In the month of May I read 13 books. My absolute favorites are in bold. I did not dislike anything. I enjoyed reading Garden Spells after seeing several good reviews on other blogs. It was outside my normal reading area.
May
43. Livvie's Song by Sharlene MacLaren
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/05/livvies-song-by-sharlene-maclaren.html
44. An Unlikely Suitor by Nancy Moser
45. The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/05/lightkeepers-ball-by-colleen-coble.html
46. A Shore Thing by Julie Carobini
47. Fade to Blue by Julie Carobini
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/05/fade-to-blue-by-julie-carobini-review.html
48. Undercover Pursuit by Susan Warren
49. A Heart Divided by Kathleen Morgan
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/05/heart-divided-by-kathleen-morgan-review.html
50. Secrets of the Heart by Jillian Kent
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/05/secrets-of-heart-by-jillian-kent-review.html
51. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
52. Missing by Lynette Eason
53. A Killer Among Us by Lynette Eason
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/05/killer-among-us-by-lynette-eason-review.html
54. A Great Catch by Lorna Seilstad
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/06/great-catch-by-lorna-seilstad-review.html
55. The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/06/corruptible-by-mark-mynheir-review.html
56. The Officer's Secret by Debby Giusti
Sunday, July 31, 2011
April Books Read 2011
I am several months behind in listing what books I read in each month but I hope to get caught up soon. In April I only read 8 books. I do not have any super likes or dislikes. They were all good books.
April
34. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/04/old-possums-book-of-practical-cats-by-t.html
35. The Final Summit by Andy Andrews
36. A Cowboy's Touch by Denise Hunter
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/04/cowboys-touch-by-denise-hunter-review.html
37. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
38. Point Blank Protector by Stephanie Newton
39. The Deepest Waters by Dan Walsh
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/04/deepest-waters-by-dan-walsh-review.html
40. The Judgment by Beverly Lewis
41. Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer
42. To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/05/to-win-her-heart-by-karen-witemeyer.html
April
34. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/04/old-possums-book-of-practical-cats-by-t.html
35. The Final Summit by Andy Andrews
36. A Cowboy's Touch by Denise Hunter
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/04/cowboys-touch-by-denise-hunter-review.html
37. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
38. Point Blank Protector by Stephanie Newton
39. The Deepest Waters by Dan Walsh
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/04/deepest-waters-by-dan-walsh-review.html
40. The Judgment by Beverly Lewis
41. Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer
42. To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/05/to-win-her-heart-by-karen-witemeyer.html
Friday, July 29, 2011
40 Days to Better Living--Optimal Health by Dr. Scott Morris
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 (July 1, 2011)
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, 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.
Visit the author's website.
SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Many of us would admit to being a little out of balance these days. We all want to feel happier, healthier, and more vibrantly alive. What if in just 40 days we could reach a new level of wellness and balance that we’ve never experienced before? In 40 Days to Better Living: Optimal Health (Barbour Publishing, July 2011), Dr. Scott Morris, founder of Church Health Center, the largest faith-based clinic of its type in the United States, offers a straightforward and successful plan to get there.The first in a series of striking full color health and wellness books by Dr. Morris and the Church Health Center staff, 40 Days to Better Living: Optimal Health confirms and clarifies what many of us already suspect: living the life we’ve always wanted must go deeper than a diet and exercise program and an occasional attempt to “do better.” Morris is convinced that to achieve the highest degree of wellness requires a multi-dimensional approach and a concentrated effort to be healthy in both body and spirit. He believes, “True health is grounded in the spiritual life that embraces the physical bodies God gives us.” Morris adds, “Instead of the absence of disease, I see health as the presence of those elements that lead us to joy and love, and that drive us closer to God. Finding balance by nurturing our spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical needs is essential to the real health of the whole person.”
40 Days to Better Living: Optimal Health 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
Product Details:
List Price: $7.99
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books (July 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616262648
ISBN-13: 978-1616262648
AND NOW...THE FIRST PAGES (CLICK ON PAGES TO SEE THEM BETTER):
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Perfectly Invisible by Kristin Billerbeck (Review)
From the Back Cover
Life after high school is so close . . . and yet so very far away.
It's Daisy Crispin's final semester of high school, and she plans to make it count. Her long-awaited freedom is mere months away, and her big plans for college loom in the future. Everything is under control.
Or is it?
Her boyfriend is treating her like she's invisible, and her best friend is making her sell bad costume jewelry in the school quad--and hanging out with her boyfriend. To top it off, Daisy's major humiliation of the year will be remembered in the yearbook for all eternity. It's enough to make her wonder if maybe being invisible isn't so bad after all.
Can Daisy get her life back on track? Or is she stuck in this town forever?
It's Daisy Crispin's final semester of high school, and she plans to make it count. Her long-awaited freedom is mere months away, and her big plans for college loom in the future. Everything is under control.
Or is it?
Her boyfriend is treating her like she's invisible, and her best friend is making her sell bad costume jewelry in the school quad--and hanging out with her boyfriend. To top it off, Daisy's major humiliation of the year will be remembered in the yearbook for all eternity. It's enough to make her wonder if maybe being invisible isn't so bad after all.
Can Daisy get her life back on track? Or is she stuck in this town forever?
My Review:
I did not enjoy this book as much as the first one in the series. I thought it was an okay Christian YA book. Somehow I ended up getting annoyed with the characters especially Daisy. This is the second book in the Universally Misunderstood series and I recommend reading them in order. I thought the title fit the book. The faith element is very light so mainstream readers might like them too. My favorite series by this author will probably always be the Ashley Stockingdale series. :)
Kristin Billerbeck is the bestselling, award-winning author of several novels, including What a Girl Wants and Perfectly Dateless. She lives with her family in northern California.
“Available July 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
Thank you Donna at Revell for my review copy.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Canary Island Song by Robin Jones Gunn
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
It was the young teens at Robin’s church who challenged her to write stories for them. She hadn’t thought much about being a writer, but took their request to heart and set her alarm for 3am, three days a week. With two small children it was the only time she could find to write the first story about Christy Miller. After two years and ten rejections the novel Summer Promise was accepted for publication in 1988. Robin hasn’t stopped writing since. Over 4 million copies of her 75 books have sold and can be found in a dozen translations all over the world.
Robin and her husband now live in Hawai’i where Ross is a counselor and Robin continues to write to the sound of tropical birds chattering in the palm trees outside her window. Their children are grown but manage to come to the islands with their families every chance they get. Robin's awards include: three Christy awards for excellence in fiction, a Gold Medallion finalist, Mt. Hermon Pacesetter and the Mt. Hermon Writer of the Year award. Robin travels extensively and is a frequent key-note speaker at various events around the world. She serves on the Board of Directors for Media Associates International and Jerry Jenkin’s Christian Writer’s Guild.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The surprise, however, is on Carolyn when she sees Bryan Spencer, her high school summer love. It’s been seven years since Carolyn lost her husband, but ever since that tragic day, her life has grown smaller and closed in. The time has come for Carolyn to get her heart back. It takes the gentle affection of her mother and aunts, as well as the ministering beauty and song of the islands to draw Carolyn into the fullness of life. She is nudged along by a Flamenco dance lesson, a defining camel ride and the steady gaze of Bryan’s intense blue-gray eyes.
Is it too late for Carolyn to trust Bryan? Can Carolyn believe that Bryan has turned into something more than the wild beach boy who stole her kisses so many years ago on a balmy Canary night?
Carolyn is reminded that Christopher Columbus set sail from the Canary Islands in 1492 on his voyage to discover the New World. Is she ready to set sail from these same islands to discover her new life?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Canary Island Song, go HERE.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
What's On Your Nightstand? July 26, 2011
I keep my immediate TBR on my dresser and desk. I have books on my nightstand too but I hardly touch them. The first picture is my stack of library books I want to read. The second picture is of my review books that do not have a specific tour date. The last picture is of my review books that have due date on them. I have been purging books but I still have a huge waiting TBR. I have so many books I want to read and so little time it seems. I am considering giving up on all reading challenges and most goals for the year. I need less stress and I really want to enjoy reading again. I also want to read more of what catches my eye and not focus on a certain number. I have no idea what next year holds but for right now I need to simplify. I love reading and book reviewing and I can't see giving it up.
Monday, July 25, 2011
It's Monday What Are You Reading? July 25, 2011
What I read last week:
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (on audio in the car)
- You Know When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon (awesome book of short stories)
- A Woman's Place by Lynn Austin (Really good Christian historical fiction)
What I am currently reading:
- Perfectly Invisible by Kristin Billerbeck
- The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson
- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (on audio in the car)
What I am reading next:
- Canary Island Song by Robin Jones Gunn
- Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig
- Restless in Carolina by Tamara Leigh
What I reviewed:
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/07/shadows-on-sand-by-gayle-roper-review.html
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/07/falls-like-lightning-by-shawn-grady.html
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Shadows On the Sand by Gayle Roper (Review)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Gayle has won the Holt Medallion three times for The Decision, Caught in a Bind, and Autumn Dreams. The Decision won the Reviewers Choice Award, and Gayle has also won the Award of Excellence for Spring Rain and the Golden Quill for Summer Shadows and Winter Winds. Romantic Times Book Report gave Gayle the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Her Amhearst mystery series, Caught in the Middle, Caught in the Act, and Caught in a Bind, originally published by Zondervan, was reprinted in 2007 by Love Inspired Suspense with a fourth original title added, Caught Redhanded. Another original single title, See No Evil, was also released. Caught in the Middle has been optioned for film.
For her work in training Christian writers Gayle has won special recognition from Mount Hermon CWC, St. Davids CWC, Florida CWC, and Greater Philadelphia CWC. She directed St. Davids for five years and Sandy Cove CWC for six. She has taught with Christian Leaders, Authors and Speakers Services (CLASS), serving for several years as their writer in residence. She enjoys speaking at women's events across the nation and loves sharing the powerful truths of Scripture with humor and practicality.
Gayle lives in southeastern Pennsylvania where she enjoys her family of two great sons, two lovely daughters-in-law, and the world's five most wonderful grandchildren. When she's not writing, or teaching at conferences, Gayle enjoys reading, gardening, and eating out.
ABOUT THE BOOK
When Carrie’s dishwasher is killed and her young waitress disappears, Greg finds himself drawn into helping Carrie solve the mysteries … and into her life. But Carrie has a painful past, too, and when the reason she once ran away shows up in town, the fragile relationship she’s built with Greg threatens to implode from the weight of the baggage they both carry. Two wounded hearts struggle to find a way to make one romance work. Failure seems guaranteed when Carrie locates her waitress but is taken hostage...
If you would like to read the first chapter of Shadows on the Sand, go HERE.
My Review:
I enjoyed reading this light, cozy, mystery book. I did feel a little lost in the beginning and realized it is book five in the Seaside Seasons series. After the beginning it was okay and can stand alone. The characters and plot were interesting and well developed. I liked how Greg and Carrie's romance developed. I guessed the killer before the end but it was okay. I have read the author's Amhearst series and really liked them. Recommended to fans of Christian cozy romantic mystery suspense books. :)
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Falls Like Lightning by Shawn Grady (Review)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Shawn has served for over a decade as a firefighter and paramedic in northern Nevada. From fire engines and ambulances to tillered ladder trucks and helicopters, Shawn’s work environment has always been dynamic. The line of duty has carried him to a variety of locale, from high-rise fires in the city to the burning heavy timber of the eastern Sierras.
After graduating from James Logan High School in Union City, California, Shawn attended Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego as a Theology undergrad. There he found clarity of direction and proceeded on to acquire an Associate of Science degree in Fire Science Technology as well as Paramedic licensure through Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada.
Shawn currently lives in Reno, just outside of Lake Tahoe. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his wife, three children and yellow Labrador.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Pilot Elle Westmore has been called up to drop the crew into the heart of the forest infernos. A single mother of a mysteriously ill six-year-old, she can't imagine her life getting any more complicated.
It doesn't take long for things to go very wrong, very quickly. A suspicious engine explosion forces Elle to make an emergency landing. Silas is able to parachute to safety but soon discovers his crew can't be trusted. They're hiding something, and now Silas is on a race to save himself and Elle from the flames--and from a more dangerous threat: his own team.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Falls Like Lightning, go HERE
My Review:
I have read all of this author's books and they keep getting better and better. They are good books that both men and women would like. Falls Like Lightning is a great title for this book and as unique as the book. I thought the plot and characters were interesting and well developed. The book held my attention from the first page. There were smooth transitions between the fire scenes and the personal. I liked how Silas and Elle's relationship progressed. This book has a little romance, mystery, suspense, and action. One of my favorite combinations. The author has a background in this field and it shows in his writing without being too much detail. I can't wait to read his next book. Highly Recommended. :)
Monday, July 18, 2011
It's Monday What Are You Reading? July 18, 2011
What I read last week:
- Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington by Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss
- Shadows in the Sand by Gayle Roper
- Falls Like Lightning by Shawn Grady
What I am currently reading:
- The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson
- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (on audio in the car)
What I am reading next:
- Perfectly Invisible by Kristin Billerbeck
- Canary Island Song by Robin Jones Gunn
Reviews I posted last week:
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/07/vigilante-by-robin-parrish-review.html
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Pattern of Wounds by J. Mark Bertrand
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
J. Mark Bertrand lived in Houston, where the series is set, for fifteen years, earning an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. But after one hurricane too many he relocated with his wife Laurie to the plains of South Dakota. Mark has been arrested for a crime he didn't commit, was the foreman of one hung jury and served on another that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead.
ABOUT THE BOOK
It's Christmas in Houston, and homicide detective Roland March is on the hunt for a killer. A young woman's brutal stabbing in an affluent neighborhood bears all the hallmarks of a serial murder. The only problem is that March sent the murderer to prison ten years ago. Is it a copycat -- or did March convict the wrong man?
Alienated from his colleagues and with a growing rift in his marriage, March receives messages from the killer. The bodies pile up, the pressure builds, and the violence reaches too close to home. Up against an unfathomable evil, March struggles against the clock to understand the hidden message in the pattern of wounds.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Pattern of Wounds, go HERE.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Vigilante by Robin Parrish (Review)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A wild ride -- which is exactly what you're in for when you pick up one of his books. And he's adamant that it will never be the same kind of experience twice.
Robin's stories mix, mingle, and meld various genres together to create thoroughly original suspense/thrillers. His Dominion Trilogy, for example, mashed up superhero action, secret societies, ancient myths, and an apocalyptic setting to create an entirely new take on the classic "hero's journey." Offworld mixed science fiction and an end-of-the-world scenario with high-octane action. Nightmare, his 2010 novel, is a spine-tingling examination of the world of the paranormal, paired with can't-put-it-down mystery. His 2011 novel, Vigilante, is an action-packed story about a soldier who sets out to change the world. Later this year, he's releasing his first ever Young Adult novel, titled Corridor.
Always pushing the envelope, ever on the edge of where modern storytelling is going, Robin Parrish will gladly and unapologetically tell you that he's an entertainer, a weaver of stories that ignite the mind and delight the heart. Defying labels and refusing pigeonholes, his imagination is fueled by the possibilities of asking "What if…?", and as anyone who's read his work knows, he has a very big imagination.
His influences as a novelist range from television and film storytellers like Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams, to masters of the modern myth like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Akin to Philip K. Dick's search for the meaning of identity, most of what Robin writes about boils down to his own ponderings and examinations of just what this thing we call "existence" is.
Robin is a full time writer. He and his wife Karen and two children live in High Point, NC.
"Robin Parrish is a keen-eyed, passionate pop cultural savant,
whose writing is as incisive and insightful as it is entertaining."
- Allan Heinberg, Executive Producer, Grey's Anatomy
ABOUT THE BOOK
Nolan decides to do what no one else can, what no one has ever attempted. He will defend the helpless. He will tear down the wicked. He will wage a one-man war on the heart of man, and he won't stop until the world is the way it should be.
The wicked have had their day. Morality's time has come. In a culture starving for a hero, can one extraordinary man make things right?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Vigilante, go HERE.
My Review:
I had to suspend belief to make it through this book. I thought it was interesting and well written. The characters and plot were well developed. I picked it up because it was not in my typical reading areas and it delivered. Recommended.
It's Monday What Are You Reading? July 11, 2011
This is a weekly meme hosted by Shelia at One Persons Journey Through a World of Books. http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/
What I read last week:
- Love Letters in the Sand by Diann Hunt
- The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (on audio in the car)
What I am currently reading:
- Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington by Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss (had on the TBR and started in honor of it being the week of fourth of July)
- Pattern of Wounds by J. Mark Bertrand
- Made to Crave, Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God not Food by Lysa Terkeurst
What I am reading next:
- Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper
- Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo
- The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
Monday, July 4, 2011
It's Monday What Are You Reading? July 4, 2011
Happy Fourth of July to my American readers!
What I read last week:
- Vigilante by Robin Parrish
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot ( on audio in the car)
What I am currently reading:
- Love Letters in the Sand by Diann Hunt
- Made to Crave, Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God not Food by Lysa Terkeurst
What I am reading next:
- Pattern of Wounds by J. Mark Bertrand
- Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo
- The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
Reviews I posted last week:
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2011/06/protector-by-shelley-shepard-gray.html
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