So. You are in love?”

He had taken a moment to answer. “Yes. I think I am.”

Carson hadn’t brought anyone home to the house, and he hadn’t been on any dates. But he had lately spent many nights after the children were in bed in his study—the old drawing room—with the door closed. When she’d pass by, Adelaide would hear the low bass notes of his voice as he spoke softly into his phone. She knew that gentle sound. She had heard it before, years ago when Sara and Carson would sit in the study and talk about their day. His voice, deep and resonant. Hers, soft and melodic.

“Are you going to marry her?”

Carson had laughed. “Don’t you even want to know her name?”

She had not cared at that moment about a name. The specter of being alone in Holly Oak shoved itself forward in her mind. If he remarried, he’d likely move out and take the children with him. “Are you taking the children? Are you leaving Holly Oak?”

“Adelaide—”

“Will you be leaving?”

Several seconds of silence had hung suspended between them. Carson and Sara had moved into Holly Oak ten years earlier to care for Adelaide after heart surgery and had simply stayed. Ownership of Holly Oak had been Sara’s birthright and was now Hudson and Brette’s future inheritance. Carson stayed on after Sara died because, in her grief, Adelaide asked him to, and in his grief, Carson said yes.

“Will you be leaving?” she asked again.

“Would you want me to leave?” He sounded unsure.

“You would stay?”

Carson had sat back in his chair. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea to take Hudson and Brette out of the only home they’ve known. They’ve already had to deal with more than any kid should.”

“So you would marry this woman and bring her here. To this house.”

Carson had hesitated only a moment. “Yes.”

She knew without asking that they were not talking solely about the effects moving would have on a ten-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl. They were talking about the strange biology of their grief. Sara had been taken from them both, and Holly Oak nurtured their common sorrow in the most kind and savage of ways. Happy memories were one way of keeping someone attached to a house and its people. Grief was the other. Surely Carson knew this. An inner nudging prompted her to consider asking him what his new bride would want.

“What is her name?” she asked instead.

And he answered, “Marielle…”

Excerpted from A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner Copyright © 2011 by Susan Meissner. Excerpted by permission of WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.


Sunday, November 13, 2011

The Sunday Salon November 13, 2011

The Sunday Salon.com

* I cannot believe it is Sunday night already. The days are flying by so quick. It is already November 13 and will be Thanksgiving before we know it. Yikes! I am so not ready for the end of 2011. I have so many goals and things left I want to accomplish. I have barely read a 100 books this year. I am still having problems focusing and finishing books. I have a stack of review books I am behind on and it is stressing me out. I have quit accepting so many but I do not want to quit altogether. I have a lot to think about for next year on how I am going to do things. Advice is welcome. I still love to read. I just spend more time exercising, cooking, cleaning, etc. Life is busier which is good because before I did not really have much of a life before Summer 2010 when I started trying to change my life. I still have changes I want to see happen. I guess we are never there life is a journey. :)

* Thank you for reading my random ramblings. I hope everyone has a great week and reading time. :)

Eggplant Hole in the Head from The Food Lovers Make It Paleo Cookbook

I love my new cookbook. It is The Food Lovers Make it Paleo by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason. I have been trying to eat more Primal/Paleo the past few months. My weakness is sugar and grains both of which are not on it. I also love cheese which you can have in moderation on Primal and none on Paleo. lol Anyway this cookbook has tons of great recipes I want to try so this morning I made the eggplant hole in the head which is like egg in hat or eggs in a basket without the bread. It turned out really good. It is a little more time consuming than the regular but healthier. I will definitely be making this again. They have a great blog. http://www.primal-palate.com/ I highly recommend checking it out. You do not have to primal or paleo to enjoy these recipes.  :)

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. butter
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
Optional one green onion sliced

Process (Brittanie style):
1. Rinse the eggplant and slice into one inch pieces. The middle thicker parts work better for this recipe.
2. Brush it with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. Grill it three to four minutes per side. I used George Forman which worked okay or you can broil it in the oven.
3. Use a glass or circle cookie cutter to cut a hole in the middle. I eat the yummy middle part too. :)
4. Heat a pan with a little butter then put the eggplant in it and crack a egg in the center.
5. Saute for three to four minutes then flip.
6. Can serve with sliced green onions as garnish.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy


  • Paperback: 352 pages

  • Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Original edition (October 4, 2011)

  • ISBN-13: 978-1595547521

  •  
    About the Book:
    To save her husband and son, Audrey Bofinger must rescue her enemy.

    The Bofinger family has lost their church ministry in a scandal exposed by Officer Jack Mansfield. Hoping to heal and to restore their reputation, Audrey, Geoff, and their son Ed take over a failing bakery in the small community.

    Driving to the bakery one morning, blinded by fog, Audrey hits a motor scooter owned by Jack’s wife, Julie. The mangled scooter is crushed and bloody. But Julie is nowhere to be found. Her disappearance coincides with a sudden illness that nearly cripples Audrey.

    Jack believes the Bofingers have hurt Julie to take revenge on him, but the evidence dries up and her trail goes cold. At a breaking point, Jack takes the tiny bakery and its patrons hostage, issuing only one demand: Audrey has six hours to return Julie to him, or lose Geoff and Ed forever.

    With only an excruciating and intuitive gift, an ex-con, and Julie’s estranged daughter to help search for clues, Audrey starts the search of her life for a woman who has vanished like the fog.

    Read an excerpt here.
    My Thoughts:
    I am not finished reading this book yet. I am still in the first third but so far it is good. I am still having a hard time reading for long periods. The story does draw you in but I am just having issues. I am sorry for not having this review ready in time. I have read a book by this author before and liked it. I will post my complete thoughts when I finish the book. :)

    About the Author: 
    Well-known to critics and reviewers, Erin Healy has established herself as an award-winning editor and a best-selling co-author with Ted Dekker. Healy received wide acclaim for her two debut novels Never Let You Go and The Promises She Keeps. Her work focuses on the psychological and spiritual, driven by high moral stakes. She lives and writes in Colorado with her family.

    For more information please visit www.erinhealy.com




    Link to buy the book:

     
    Review copy provided by Litfuse Publicity.

    Wednesday, November 2, 2011

    A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander


    This week, the
    Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
    is introducing
    A Lasting Impression
    Bethany House (November 1, 2011)
    by
    Tamera Alexander




    ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



    Tamera Alexander is the best-selling author of Rekindled, Revealed and Remembered, the critically acclaimed Fountain Creek Chronicles historical series with Bethany House Publishers. Her second historical series, Timber Ridge Reflections (From a Distance, Beyond This Moment, and Within My Heart) continue her signature style of deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose which has earned her devoted readers—and multiple industry awards.



    These awards include the 2009 and 2008 Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the 2010 and 2007 RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, the 2010 and 2007 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the 2010 HOLT Medallion, the 2007 Bookseller’s Best Award, the 2007 National Reader's Choice Award, and Library Journal’s Top Christian Fiction for 2006, among others.



    Tamera's newest novel A Lasting Impression is the first of a brand new three-book Southern historical series, and the first two chapters are available for review. She's at work on her ninth novel which will release in fall 2012.



    After living in Colorado for seventeen years, Tamera has returned to her Southern roots. She and her husband now make their home in Nashville, Tennessee, along with Tamera's father, Doug, and with their two adult children who live near by. And don't forget Jack, their precious--and precocious--silky terrier.



    ABOUT THE BOOK



    To create something that will last is Claire Laurent's most fervent desire as an artist. It's also her greatest weakness. When her fraud of a father deals her an unexpected hand, Claire is forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville, only a year after the War Between the States has ended. Claire's path collides with that of Sutton Monroe, and she considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But when they meet again and he refuses to come to her aid, she realizes she's sorely misjudged the man. Trading an unwanted destiny for an unknown future, Claire finds herself in the middle of Nashville's elite society and believes her dream of creating a lasting impression in the world of art may finally be within reach.



    All that Sutton Monroe holds dear lies in ruin. He's determined to reclaim his heritage and to make the men who murdered his father pay. But what he discovers on his quest for vengeance reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined.



    Set at Nashville's historical Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, the richest woman in America in the 1860s, A Lasting Impression showcases the deep, poignant, unforgettable characters that set Tamera's stories apart and provides an inspiring love story that will capture readers' hearts and leave them eager for more.



    If you would like to read the first chapter of A Lasting Impression, go HERE.

    Thursday, October 27, 2011

    Attracted to Fire by Diann Mills


    This week, the
    Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
    is introducing
    Attracted to Fire
    Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (October 1, 2011)
    by
    DiAnn Mills


    ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

    DiAnn Mills believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” She is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. Her books have won many awards through American Christian Fiction Writers, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005, 2007, and 2010. She was a Christy Award finalist in 2008 and a Christy winner in 2010. DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and is the Craftsman Mentor for the Christian Writer’s Guild. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops. DiAnn and her husband live in Houston, Texas. Visit her website at: http://www.diannmills.com/ or find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/diannmills


    ABOUT THE BOOK

    Special Agent Meghan Connors’ dream of one day protecting the president of the United States is about to come true. Only one assignment stands in her way. After the vice president’s rebellious daughter is threatened, Meghan is assigned to her protective detail on a secluded ranch in West Texas. Unfortunately, working with Special Agent in Charge Ash Zinders may be as tough as controlling her charge. Ash has a reputation for being critical and exacting, and he’s also after the same promotion as Meghan. But when the threats escalate and security on the ranch is breached, it becomes clear this isn’t the work of a single suspect—it’s part of a sophisticated plan that reaches deeper and higher than anyone imagined. And only Ash and Meghan can put the pieces together before it’s too late.

    Watch the book trailer:

    Monday, October 24, 2011

    It's Monday What Are You Reading? October 24, 2011

    This is a weekly meme hosted by Shelia at One Persons Journey Through a World of Books. http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/

    I cannot believe how fast this year has flown by. Each day goes by so quick. It is a little depressing. :)

    What I read last week:

    - Winona's Pony Cart by Maud Hart Lovelace

    - Attracted to Fire by Diann Mills

    What I am currently reading:

    - Walk Strong Look Up by Chantel Hobbs

    - My Dearest Friend by Hazel Statham

    - The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn

    What I am reading next:

    - A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander

    - The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy

    - Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee

    Reviews I posted last week:

    http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/10/necessary-deception-by-laurie-alice.html

    Sunday, October 23, 2011

    The Sunday Salon October 23, 2011

    The Sunday Salon.com

    It has a been awhile since I last participated in the Sunday Salon. I have not been reading like I used too. I do listen to audio books in the car now which I really like. I seriously get sick of the radio and music because I have to have music when I work out and I work out six days a week. I also listen to the radio all day at work. Right now I am listening to Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani. It is a light escapist book which is needed every now and then. I am behind on review books and have stopped accepting so many. I think I only have four tours for November which should give me time to finish the ones I am still working on hopefully. I have been purging books like crazy. I decided I could not breathe with all the books in my room. Then my TBR shelves are out of control so I decided to work on them too. I am trying to live a more active lifestyle so reading is taking a backseat but I am not giving it up. It is still one of my favorite things. Life is a balancing act and not easy. Today I need to do my cooking for the week, finish a review book, and finish cleaning. I am having trouble motivating myself. I hope everyone has a good Sunday and a great week! :)

    Wednesday, October 19, 2011

    Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin


    This week, the
    Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
    is introducing
    Wonderland Creek
    Bethany House (October 1, 2011)
    by
    Lynn Austin




    ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



    For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.



    It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.



    Extended family is also very important to Austin, and it was a lively discussion between Lynn, her mother, grandmother (age 98), and daughter concerning the change in women's roles through the generations that sparked the inspiration for her novel Eve's Daughters.



    Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.



    Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. And two of her inspirational fiction books were chosen by Library Journal for their top picks in 2003, and 2005. One of Lynn's novels has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.



    ABOUT THE BOOK



    Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But happily-ever-after life she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend, Gordon, breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real world. Then to top it off, Alice loses her beloved job at the library because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression.



    Fleeing small-town gossip, Alice heads to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the library in the tiny coal-mining village of Acorn. Dropped off by her relatives, Alice volunteers to stay for two weeks to help the librarian, Leslie McDougal.



    But the librarian turns out to be far different than she anticipated--not to mention the four lady librarians who travel to the remote homes to deliver the much-desired books. While Alice is trapped in Acorn against her will, she soon finds that real-life adventure and myster--and especially romance--are far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.



    If you would like to read the first chapter of Wonderland Creek, go HERE.

    Classics Club Spin 18

    My Classics Club Spin List for August This is a hodgepodge of books left on my list I made in 2017 for the Classics Club. Tomorrow the clu...