Showing posts with label Faith 'n Fiction Saturday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith 'n Fiction Saturday. Show all posts

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Faith in Fiction Saturday



Today's Question

I always think there's a lack of books that are genuinely funny, that make me laugh through the book. It's probably why I so enjoy chick lit. But Christian chick lit lacks that light natural feeling humor and so there aren't many books (apart from Josey and Theodora!) that make me laugh.


Tell Me
Are there some good Christian fiction books that made you laugh out loud and just feel really good about life? I can't wait to hear your recommendations.
Brittanie:
I love Christian Chick-Lit and the lol books. Here are some of my favorites.
* The Ashley Stockingdale series by Kristin Billerbeck
What A Girl Wants
She's Out of Control
With This Ring I'M Confused
* The French Twist series by Sandra Byrd
Let Them Eat Cake
Bon Appetit
* Diann Hunt's books almost always make me laugh. A lot of them are meant for middle aged women but I am in my mid 20s and I always enjoy them. Her newest book is for anyone and I loved it too. CBD has several of them on sale right now. :)
* The Flabbergasted Trilogy by Ray Blackston which is kinda like christian boy chick lit. I have read the whole series twice. The first two esp. are funny.
Flabbergasted
A Delirious Summer
Lost in Rooville
* The Lauren Holbrook series by Erynn Mangum
Miss Match
Rematch
Matchpoint
* Almost any Rene Gutteridge book. I have read almost all of her books and really liked them. Not considered chick lit they are still have humor in them. She wrote the Boo series, Occupational Hazard series, the Storm series (on TBR shelf), and some stand alone books.
* Trish Perry and Susan May Warren also have books that make me laugh.
Okay so that is what I can come up with off the top of my head so to speak. I highly recommend any of the above books. All of these are on my keeper shelf. I hope you take a chance and read some of them. :)

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Faith 'n Fiction Saturday

From My Friend Amy:
http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/
We're at the halfway point in the year and we've read a bunch of great books (hopefully) so far. Today I'm going to ask you to do something very difficult...and pick your favorite! The book you choose should be fiction, should be published for the Christian marketplace, and must have been published in 2009. Please tell us why it's your favorite and who else might enjoy it. If you reviewed it, feel free to include a link to your review!

Brittanie:
One of my favorites this year is The Moment Between by Nicole Baart.

From my original review:
Wow is all I can say. This is the best book I have read all year even with the difficult and not pleasant subject matter of mental illness as part of the plot. It is well written with beautiful, powerful, lyrical prose on every page. Instead of being told chronologically it is told using three time frames intertwined. Abby's childhood, present, and flashbacks. I was never lost. I read it in two days only because I started it late in the night and I had to go to work the next day otherwise it would have been one sitting. :) Catholicism is in the book some but is not overwhelming and works well. I highly recommend this book. You do not want to miss out on this book especially if you are a fan of contemporary and/or literary fiction. :)

The link to my review with summary and first chapter:
http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/2009/05/moment-between-by-nicole-baart.html

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Faith'in Fiction Saturday May 9, 2009

Amy at http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/ host Faith'n Fiction Saturdays. Visit her blog to particpate or read the other particpants recommendations.

Today's Topic

It doesn't take long hanging around people who read Christian fiction before the usual names come up. Janette Oke. Francine Rivers. Karen Kingsbury. Dee Henderson. Ted Dekker. Frank Peretti. These are the best-sellers...the authors everyone knows. But there are so many authors who get less coverage but have huge amounts of talent. Today, choose either an author you think deserves a wider readership or a book you wish more people had read and share about them on your blog! Because as you all know, we need to add to our TBR (to be read) lists!
My Answer:
I love Elizabeth White. She lives in Alabama and writes books set mainly in the South. She writes both contempary and historical Christian Fiction. My favorite book of hers is Off the Record. It is one of her contempary books. It is the first book in a loosely related series. The second is Controlling Interest which was good but the first was the best. I look forward to reading book three Tour de Force. Her website is http://elizabethwhite.net/ and it has a list of her books.
Here is the link to my review of Off the Record.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Faith'n Fiction Saturday March 28, 2009

The 2009 Christy Award Nominees were recently announced. Today's assignment is to look at the list of nominees and share with us whether or not you have read any of them. If you haven't read that particular novel, have you read anything by that author? Have you read all of the books in any category? What are your favorite books on the list? Are there any books you haven't heard of?

The Christy Nominees:
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren • Tyndale House Publishers
Zora and Nicky: A Novel in Black and White by Claudia Mair Burney • David C. Cook

CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLA
SSisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Summer Snow by Nicole Baart • Tyndale House Publishers
You Had Me at Good-bye by Tracey Bateman • FaithWords

CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE
Dogwood by Chris Fabry • Tyndale House Publishers
Embrace Me by Lisa Samson • Thomas Nelson
Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas • Moody Publishers

FIRST NOVEL
Blue Hole Back Home by Joy Jordan-Lake • David C. Cook
Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler • Bethany House Publishers
Safe at Home by Richard Doster • David C. Cook

HISTORICAL
Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley • B&H Publishing Group
Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin • Bethany House Publishers
Washington’s Lady by Nancy Moser • Bethany House Publishers

HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy • Barbour Publishers
From a Distance by Tamera Alexander • Bethany House Publishers
The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Binnings Ewen • B&H Publishing Group

SUSPENSE
By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer • Tyndale House Publishers
The Rook by Steven James • Revell
Winter Haven by Athol Dickson • Bethany House Publishers

VISIONARY
The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka • Harvest House Publishers
Shade by John B. Olson • B&H Publishing Group
Vanish by Tom Pawlik • Tyndale House Publishers

YOUNG ADULT
The Fruit of My Lipstick by Shelley Adina • FaithWords
I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires by Cathy Gohlke • Moody Publishers
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group


My answer:
For contemporary romance I have read Beyond the Night and Finding Stephanie. They were both really good but I think Beyond the Night should win. For contemporary series I have read all three and they were all good too. I would pick Summer Snow by Nicole Baart to win. I read her other book and cannot wait for the next one to come out. :) For contemporary Stand Alone I have read Dogwood and Embrace Me. It is hard to pick between them but I think Embrace Me has the best chance. For first novel I have only read Rain Song but I really liked it so I hope it wins. For historical I have read Shadows of Colossus by T. L. Higley and Until We Reach Home. I would pick Shadows to win even though they were both good. For historical romance I have read Calico Canyon and From a Distance. I would pick From a Distance. I have the second in the series on my TBR list. For suspense I have only read Winter Haven and it was good. I loaned By Reason of Insanity to a lawyer I know and she loved it. So I would pick By Reason of Insanity to win in that category. For Visionary I have not read any of the books so I cannot pick one out. For Young Adult I have read any of those listed but they are still not ones I would have put in the category. I would have put Jenny B. Jones and Debbie Viguie. :)

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Faith 'n Fiction Saturday March 14, 2009



Today's Question:

Have you ever read a book and been completely surprised by it? Was it either better than you were expecting, moving in ways you didn't expect, more captivating than you thought, or totally different from what you thought it would be about?
My Answer:
I read a lot of books so sometimes I have a hard time remembering things like this. Recently I read A Thousand Tomorrows by Karen Kingsbury and it was more moving than I expected. It is going on my 2009 favorites list. It was published in 2005 I think. :)

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Faith and Fiction Books with a Faith Element on My Keeper Shelf

This week's question is:
So...what fiction books with faith elements are on your keeper shelf? Please keep your answers to no more than 5 books!

I read a lot of books so my keeper shelf is getting bigger every year so I am going to list some of the older keepers on my shelf too.

1. The O'Malley series by Dee Henderson. I have all of her books. She is my all time favorite author.

2. What a Girl Wants by Kristin Billerbeck (The Ashley Stockingdale series)

3. The Hawk and the Jewel by Lori Wick (FYI I have not liked her books for the past few years. I have no idea what has happened so my favorites are some of her older ones)

4. Every Storm by Lori Wick (I love military books)

5. Off the Record by Elizabeth White

Most of the above books I have reread many times. They really are some of my all time favorite Christian fiction. If you have not read any of them I hope you will try some. I highly recommend all of them. :)

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Faith 'n Fiction Saturday January 10, 2009

Amy at http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/ hosts a question every Saturday called Faith 'n Fiction.


Today's Question:


There are a lot of great new books being published in 2009! But which ones are you the most excited about? Please pick some Christian fiction books you are excited to read this year and tell us all about them! But just to give this a little twist...be sure to visit everyone else's posts and find some books you might be interested in reading as well that are different from your picks! It will come in handy for a fun bonus question next


I am so excited about lots of new books coming out:


A Vote of Confidence by Robin Lee Hatcher.

In A Vote of Confidence, the stage is set for some intriguing insight into what it was like during 1915 to be a woman in a “man’s world.”Guinevere Arlington is a beautiful young woman determined to remain in charge of her own life. For seven years, Gwen has carved out a full life in the bustling town of Bethlehem Springs, Idaho, where she teaches piano and writes for the local newspaper. Her passion for the town, its people, and the surrounding land prompt Gwen to run for mayor. After all, who says a woman can’t do a man’s job?But stepping outside the boundaries of convention can get messy. A shady lawyer backs Gwen, believing he can control her once she’s in office. A wealthy newcomer throws his hat into the ring in an effort to overcome opposition to the health resort he’s building north of town. When the opponents fall in love, everything changes, forcing Gwen to face what she may have to lose in order to win.
Taking Tuscany by Renee Riva which is the sequel to Saving Sailor which my whole family loved.


A. J. Degulio loved the idea of a visit to the Old Country... until her family decided to stay. It's 1972 and she's turning fourteen in a crumbling castle on a hill in Tuscany, wishing she were back in Idaho with her beloved dog, Sailor. In Italy, her blonde hair makes her stick out like a vanilla wafer in a box of chocolate biscotti, and she's so lonely her best friend is a nun from the local convent.
The challenges of roots and relatives are nothing new to A. J., but she's going to need more than the famous Degulio sense of humor to survive. Can't anyone see that Italy isn't really home? It will take a catastrophe - and a few wise words from a friend - for A. J. to understand that sometimes the only thing you can change is your perspective.



Return Policy by Michael Synder


I loved his first My Name is Russell Fink. In his second book, novelist Michael Snyder introduces us to three very unusual and distinct voices all torn by tragedy: Willy Finneran, washed-up genre novelist with an espresso maker that just won’t die and a habit of avoiding conflict even if it means putting the truth on a sliding scale. Ozena Webb, single mother and Javatek’s top customer service representative. She spends every evening playing board games with her twelve-year-old son who is mentally crippled from an early childhood accident. Shaq, a small and scraggy homeless man with trauma-induced blank spots on his memory, trying to piece together the story of his life while assisting Father Joe at the Mercy Mission. As their stories intersect, the narrative vacillates between hope and naïveté, comic relief and postmodern ennui. Startling in its authenticity, this unforgettable novel reveals that no matter how far one has strayed from hope, there is always a way to return.


A Moment Between by Nicole Baart. Her first two books are After the Leaves Fall and Summer Snow both of which were favorites of mine for 2008.
Abigail Bennett was completely in control of her life until tragedy pushed her to the brink of something she's never experienced: Obsession. Now she's given up everything she's worked for to chase down the object of that obsession. His name is Tyler Kamp. As Abigail follows him across the border into Canada, her journey is awash in memories of family and childhood, especially those of her younger sister, Hailey. Even as Abigail races into her future, her past pulls her back. Only when she is brought to the edge of her obsession will she be able to come to terms with the tragedy that ignited it.



Try Fear by James Scott Bell. I love the Try series including Try Dying and Try Darkness.





I cannot find a description but it is the third book in the Buchcan series.



Spring of Candy Apples by Debbie Viguie. Join Candy Thompson on a sweet, lighthearted, and honest romp through the friendships, romances, family, school, faith, and values that make a girl’s lie as full as it can be.It’s the end of Candace’s senior year, and life’s getting sticky.A promotion to The Zone’s Candy Counter means Candace gets to create gooey treats all day long. She is a finalist for The Zone’s college scholarship (Florida anyone?), things with Kurt are getting really weird, and she’s bothered by all the questions about her future. Not unlike the challenge of making candy apples, Candace struggles to resist getting stuck and believe in what is truly at her core.



The House in Grosvenor Square by Linore Rose Burkard. Readers who loved the author’s first book, Before the Season Ends, will delight in this charming sequel set in Regency London. I loved the first book and am highly antipating the second.







Meltdown (Task Force Valor Series Three) by Chuck Holton. The global war on terror has reached catastrophic proportions, leading the U.S. Special Operations EOD team–Task Force Valor–to Chernobyl, where ghosts of past disasters are nothing compared to the nuclear nightmare about to unfold. With CIA Agent Mary “Phoenix” Walker heading her first Special Ops mission and Master Sergeant Bobby Sweeney fighting demons on and off the battlefield, Task Force Valor races to stop a terrorist threat in the Ukraine before Europe is turned into a radioactive wasteland. But when the terror reaches American shores, the team is powerless to help until they can save themselves. And when they finally track down the source of the chaos, what they find is worse than anything they could have imagined.



Nothing but Trouble (PJ Sugar Series #1) by Susan May Warren. From the Back Cover



PJ Sugar knows three things for sure: After traveling the country for ten years hoping to shake free from the trail of disaster that’s become her life, she needs a fresh start. The last person she wants to see when she heads home for her sister’s wedding is Boone—her former flame and the reason she left town. Her best friend’s husband absolutely did not commit the first murder Kellogg, Minnesota, has seen in more than a decade. What PJ doesn’t know is that when she starts digging for evidence, she’ll uncover much more than she bargained for—a deadly conspiracy, a knack for investigation, and maybe, just maybe, that fresh start she’s been longing for.
The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson

When Mary-Margaret Danaher met Jude Keller, the lightkeeper's son, she was studying at convent school on a small island in the Chesapeake Bay. Destined for a life as a religious sister, she nevertheless felt a pull toward Jude-rough and tumble, promiscuous Jude.
After sojourning as a medical missions sister in Swaziland, Mary-Margaret returns to the island to prepare for her final vows. Jude, too, returns to the island, dissolute and hardened. Mary-Margaret can hardly believe it when the Spirit tells her she must marry the troubled boy who befriended her all those years ago, forsaking the only life she ever wanted for a man she knows she'll never love.




If I had a list of everything being published this year I am sure I could come up with more. :)

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...