Catching Christmas

Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A really cute book. Picked it up at the library & didnt even know what it was about. Pleasantly surprised to see it had a faith based background in the story. & while this book could be really sad in moments, it really showed how to live life full of joy & expecting what Heaven is like.
This would totally be a cute Hallmark movie!

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This Year, Christmas Comes Just in Time 

As a first-year law associate, Sydney Batson knows she will be updating her resume by New Year’s if she loses her current court case. So when her grandmother gets inexplicably ill while she’s in court, Sydney arranges for a cab to get her to the clinic.

The last thing cab driver Finn Parrish wants is to be saddled with a wheelchair-bound old lady with dementia. But because Miss Callie reminds him of his own mother, whom he failed miserably in her last days, he can’t say no when she keeps calling him for rides. Once a successful gourmet chef, Finn’s biggest concern now is making his rent, but half the time Callie doesn’t remember to pay him. And as she starts to feel better, she leads him on wild goose chases to find a Christmas date for her granddaughter.

When Finn meets Sydney, he’s quite sure that she’s never needed help finding a date. Does Miss Callie have an ulterior motive, or is this just a mission driven by delusions? He’s willing to do whatever he can to help fulfill Callie’s Christmas wish. He just never expected to be a vital part of it.

“Terri Blackstock’s latest offering touches tender places with its quirky characters and stirring plot. Catching Christmas explores what happens when the paths of a disenchanted Taxi driver collide with that of an overworked attorney. Blackstock weaves a compelling, romantic tale that is sure to get you into the Christmas spirit!” —Denise Hunter, bestselling author of Honeysuckle Dreams

“Blackstock’s Catching Christmas is not your average romance. Darling and laugh-out-loud cute, it makes the reader think about the important things in life. I read it in one gulp and wished there was more. Highly recommended!” —Colleen Coble, USA TODAY bestselling author of the Hope Beach series and the Lavender Tides series

The Hating Game

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I dont know if its because I read a rom-com right before this (The Beau & the Belle) but the characters reminded me a lot of each other. The kind of relationship where they want to take it slow & not rush into anything, & they both are full of a gentleman type guy & a kooky, funny, mess up everything they try, kinda gal.
I enjoyed this one just as much as the other book. I especially love the relationship having the rifts between them where they can take jabs at each other & laugh it off in good humor. & I really loved that this story takes place in a publishing company.
Another book where I laughed & swooned & rooted on the couple. Totally enjoyed it.

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Nemesis (n.)
1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome;
2) A person’s undoing;
3) Joshua Templeman.

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

Grace is Greater

Grace Is Greater by Kyle Idleman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I knew I wanted to read this as soon as I saw it was a book on Grace - one of my favorite things to be reminded of. & especially when I saw who wrote it - one of my favorite Pastors.
This book did not disappoint, in the least.
Kyle Idleman has such a way of putting Biblical principals into relatable terms. You'll laugh at some of the personal stories (especially if you read the footnotes!!) & then you feel like you've been gut-punched with the truth that the Bible has that you tend to put aside. He's just so good at making God's words & promise easy to understand. Opens your eyes to noticing it more in your own life.
This book is broken up in how Grace works in a life - For you, for you to give to others (did I mention that gut-punch thing?) & how Grace is in all your circumstances.
As someone who goes to Kyle's church, I will say, I have heard many of the things he mentioned in this book in sermons. That's not a negative to me - it just reminded me of the great messages I've heard before & now glad to have some of the points written on paper to refer to more often & not have to rely on my ever forgetting memory. & I'm even more glad that the amazing messages that I get to hear every week is getting shared a bit with the rest of the world.
I honestly can't recommend this book enough if you struggle with wondering if God has enough mercy & grace for you in your mistakes you've made... or if you are having trouble forgiving others. You will close this book with an encouraged heart.

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The writer of the letter to the Hebrews said, "See to it that no one misses the grace of God." Over the centuries much ink has been spilled on the subject of grace. Yet perhaps nothing is as hard to explain as God's grace. It doesn't make sense. It's not fair. It can't possibly cover over what I've done. The best way--perhaps the only real way--to understand it is to experience it. But too often in our churches we're not getting grace across and grace is not experienced. 
Bestselling author and pastor Kyle Idleman wants everyone to experience the grace of God. Through the powerful medium of story, Grace Is Greater leads readers past their hang-ups toward an understanding of grace that is bigger than our mistakes, our failures, our desire for revenge, and our seemingly impossible situations. No sin is so great, no bitterness so deep that God's grace cannot transform the heart and rewrite the story. 
Perfect for individuals and also for small groups and church-wide studies, Grace Is Greater will help readers truly grasp God's grace, even if the Christians around them have failed to live it.

Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe

Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe by Max Lucado
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book went exactly as I expected it to ... with maybe a few little touches of cuteness, but I saw where this story was going to go from the get go.
Nothing wrong with that. Made for a fun, light, easy read.
I did't know that Max Lucado had written a novel before & of course, it has his touch of preaching the gospel in it, but it was definitely a cute little angel book that reminds you of the battle of good & evil around us all the time. & it involves a coffee shop. I love me a cute little coffee shop. & also includes a blog. Called "The God Blog"... I also love me a cute little blog. So yeah, it was a nice fast read.
Not amazing, not horrible - just a good easy light read. Perfect for a summer day.

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Book Synopsis:

What if you could ask God anything? What would you ask? And how would He answer?

Chelsea Chambers is on her own. After a public split from her NFL superstar husband, Chelsea takes a bold step out of the limelight and behind the counter of the Higher Grounds Cafe, an old-fashioned coffee shop in dire need of reinvention. But when her courage, expert planning, and out-of-this-world cupcakes fail to pay the bills, this newly single mom finds herself desperate for help. Better yet, a miracle.

Then a curious stranger lands at Chelsea s door, and with him, an even more curious string of events. Soon, customers are flocking to the Higher Grounds Cafe, and not just for the cupcakes and cappuccino. They ve come for the internet connection to the divine. Now the cafe has become the go-to place for people in search of answers to life s biggest questions.

When a catastrophe strikes and her ex comes calling, Chelsea begins to wonder if the whole universe is conspiring against her quest to make it on her own. After a shocking discovery opens her eyes to the unseen world around her, Chelsea finds the courage to ask God a question of her own. Heaven answers in a most unexpected way." 

The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society

The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society by Beth Pattillo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So you know I'm going to love a story that revolves around a group of women who get together every month & talk about a book they've read & do a knitting project along with each book. How can I NOT like this?

I found it was written by the same lady who wrote "Heavens to Betsy" & the follow up to that - books I so enjoyed reading, I even reached out to the author & emailed her how much I loved them.

So yeah, this book was just as good as I expected it to be.

The story of 5 ladies who are in the Sweetgum Knit-Lit Society. All different stories, all different life dramas that are coming at them. Secrets they keep from everyone. And enter a troubled teen who has to 'pay' back for damaging a library book & she's ordered to join the club for awhile. The way this young lady, Hannah, touches the lives of the women & how her life is changed herself, it all comes full circle.

I have the follow up book & can't wait to dig into it & see how my new knitting friends are.

& this book just makes me want to start up a knitting group so badly, I can't hardly stand it. My own knit-lit group... maybe it'll happen.

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Finding our way Home

I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw it was about a ballerina. I'm mystified by these dancers.  & reading about Sasha & her injuries that take her away from what she loves just hits me. If you ever have your life path changed, you'd understand.  We see Sasha return home to where she needs help.  Enter Evelyn.  We see that sometimes opposites are drawn to each other in friendship... causing bumpy roads.  But seeing that the bumps can come together to show grace & friendship can make the paths smooth again. 

I thought this was a easy read & I really am looking forward to more books by this author.

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Given this book for review by Blogging for Books

Passing Strangers

Passing Strangers by Angela Elwell Hunt
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I am so disappointed to give this an 'ok' - I love Angela Hunt. She's one of my favorite authors & I usually give her 5 stars across the board. Was so excited for her latest book... but I just didn't feel it.

This story is about 3 strangers on a train going across the part of the country & the way they meet. The story then sort of breaks up into each individual person's story & what their background is.

I really liked the first one with a story of a girl who was a famous child star on a reality based TV & as she grew up, she fled from all things famous. When her mother is dying, what does she do. I'm all into this story.

The second story lost me. It was the story of this man who has 2 children & he lost his wife in an accident. He is a lawyer who works way too much & wants others to take care of his children. His trip was basically to leave his kids at his mothers house. Something about this part of the story just bothered me. It seemed stupid, didn't seem real. Aggravated me about how easily this guy was going to leave his kids.

The third story was about a mom who had to leave because her adult daughter was causing issues in their home. This part was OK but I was so exhausted by this book by then, I didn't enjoy it.

In the end, you see how the 3 people are intertwined now as friends, but I was just glad to get it over with honestly. I have another Angela Hunt book on my Kindle to read. Hoping I find my faith back in this author.

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First Date

First Date by Melody Carlson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Two weeks into her junior year & Devon Fremont felt dangerously bored.

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I've read some of Melody Carlson's other books & really enjoyed her writing so was excited when I got the change to get this new Young Adult book & review it.

Its the story of girlfriends who get together to form a group & try to break a rule some of the guys are sticking to - to not date. Devon is behind this "Dating Games" & gets her friends to join in as a club.

Devon, Emma, Cassidy, Abby & Bryn are all different, coming from different backgrounds. Christian homes, divorced parents, different races, different values. And while some of the friendships start out on shaky ground, they learn a bit more about each other & they try to 'help' each other out with getting the guy they want to go to the dance with.

After teaching many lessons myself on dating to youth groups, I was anxious to see how this book would go. I'm also a fan of some young adult books & find they can be just as entertaining for adults to read.

This one? I have to say, it seemed very juvenile for an adult. Some of the characters got on my nerves & I just wanted to sit some of them down & have a talk with them as I do in our youth ministry.

Do I think a young lady would enjoy reading this book? Probably. Its full of friendship drama, boy drama, all the things young ladies are going through.

And while I do appreciate the story of the friendships getting stronger, I wish they would have taken the idea of dating & put it on the back burner... but no, its set up for the next book - Blind Dates in the Dating Games.

In my opinion, I'll pass..

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Starting Now

Starting Now by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I always enjoy Debbie Macomber. Clean stories that are refreshing & laid back, always holding good values & sense of faith, grace & all the good things of God.

I really was excited to see another book in the Blossom series. When "A Good Yarn" came out, it was one of my favorite. A story revolved around a yarn store & knitting? I'm so there! And its been nice to see all the books following including all the people who have stopped into this little store & we've gotten to know. It was nice to visit with Lydia, Brad, Casey & Cody again.

This time, we meet Libby. A lawyer who has no time for knitting... until she gets laid off. Her life changes completely. How do you go from being a workaholic whose only concern is making partner, to someone who spends her time rocking babies in a hospital & mentoring a young middle school girl.

Libby learns what friendship is, what it means to invest in others, how it feels to fall in love again... but what happens when she gets her old life back.

I enjoyed reading about Libby's life & decisions she had to make, but as most Macomber books, I could tell you how it was going to end, & how it was pretty predictable. That's my only grief with it... but I still enjoyed it... & looking forward to meeting more people who stop on Blossom Street.

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The Will Changers

The Will Changers: Dark Forces Rising by Chad Wilkinson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Do you believe angels & demons are real & surrounding us?
This book is very much in the idea of the great book series "This Present Darkness" by Frank Peretti. A look into another world that is surrounding us, attacking us & protecting us.

Meet a group of friends who have the special ability to read God's will & actually change it in others. They also have the ability to see the angels that surround them & know they are working in close contact with that angel. In having that ability, there comes some downfalls - the demons also know their names because of their power... & the demons also work in people's live the same way to help their charges change God's will in their lives. The battle begins.

The story was interesting. For me, I had a hard time staying straight because I'm one of those nerds that write down character names so I keep everyone straight until I get to 'know' them as I read. Within the first 3 chapters, I had written down about 25 names... there are A LOT of people in this book. It was a little tough keeping straight who was who & whose Angel was whose. I honestly have a post it with lines drawn to people to angels - to people to demons... I did get a tad confused. If those things dont bother you, you'd be fine. For me, I get confused easily - especially when names are familiar. There's a Joseph, Jeff & Josh... & a Ryan & Rick ... I'd also have to stop & think "whose who?" ... that to me was the biggest challenge of the book.

The book definitely is full of action, & then it surprised me to have a love story involved as well.

Its also very visual. When it describes the demon being in Hell & the people & what they go through in the torture that Hell provides, I literally had to stop reading because it bothered me so much. I had to step away & just keep saying "Jesus, I dont want to go there".... it literally freaked me out that much just reading it. Made me want to cry out to Jesus & to know I dont want to go there or to have anyone in my life go there....

But it also made me smile to think of the power of angels that surround us & stay with us. The joy that Heaven feels when someone turns their life over to God.

My favorite part of the book - the reminder that though angels may come & go, Jesus is with us always :)

I'm not going to give anything away in the end because I honestly was surprised by a FEW things... & the end sets it up perfectly for another book to continue this group of friend's destiny & what God is calling them to do.
It would also be interesting to see a book set in the past to know how each of these friends in this group came to where they are at, with knowing the story of how they met with their Angel for the first time.
Lots of options for this book/series.

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Every Bush is Burning

Every Bush Is Burning by Brandon Clements
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A man's life is falling apart, & then he meets someone who tells him they are Jesus.
is it really?
This stranger, who introduces himself was Yeshua, indeed makes things happen around him for Jack. Giving him advice on how to save his marriage, on how to help his sister, on how to make a become a better man.
Against all Jack's instincts, he keeps meeting with Yeshua every week... & how his life is changed.

I was so hooked into this book.
Was this guy really Jesus?
if not, who is he?

The books is written in what I call "The Never Ending Story" style... talking straight to you. "you know what I'm talking about since you were there"... that kind of thing.

& Its a strange book that its about a closer relationship with Jesus & an underlying message of forgiveness... but it has side stories of affairs, drinking, cursing... real life I guess you could say... & I guess you could say Jesus is there in every day life. Right?
So not your typical "Jesus" book
... but I loved it...
Loved the back story of Jack & his sister Sara - loved the friends he makes along the way - love finding out the truth about Yeshua...
I wont give it away here... you'll have to read it for yourself.
& then, see if you indeed are part of this story too...

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Two Crosses

The Two Crosses: A Novel by Ernie Lindsey
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Two men receive the ability to heal people... how do they handle it.
Both handle it very differently
One chooses to go public & sacrifices his family for the fame
The other chooses to keep it quit & ends up having his love of his life sacrificed in exchange...
Made me wonder about both of their choices... is it the best thing to not want to share your gift? And how horrible is it to exploid your gift from God?

I thought this story was OK... I was more intrigued with Jay Cross & his life & how it effected him, more then the other man

& then throw in a crazed relgious freak that belittles every person because they're not good enough for God, & thinks he can save his mother's soul who killed herself when he was little... I could have done without this dude the whole book. Actually, I did skip most of the pages that was about him. too predictable

I wouldnt recommend this book really... especially when it came to the end. I was like "WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?.. that's all I'll say about that :)

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Angels at the Table

Angels at the Table: A Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy Christmas Story by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love Debbie Macomber... & love her Christmas series... especially when it involves those little mischevious angels, Shirley, Mercy & Goodness. And this time, they have a new angel trying to learn the ropes, Will.

Will learns right away how, as hard as they try, these 3 angels are getting themselves in trouble...

Will has in hand in letting two people, Lucie & Aren, meet... on New Years Eve... & they connect instantly. The bad thing? They're not supposed to meet until later down the road.
So are things ruined?
The Angels try everything to make sure its not....

This is a cute read. Sort of predictable, as most love stories are, but still fun to read. Love the twist of seeing angels working in the background... makes you wonder if that's what it looks like in our own lives.

So, will Lucie, the restaurant owner & chef & Aren, the columnist for the newspaper that does food reviews, get it all straightened out?
Only Heaven knows
(I'm so clever) ;)

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Heroes & Monsters

Heroes and Monsters: An Honest Look at the Struggle within All of Us by Josh Riebock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had such a love/hate relationship with this book. More love then hate... DEFINITELY more love. This book is just a man's story - starting from childhood until the end of his life... & its written in a different way. And while some parts felt drug out & not to make much sense (the hate part) - other parts were so amazingly written, that one sentence would make me stop & think for 10 minutes. I think I wrote down more quotes from this book then any I've read in awhile...

We start off the book with a little boy that meets a talking Scarecrow... Jack.. & we see how Jack stays with this little boy through life...

It really surprised me when we found out who Jack is...

Its little things like that that just make me enjoy the book

I will say as well - the last chapter? I cried my eyes out... a wonderful way to end the book. That alone pushed it well over the edge of loving the book..

Loved that God is such an important "character" in this book... didnt expect this book to inpsire me to look at my relationships so deeply - especially my relationship with God.
Thumbs up Mr. Riebock

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Night of the Living Dead Christian... with GIVEAWAY!!!!

(I received this book from Tynale for exchange of a fair review)

Book:  Night of the Living Dead Christian

Author:  Matt Mikalatos

In his follow up to the critically acclaimed Imaginary Jesus, Matt Mikalatos tackles this question in an entertaining & thought-provoking way - with MONSTERS!!!

While Christians claim to experience Christ's resurrection power, we sometimes act like werewolves who can't control our base desires.  Or zombies, experiencing a resurrection that is 90% shambling death & 10% life.  Or vampires, saiating ourselves at the expense of others.  But through it all we long to stop being monsters & become truly human - the way Christ intended.  We just cant seem to figure out how.

By turns hilarious & heartbreaking, this book is a spirtual allegory that boldly explores the monstrous underpinnings of our nature & the tackles head-on the question of how we can ever hope to become truly transformed.
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This isnt your ordinary book.

It has vampires, werewolves, zombies, robots & even a hunter out to rid the world of these monsters... & my favorite, a Clockwork Jesus...

See?  Not your ordinary book.

The story is wrapped up in how we are all monsters looking to be "born again"... & what it means to be a Christian.. a real Christian...

There are some really deep thoughts, especially from Luther - the werewolf that is wanting to be 'cured' from his monster-ways.

A comment Luther made was, "I went to church my entire childhood.  Its one of the key reasons that I'm not a Christian" ... see.  Told you - deep thoughts.

And the way Zombies just want to put ear phones in your ears... they just want you to hear their commentary of the Bible & agree with it completely... some deep stuff if you really look into what the story is saying.

And it also has humor.  There were witty little one liners that made me chuckle too... little insights that you're like, "yep, I totally get that"...

But its a different book too... At parts, I would get wrapped up in it & wanted to see where it was going... other times, I was just confused... & other times, I was just getting bored with it.

I would say this is something to check out if you're bored with all the other books out there right now... also if you have a good imagination & if you are open minded.
& lucky for you, you get a chance at winning your own copy.  GIVEAWAY INFO!!!!  Just leave a comment & tell me your favorite "monster" movie or tv show ... the winner will receive a certificate that allows them a free copy of the book.

& if you want to learn more about the author, stop by his site: http://mattmikalatos.com/

Mercy Come Morning

Book:  Mercy Come Morning

Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren

“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”

Krista Mueller is in a good place. She’s got a successful career as a professor of history; she’s respected and well-liked; and she lives hundreds of miles from her hometown and the distant mother she could never please. It’s been more than a decade since Alzheimer’s disease first claimed Charlotte Mueller’s mind, but Krista has dutifully kept her mother in a first-class nursing home.


Now Charlotte is dying of heart failure and, surprised by her own emotions, Krista rushes to Taos, New Mexico, to sit at her estranged mother’s side as she slips away. Battling feelings of loss, abandonment, and relief, Krista is also unsettled by her proximity to Dane McConnell, director of the nursing home—and, once upon a time, her first love. Dane’s kind and gentle spirit—and a surprising discovery about her mother—make Krista wonder if she can at last close the distance between her and her mother … and open the part of her heart she thought was lost forever.
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First Line:  "She's dying, Krista."
 
This was the first time I read a book by this author.  I enjoyed her style of writing very much.  It was easy to read, but full of powerful visuals & emotion. 
 
The story of Krista & her mother & the relationship they had was rough to read at times.  How hard it was to witness the final days of her mother's life with all the past still fresh & forefront of her mind.  But Krista works through not only the relationship with her, but with also her friend Dane, who owns the facility that her mother is in... as well as a past event that shaped so much of her life.
 
The story is full of Jesus & the grace & forgivness!  Loved that...
 
But it was also a hard story to read as you knew her mother was going to be passing away... & the emotions of that were just raw to me.  I literally sat & cried as the time finally came.
 
While the story has its tear-worthy-moments, its still full of those things I mentioned earlier - grace, mercy & forgivness - quite a good ending to it all.
 
My Ratings: 4 Skeins

Embrace Me

Book:  Embrace Me

Author:  Lisa Samson

When a "lizard woman," a self-mutilating preacher, a tattoed monk, and a sleazy lobbyist find themselves in the same North Carolina town one winter, their lives are edging precariously close to disaster . . . and improbably close to grace

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First Line:  It's amazing how good a priest looks when you've got nobody else to turn to.

I wasnt sure about this book. It seemed to start off slow to me, but somewhere in the middle, surprise kicked in & I was involved in the story.  I dont want to give away any surprises - because it is what made the book for me...

& maybe you'll get it sooner - I'm a tad slow on picking up things - but it was a very cool twist in the book.

I loved the characters - Valentine & her fiesty attitude.  As someone who had been bured, I especially related with her issues & how she felt.  I also loved her "freak" (their words - not mine) partner who she helped.  Such a sweet soul.  I wanted Lella for my own friend.

You will love Augustine as you meet this tattoed monk & all he does - even with his grey dreads.

In the end, the story of forgiveness is all it took to win me over.

My Rating: 4 skeins

The Final Summit

Book:  The Final Summit

Author:  Andy Andrews

(This book was provided to me from BookSneeze for a unbiased review)

Book Description


David Ponder is back. This time the fate of mankind is in his hands.

This is mankind’s last chance. Centuries of greed, pride, and hate have sent humanity hurtling toward disaster, and far from its original purpose. There is only one solution that can reset the compass and right the ship, and it consists of only two words.

With time running out, it is up to David Ponder and a cast of history’s best and brightest minds to uncover this solution before it is too late. The catch? They are allowed only five tries to discover the answer.

Readers first encountered David Ponder in The Traveler's Gift. Now, in The Final Summit, Andrews combines a riveting narrative with astounding history in order to show us the one thing we must do when we don’t know what to do.

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First Line:  "It is amazing, isnt it, how one sound can distinguish itself from another"
 
I have loved all of Andy Andrews books... have marked them as my favorites in the past... so I was excited when I saw he had another one coming out.
 
This was the follow up to "The Travelers Gift" - which I also loved.  I was anxious to see who David Ponder was going to visit with again.
 
This time around, it had a more urgent feel, as David has to meet with all the other Travelers & come up with a 2-word answer to save humanity.
 
I did enjoy some of the characters David spoke with... but some of the others, they just didnt hold my interest.  I guess its the History side of me ... I'm picky about who I care to learn about... & mostly, anything involving battles or politics, it looses me... such as some of the characters in the book.
 
I did enjoy some of the quotes on certain topics the historical people would give...especially the topic of "Hope"... I wrote down tons of quotes on that one..
 
"Hope sees what is invisible, feels what is intangible & achieves what most consider impossible"
 
Good stuff, right?
 
But then, it would just get weird in places.  I would get frustrated when I saw quotes from people in today's time being used in the book as something someone said.  I saw this happen a few times... one was a quote Billy Graham had used on 'courage'... also saw some of Andy Stanley's ideas being used in this book - it was even labeled exactly as Mr. Stanley's series did with the same ideas of your destination & your direction... I'm sure Mr. Andrews got permission to use this in his book (I would assume) - but it was just weird how it was used ... almost letting these characters who are supposed to be historical, take credit for things other said.
 
See?  A little weird...
 
So needless to say, I was a little disappointed with the book.  I really liked some of the ideas - some of the points on hope & courage... but the vibe of the book was just off to me. 
 
I've seen others who liked it, & others who didnt... so I am assuming this is definitely one of those books you have to choose for youself...
 
My Rating:  3 Skeins (it woulda been a 2 on the story but some of the quotes really stuck with me marking this up one more skein)
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Last Line:  And with a thrust of his wing & a burst of light, he was gone.

The Pirate Queen

Book:  The Pirate Queen

Author:  Paticia Hickman

(I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review)

The envy of all her friends, wife & mother, Saphora Warren is the model of southern gentility & accomplishment.  She lives in a beautiful Lake Normal home & has raised 3 capable adult children.  Her husband is a successful plasic surgeon - & a philanderer.  It is for that reason that, after hosting a garden party, Saphora packers her bags to escape the trappings of the picturesque-but-vacant life.

Saphora's departure is interrupted by her husband Bender's early arrival home, & his words change her life forever:  I'm dying.

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First Line:
One might have observed that all the right people had been invited to the Warren estate for the 'Southern Living' shoot.

I just love Christian fiction.  This story had has much intrigue & pull & "soap opera" drama to it, but without all the dirt & filth of most books like that.  It was just a good story.  A good story of a woman who was in a place in life that left her unhappy... only to receive the news of her husband dying.  How would she deal with it?

You see the strength in Saphora as she takes her husband to their summer home & helps him on his hunt for peace as he is dying.  Peace that Saphora finds along the way herself.

I loved this family - between the Warren children (especially love the daughter, Gwennie) & the grandchildren, you really feel like you understand this family in the end.

I was suprised more so of the characters that you dont even think are going to come into the picture...a young boy named Tobias, who befriends one of the grandchildren, Eddie.  Tobias just makes his way into all of their hearts, especially with the battles he's facing. 

And the neighbor Luke, who rescues part of the Warren family in his own way...

I truly adored this book, the ease of the reading of the story & the connections all the characters had.  From the pastor who helped Bender learn more about God, to Saphora's sister, Emerald who is the family drama queen - its just full of characters... but all that you can keep up with.

I particularly loved the last chapter... many years down the road, seeing how the lives turned out.  A glimpse of further down the road & how at the beginning, you would have never thought how it would have all turned out.. .sorta like our own lives, huh?

My rating:  4 skeins
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Last Line:
It was time to start saying hello instead of goodbye

Conversations with the Fat Girl

Book:  Conversations with the Fat Girl

Author:  Liza Palmer

Maggie & Olivia have been best friends since they were in grade school.  Both overweight, they befriended each other when no one else would.  Now grown up, Maggie is still shopping in the euphemism-if-there-ever-was-one "women's section" while Olivia went & had gastric bypass surgery in search of the elusive size 4, the holy grail for women everywhere.  So now Olivia's thin & blond & getting married to a handsome surgeon, & Maggie's the fat bridesmaid, again, in charge of planning "The Shower" & keeping Olivia's secret:  that she's really a fat girl in a thin boddy.  Aint life grand?
With wit & wisdom, Liza Palmer gives voice to women everywhere who wish for just once that they could forget about their weight.
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Maggie... Rebecca Jo... maggie.. Rebecca Jo...
I think we are interchangable.  This character of Maggie, I honestly related to because I found so much of myself in her.  The things she said, the way she felt about situations, the way she reacted to her life, even the way she spoke - "Are you kidding me?" - I felt like I was Maggie. To even add to that - she got car sick, she had a fear of flying, always had a Large Diet Coke everywhere she went... AND she loved Xanadu?  Can anyone please tell me how she's NOT like me?

We get to see how Maggie deals with a forced apartment move, a career change, her family always expecting more from her, the relationship she has with her sister Kate (who is totally opposite) & her mother - we see Maggie fall in love with Domenico (only her & his mother are allowed to call him that) - haha

If you have ever struggle with weight - I mean a REAL weight issue, you'll related with Maggie.  So many things she said stood out to me.  I even mentioned one part of it on my other blog:
http://rebecca-belle.blogspot.com/2010/09/confidence.html

This book does have some big time language... but I just had to normally laugh or feel badly when it was used... it was just "Maggie"

I loved to see how her sister Kate stood up for her - I loved to see how Maggie reacted with Domenico & how their relationship moved - I loved to see the person Olivia turned into after her surgery - I loved seeing Maggie become stronger & more confident with every move she made...

I loved how every chapter would have a "flash back" of sorts too - looking back to when things were at a different time & now, how Maggie can learn from them.

Here are just a few other examples of the story that just drew me in
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"My relationship with my body is like that of an egomanic with a self- esteem problem.  Mostly I think about myself & how much I suck.  But there are rare moments when I walk around for hours & think I look amazing.  Either I feel great about myself or I've decided some guy is checking me out.  Then I catch a side view of myself in a store window or a department store mirror & I'm plunged into despair.  If I could always live in a place with no mirrors or disapproving glances, I would think I was the prettiest girl around."
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"Kate & I used to play the Xanadu soundtrack & dance until Mom came home.  I specialized in all the ELO songs, while Kate preferred all things Olivia Newton John.  When Kate had homework or was playing with another friend, I retreated into my room where I built a make-believe time machine.  I played for hours - pushing buttons, giving orders, & feeling safe& comforted in my imagination.  I want that feeling of safety & freedom that came with those memories back.  I dont want the new feeling of momentary happiness followed by insurmountable guilt that comes from reaching for food for comfort.  I need to go back to the person I was at 8 years old.  She had it all figured out.  Maybe I'll build another time machine."
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Once you're labeled in school, no amount of factual information can unstick it form your psyche.

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We're sold this script for life with loves like Romeo & heroes like Jack London, but we've got an hour long commute to a job we hate & a utility bill to pay every month.  I crave a life of freedom & passion, but I've sentended myself to a life of quiet desperation & prime time sitcoms.  I've numbed myself & its going to hurt like a **er when I wake up.
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Needless to say - I loved this book... I want to check out more from this author as well
My Rating:  5 skeins