The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible

I just received the new Max Lucado Study Bible in NKJV from Booksneeze and it is certainly a winner. I have his devotional study bible in the NCV version from a few years ago. I was interested to see how different this one would be from that bible. Some features are the same but a lot of new life lessons which are my favorite part of his bibles. The more than 1000 life lessons are broken down in chapters with a situation, observation, inspiration, application and exploration. You could use these as a daily devotional reading-they are that good. There are some new features located throughout the book-He did this just for you verses, spiritual growth verses, and in the back 30 studies for new believers. This bible is packed with great extra study helps which makes it a joy to read and learn from. This bible will help you experience the heart of Jesus in your everyday life. We all need to share a few moments with Jesus to know His heart, feel His love and live our faith. I am partial in this review because I absolutely love Max Lucado and all his writings. His writings are so understandable and real so let the heart of a pastor guide you to the heart of Jesus.

Tandem

First of all, I was so excited to finally have a chance to get books from Waterbrook Multnomah to review for free. I picked out my first book which was Tandem by Tracey Bateman. It sounded like a book I would like since I love Christian suspense. I have not read anything by her so I was game to try this one. Boy was I very disappointed in this book. To be honest, I only read to chapter 8-could not go any farther. I had no idea that this had vampires in the story. Where do vampires fit into a Christian story? I kept asking myself that question and kept trying to rationalize what the author was doing in this story. I never came up with a good answer and I felt that I was not living up to the Christian standards I put on myself if this was honoring God in my continuation of reading this story. I never like to give a bad review,especially my first one, but this is one I am really glad I did not pay money for. I know there will be some that this storyline will be one of their favorites but not this reader.

LIGHTKEEPER'S BRIDE

This is the second book of the Mercy Falls series and it is super great read. Colleen Coble is probably my favorite writer-especially since she is a fellow Hoosier. You pick up any of her books and you will not be disappointed. She is Thomas Nelson's top writer and after reading her stories you know why. She crafts suspense with believable romance stories and characters that are unforgetable. This particular book takes place in Mercy Falls, California in the time period when there were telephone operators which Katie Russel is. When she is at work one evening, she overhears a conversation between her friend Eliza a male voice that is very familiar. She soon finds that Eliza has disappeared but the crime seems to be linked to another investigation by the new lighthouse keeper Will. They both form an alliance that blooms into something much more. The problem is as she is attracted to Will more and more-she can't marry for love-she has to marry for money. Money to help her family is what must keep her from loving Will, but will she listen to her family. She sees a peace in Will that is from God and she want's that peace and the trust that God will bring to her. There are so many plots and twists and I never can figure out her endings and this one really surprised me, as usual. This is her seventeenth book, so start reading all of them-you will not be disappointed in any of them

Library Reads

Here are two of my latest library reads---love, love, love the library where wonderful Christian books are available for FREE!!!. My library is so good to get the Christian books I request and I am so thankful for them.
ALMOST HEAVEN by Chris Fabry. I read his first novel Dogwood and was very impressed by his writing. Started June Bug this summer (his second) and never did get far in the story--need to reread again. This book is his latest and reading the back of the book made me wonder-would I really like this? I loved it!!. It was one of those sweet stories that tug at your heart(like Dogwood). The story centers around Billy Allman who has a heart of gold. He is a hillbilly genius-collector, radio whiz and can play the mandolin to make it sing. Billy's insignificant life has not gone unnoticed. An angel is sent to observe and protect Billy and as the story unfolds Malachi sees the bigger picture. The chapters are about Billy then some chapters have Malachi's observations. Very unique way to write a story. This story will stay with you long after you read it. Chris Fabry is a master storyteller.

EXPOSURE by Brandilyn Collins
This storyline grips you from the first to the last page-what a suspense journey the reader is on. Kaycee Raye is being stalked-she can feel it but no one will believe her-especially the police. She writes a newspaper column about fear an paranoia-something she has struggled with her whole life. Someone close to her is kidnapped and the disturbing incidents escalate. She tries to figure out if the two are related. This story has it all-terror, twists, desperate faith and an ending you will not imagine-never ever saw it coming. This is one of those stories that is so hard to put down so make sure you have lots of time set aside

Amy Inspired

I received Amy Inspired by Bethany Pierce free from Bethany House Publishers which is my first from them and I was very excited. First of all, I absolutely love Christian fiction so I figured I would like this book. I really tried to like this book but I am afraid I honestly did not. I read part one which was 94 pages and then skipped to the last two chapters- I never do that normally. It was one of those books that did not excite me to pick up and read. I actually found the characters dull, the storyline seemed to be going nowhere. It reminded me of the authors story of how she became a writer-I may be way off base here, but that's what it seemed. What I read did not relay any Christian aspects in this book-not seeking God in anything.
Amy is an writer suffering from writers block and lots of rejection letters from publishers. She meets a mysterious and unavailable guy and struggles to walk the fine line between friendship and something more with him. Will she play it safe or follow her dream.
I wanted to like this book and do so appreciate Bethany House Publishers the chance to review this book for free but in the end, I just did not enjoy it.

American Patriot's Almanac

What fun to receive books from Thomas Nelson for free just for an honest review. I have received books that I probably would never have bought in the store and this is one of them. But I am so thankful I requested this book-it is a wowieeeeeeee!!!. First of all, it is a beautiful book with rough cut pages, pictures, words to songs, poems, prayers and tons of tidbits about the United States and what makes us GREAT. Each month has a theme and since this is a daily devotional it makes it so much fun to read. For example, November has sections about faith and our founders and prayers for the American people. Each day's reading has information about an individual who shaped history or things like Presidential trivia. At the bottom of the devotional are facts under the heading American History Parade and are usually five different dates and what happened on those dates. Been a while since I sat in history class and this is a great reminder of all the happenings in the past. I find myself wanting to read ahead and not just do today's reading. I love devotional books and this is at the top of my favorites and I am looking to purchase some for Christmas gifts-it is that good!!!!.

Imposter

Just finished an older book by Davis Bunn called Imposter. This was suggested and given to me by a friend who sang it's praises. She was right-this was excellent. The storyline deals with Matt Kelly who has a knack for concealing his identity especially as a federal agent. Then an assignment gets personal, discovering who he really is may prove to be the toughest mission of all. Add to the storyline a mixture of political ambition, personal corruption and military intrigue makes this a hard to put down book. The storyline flows with well rounded characters and lots of suspense. I kept finding myself trying to see where this story was going next and how it was all going to end. The only bummer was the end-it just kind of stopped. You know who did it but then I expected more of a where to now. Otherwise, it was a great read. The local library would probably have it since the book was printed in2006,

The Grace of God

The Grace of God is Andy Stanley's latest book and it is a winner. I have always liked how he writes-simple and very understandable. He tackles a topic that is written about a lot-grace. I was curious to see just what he would say that would be new and different. He states "Grace, it's what we crave most when our guild is exposed. That line will really get your attention. Here are some others that my highlighter loved: Grace is the vehicle God uses on occasion to ensure that we get precisely what we don't deserve. Grace is never just enough. Grace is always far more than enough. Grace acknowledges the full implication of sin and yet does not condemn. From the very beginning God has responded to the sin of humanity with...well...amazing grace. As you can see by these excerpts, this book is packed with wonderful nuggets of wisdom and interesting stories in scripture that mirror our own stories. We need exactly what they needed but did not deserve-the grace of God. The story of grace is your story. And, as you are about to discover, grace plays a larger role than you imagine. This book is a must have for your library. I can see myself rereading this every year-it was that good. Thank you Thomas Nelson for the chance to review this book for free just for my opinion.

Fear No Evil

Just finished reading Fear No Evil by Robin Caroll and loved it. It is the second of her books and the first was superb and this was just as good. Her third one comes out in March 2011 and that is way toooo long to wait. She really nails suspense with a little romance thrown in. The plot deals with social worker Jade Laurent who moves to Eternal Springs to get away from an abusive past. She is the target of a shooting, being run off the road in her car and threats to her life. But where are they coming from? Lincoln Vailes in an ex park ranger who moved to Eternal Springs to be close to his ailing father and a new career in law enforcement. Throw in gangs and gang warfare and how Jade adjusts to all the deadly deeds and you are in for a real page turner. Of course, the love interest between Jade and Lincoln is great and has strong Christian themes. Love how Robin puts scripture at the top of each chapter and how she ends each book with a look at the main character in her next book. She has become one of my favorite authors-if only she could write faster.!!!
You will not be disappointed in her first two books.

Pursuit of Justice

I just finished Pursuit of Justice which is book 3 in DiAnn Mills Call to Duty series. This one was just as good as the last two. I love how she writes suspense and romance fiction. Her writing reminds me of Dee Henderson's series. This book was about an FBI agent-Bella Jordan. There is a legend in West Texas called the Spider Rock treasure that has been buried for centuries. It has claimed three more victims and Bella is assigned to find the murderers. The only problem is: she is from the area and knows a lot about the treasure and suspects her father and another man are responsible for the murders. She has haunting memories of these two men and must catch the suspect before he catches her. There are a lot of twists, romance deception, trials, redemption and lots of adventure. I didn't guess one of the culprits-she had me completely fooled. Loved how Bella was lost and came to faith in Jesus in the book. Sure hope there is a book 4 coming soon. Thanks to Tyndale Publishers for this free book in exchange for my honest review of it.

Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half

I was excited to see this as a book we could review since I love "saving money". Thank you Thomas Nelson for this insightful book to read and review.
I lost my job last year when the Christian Book store I worked for closed. That put a whole new outlook on how to shop and save money. I started coupon clipping and that was a wonderful cost cutting measure. Now, that everyone is doing it, the coupon world has changed. That is why this book is so valuable. It showed me ways to cut costs and eat healthy without clipping coupons. My favorite chapter was -Cooking That Will Save You Time, Money, and Sanity. There are tons of ideas from buying in bulk, once a month cooking, make haste not waste and how to stretch cooking and leftovers. There is also a chapter for organizing and stockpiling which is very helpful in saving money. I learned new tips on how easy it is to freeze things I did not know you could freeze. Another fun chapter is on Money Saving Tools-great tips on time savers from pots and pans to slow cookers. In each chapter there are tips from ladies all over the U.S. which are interesting. The extra bonus is recipes in the back which I can't wait to try. This is a wonderful informative book-great for singles, newlyweds, and empty nesters. We all want to save money and the Economides have really nailed how to do it.

The Falling Away

This is a hard review to write because I usually LOVE Christian Fiction books, but this book by T.L. Hines left me glad I did not pay for this book. Thank you Thomas Nelson for this free book for my honest opinion and review. Dylan Runs Ahead has been running from his calling, his troubles, and his demons. His demons just caught up. That really sounds like an interesting plot so I tried, really tried to read this book. Dylan is a former soldier who turns into a drug addict after being wounded in Iraq. The story revolves around a drug bust gone bad and his running from that problem. Enter Quinn who is "chosen" and trying to save Dylan and his calling. That is about the only thing I really understood. The story jumped around too much in time and the characters. I had trouble figuring what was going on. I read to page 162 and then skipped to last chapter (never do that) to end this misery and put it to rest. I thought it would be good but it was hard to pick up and keep reading. I also did not enjoy the aspects of self mutilating behaviors and OCD to deal with pain and tension. I have two other T.L. Hines books in my bookcase-hope they are better than this one

Out Live Your Life

I am reviewing Max Lucado's newest book Out Live Your Life which I received from Thomas Nelson for my honest review of this book. What a joy to read Max!!!. He is such a gifted storyteller that always packs a punch. This book especially made me examine myself and see if I was making a difference in this difficult time. His chapter of Stand Up for the Have-Not's was humbling ,for sure. There are great organizations like World Vision, Compassion International that are trying to help the poor. Poverty is not the lack of charity but the lack of justice. Again, no one can do everything, but everyone can do something. What a call to action but how do we start--get out of our comfort zones is a great way to begin. It all boils down to-none of us can help everyone but all of us can help someone. And when we help them, we serve Jesus. Do we really want to miss a chance to do that? This is a book to read, digest, read, digest and re-read again. Absolutely loved the scripture and prayers at the end of each chapter. There is also included in the back a discussion and action guide for each chapter. Great for small groups to do or individually but adresses just how to put what Max has written into action. That is a huge help. Max is my favorite author and consider it a privilege to read and blog about his books. Can't wait for his next one but for now I will be trying to" Out Live My Life".

Butterfly Effect

Thank you Thomas Nelson for another wonderful book from Booksneeze. I absolutely love Andy Andrews and his writing. I have read everything by him and was so excited to see a new one to read. This is in the form of a gift book which is good but I wanted a bigger book and that was the only downfall I could come up with. He wrote some simple truths which we all know--you have been created to make a difference, you have the power to change the world, you have been created as one of a kind and what you do does matter. So simple yet so hard to believe and put into motion. Great stories throughout the book which were so interesting and inspiring. This is one of those books that you start and finish in one sitting-it's that good. It is also one of those books you keep thinking about after you have read it ( all his books are like that). The book made me look inside myself to see if I really am making a difference or just taking up space and how I can change myself. This was my favorite quote from the book "There are generations yet unborn whose very lives will be shifted and shaped by the moves you make and the actions you take today. And tomorrow. And the next day. And the next". Our lives do matter-forever. Superb book to read, pass on. read again and pass on.

Stars in the Night

This is the latest book by our "local" author Cara Putman. She hits a home run with this book set in 1942 in Hollywood. Interesting concept in itself, then add romance and suspense to the mix. Audra Shaeffer heads to Hollywood to find her missing sister. When she arrives, however, she finds out her sister was murdered. It is now her mission to find out who and why she was murdered. Audra takes a job with the second Hollywood Victory Caravan to find justice for her sister. Together with stars she crisscrosses the southern United States by train in a campaign to sell war bonds. Now other mysteries unfold-how will Audra find her sister's murderer and keep her romantic emotions controlled.
Cara has created characters that are real and you find yourself on that train with them experiencing the intrigue of the 1940's Hollywood era.

Let's Do Lunch

This is what I love about the Booksneeze program from Thomas Nelson-books that I might never have picked up to read but am able to read for free. This is one of those books-so glad I picked this one to review. I expected a big book and was so surprised-only 122 pages of reading material and 50 pages of recipes. Very easy to read and extremely interesting. I am in the process of losing (or trying to) 10 pounds and this book was a new and different twist on the ugly word "DIET". Roger Troy Wilson actually did this, he had 230 pounds to lose, and accomplished the weight loss with the tips and helps he writes about in the book. There are also letters from people who have done "Let's Do Lunch" which I found very interesting. He tells us we can eat all the calories and carbs we want and still lose weight and get less and less hungry each day. That is so contradictory to all the other programs out there but makes sense. You eat less and less, consume fewer and fewer calories and lose all the weight you want. Loved the recipes , stocking your shelves, and a 14 day meal guide.
I am going to try this to see if this idea will rid the 6 pounds I have left to lose.

Angel Song by Shelia Walsh, Kathryn Cushman

This book exceeded my expectations. I was not going to request it from Thomas Nelson and kept going back to it. Since I love fiction and I knew Kathryn Cushman was a good writer I decided to go for it. This book did not disappoint me-not in a page turning kind of a way-but a genuine, good storyline. Anne Fletcher is not a Christian and goes back home to Charleston to see her sister Sarah receive her master's degree. An unexpected car accident with Sarah hurt the worst. On the way to the hospital she is talking to someone and humming a song. Anne finds this strange since there is no one else in the ambulance but her. This tune will haunt Anne in the hospital, dreams and in Sarah's house. Anne needs to sell the house to get back to New York for her job and with the help of Ethan Mckinney who volunteers to get the home in shape. A neighbor and her son Keith help Anne try to make sense of what has happened. Keith has Downs Syndrome but believes he can see and hear angels. He lets Anne know they are all around her and looking out for her.
God starts to reveal Himself to Anne but will she open her heart to receive God's healing love?
Loved how Anne went from "all about her" to a caring and loving person. This story just flowed with an ease that most stories don't. Great collaborations between two wonderful authors. Hope to see more.

Angel's Den by Jamie Carie

As much as I like Christian Fiction especially suspense, occasionally I venture into other genres. I am starting to like Christian Historical fiction more and more. I have read her first book, Snow Angel and loved it. I was intrigued by the synposis of this book and it was fantastic. I finished it in two days(which is unusual for me). The storyline gripped you immediately and held you till the final pages. Emma married a successful businessman and that dream turns into a horrifying nightmare both physically and mentally. Her husband Eric Montclaire has a haunting past that plays into the plot. How can Emma escape this madman? Only God can show her the way out.
Riveting story of lies, theft and murder and forgiveness.
Checked this out from the library and just put another of hers on hold-love her writing

Breach of Trust

I picked up the second of Diann Mill's Call to Duty series at the library. As you can tell, I really like her as an author. After finishing Sworn to Protect I was eager to see what topic she dealt with in her second book. This book weaves an interesting tale of a CIA operative. Paige was forced to disappear to protect the lives of her loved ones. She has spent several years in a small town as a librarian but then her quiet past changes-her careful existence has been shattered. "He" is after her again and this time to silence her for good. This book has it all-a little romance, danger, deception and great characters. I found myself last night reading 170 pages to finish (not like me at all) to see how this all would end. Not disappointed at all. Can't wait to see book #3 in this series this fall. If you love suspense then this is your author.

Sworn to Protect by Diann Mills

Hard to believe but I actually bought a book!!. The library did not have this one and I love this author. She did not disappoint me in this book.

Very interesting topic-the border patrol. Danika's husband was killedtwo years ago, and his murder has never been solved. Danika learns that her husband's death may have been part of a larger conspiracy and she may be the next target. There is also a mole in the border patrol with top secret information leaking and she needs to find out who and why before she is killed. The characters were compelling with lots of twists. I learned a lot about the border patrol thru this book and have a new respect for all they do and the dangerous and unpredictable world they work in daily. This is the first of her Call to Duty series and it is a must read for suspense readers.

The Last Operative

When I received this book from Tyndale Publishing I thought I was getting a new book by Jerry Jenkins. I found out this was a retelling of his standalone book. I did go in with an open mind and what I found in reading this book went from intiguing to boring back to intriguing and back to wanting to skim the pages to get to the end but I actually did finish it. The story deals with Jordan Kirkwood as an NSA inteleligence operative. He is an absentee dad and husband but that is about to change. He is meeting his wife in London for a time away when the stakes have changed. The threat to the USA is grave and who can Jordan trust since someone seems to a mole in this mission. He is on his own to try and find out who and what is behind the terrorism. Tack on a love interest from his earlier carreer who he never got over and still wants to find her and can she even be trusted.
It is one of those books that I enjoyed, but didn't, if that makes sense. I usually love the endings especially of suspense books but this one left me thinking it was just finally over and that made me glad. Not what I expected from a well know author.

Kiss and Burn

I read Erin Healy's book-Never Let you Go and was impressed with her writing so I got both Kiss and Burn from the library. I was interested to see how her writing style and Ted Dekker's writing style would come together. So amazing how their styles blended so well together.
Kiss:
This had it all-suspense, romance, action and drama!!!. Shauna was in a car accident and lost six months of her memory. That is bad enough but then she has the ability to steal memories from other people. She struggles with if she was responsible for the accident that maimed her brother and estranged her father and stepmother from her. This is the classic-good guys verses bad guys and who can Shauna trust. This is a superb book with twists and turns and a page turner. I saw Ted's interesting style but Erin's touch of suspense.
Burn:
Second book by these two authors and another WOW. I thought Kiss was good but this hits a home run. This is a storyline that is so different from any I have ever read before. Janeal is trapped in her father's gypsy culture when a powerful man, Salazar Sanso, promises her the life she longs for-but for a price. Will she sell her soul for money? Janeal escapes the fire but not the effects of the burn. What an interesting plot and what a twist halfway thru the book and then what an ending-never saw it coming. Janeal learns that their are two chambers in every heart, one for Judas and one for John-which one will she go after.
I highly recommend both of these books for suspense lovers-hope these two authors write more books together.

Deliver Us From Evil

Picked this title up from the library and it "knocked my socks off". It was a SUPERB read. This is the first of three books and I cannot wait till number 2 and 3 come out. The book deals with a tough subject-human trafficking. I started the book and was unsure I could go on but she painted the grim picture with the tragedy that it is. She deals with the tough world of law enforcement, the Great Smoky Mountains, romantic tension and lots of plot twists along with a lot of faith elements woven into this story. I highly recommend either buying or renting this book. I seldom reread books but this is one I probably will buy so I can read it again
This book was by Robin Carroll. Needless to say, I am trying to find anything by her and # 2 should be out in August-yea

Bringing Up Girls by Dr. James Dobson

I was blessed to receive this book from Tyndale Publishers free for my review of this book.
Since Bringing Up Boy came out and was so powerful and insightful for all that read it, everyone has been waiting for the sequel for the girls. Finally after three years Bringing Up Girls hit the shelves and it was definately worth the wait.
Since I am a grandmother now, I so wish I had this book when I was bringing up my daughter but I gleaned insight for my own granddaughter who is 5. What a different world these young ladies are growing up in with so much technology, obsession with beauty, bullies, and a culture that is influencing their hearts and minds. The chapters are full of wisdom and encouragement that are biblically based with foundational truths. The challenges girls are facing today-peer pressure, eating disorders, love, romance, sex, school demands are coming at younger ages than in the past. This book helps parents in guiding their daughters to make wise choices.
My favorite chapters were"Young women talk about their Fathers" and how a girls
sense of self-worth and personal dignity are linked to what she believes her father thinks of her and how important the father plays in a girls life. There are great stories and heartbreaking stories of fathers being and connecting as the "first man" in her life. I also enjoyed the chapter Fathers to Daughters. They are great quips and suggestions on how to raise a girl for both mothers and fathers-they will bring a lump to your throat for sure.
This is a "must read" for every parent or grandparent that will help the family to raise our daughters right.

Winner of the Heart Mender

Amy G has won the copy of Heart Mender-congrats and enjoy

The Heart Mender

I received The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews from Thomas Nelson free for my review of this book. This was a FANTASTIC read!!!. I was able to read The Noticer by him earlier from Nelson also and was hooked on him as an author. Picked up everything he has written so I was really excited when this came up to get to read.
It reads like a history book with suspense, love interests, life, loss, reconciliation and the power of forgiveness all rolled into one book that will hook you from the first page to the last page. He is a powerful storyteller and weaves a story where he finds Nazi artifacts on his property and then begins an investigation that unlocks a story that took place in his backyard. He takes you back to 1942 and WWII and finds that German subs were in the Gulf of Mexico waters and sinking US vessels carrying goods and fuel for the war. What happens next is amazing to think-a woman whose husband has been killed by the Germans now helps a German survive being shot. Their story continues and what an ending!!. You can tell by his writing that this book was very close to his heart and the story will stay with you a long, long time
Thomas Nelson graciously gave me another book to share so if you leave me a comment on what your favorite book has been, I will pick the winner on May 28.

Never Let You Go

I love suspense books so I was thrilled to get this book from Thomas Nelson for reviewing it. This book hooked me from the first chapter-so much to digest and where was the story going from here. Needless to say, Erin Healy hit a home run with this book. Captivating to read with a storyline that keeps changing and the characters and situations get more complicated. The story revolves around Lexi Solomon and what the last seven years have done to her family and her life. She has a husband that abandoned her and her daughter, a sister that was murdered, her dad that ended up in a mental health hospital, a mother that left her dad and she doesn't stay in contact with plus she works two jobs just to keep a roof over their heads. She is being tormented by two thugs who want her to do things their way or her daughter Molly will be a victim just like her sister. Her estranged husband has returned to make matters worse and situations from her past are haunting her. So many things in her life are making her question reality or imagination-this was so interesting how the author pulled it altogether.
This was one great page turner and how choices come back to haunt us but good will prevail over evil. Can't wait for her next novel--please hurry Erin.

Greater Love

I am reviewing Greater Love by Robert Whitlow after receiving this book from Thomas Nelson's booksneeze. I love, love,love suspense and this book was fantastic. I read the first book in the Tides of Truth series and somehow did not read number two so I knew this would be good. This was one of the best I have read lately. I could not put it down after reading 40 pages the first day, I read the rest today. The story just flowed and continued building till the end. The characters were from the first two books and the love interest that has continued between two men for Tami. Tami has graduated and become a lawyer and has to decide where she will practice law. She has a wonderful Christian upbringing and wants to please God in all her decisions and uses that throughout the book. Her first case involves a runaway teen and the problems begin with her dishonesty along with being terrified of something she won't confide in. His character development and storyline makes for a page turning read. I love his writing because of the Christian values and how God works in the characters lives and it was evident in this book. The end was crafted extremely well. Now to the library to get book #2 Higher Hope by this author so I will know what I missed in the second book.

Lonestar Secrets

Somehow I missed reading the second of the Lonestar books by Colleen Coble. I picked this up at the library and was not disappointed by this book.
First of all, Colleen is one of my top 3 book authors and I love her writing and her stories are always well written. She always throws suspense laced with romance and this book was one of her best. She always keeps me guessing and I didn't figure this one out either.
Shannon Astor left West Texas as a single mother then is offered a vet job and comes back to the town where her secrets were buried, or so she thought. There she encounters a girl who looks identical to her daughter and she must uncover the details surrounding the two girls. Add to the story mix a Spanish treasure and a legendary black stallion plus a love interest. This book will make you a fan of Colleen's so pick it up and enjoy

The Clouds Roll Away

I received this book from the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze program for bloggers.
I was really excited to get a fiction book since I really love fiction and this was a suspense which I love also.
Raleigh Harmon is a forensic geologist that goes back to her hometown and ends up investigating a hate crime, problems with her boss at the FBI and strange problems with her mother(that are never indulged) along with a former boyfriend that pops up here and there in the book. Her father was murdered a few years earlier and it was mentioned a few times but I kept wondering if and when this would make more of an impact in the story-it never did which I think was a mistake not to go further into that story or not mention it so much otherwise.
I can't say I hated the book but I can't say I loved the book either. I found it did not hold my interest as there were so many back and forths throughout the book. Each chapter she went different ways and they didn't seem to tie together. Suspense should excite you to keep reading and keep trying to figure out "who did it" and how it will end. This book ended and I never felt a climax to the ending just an ending. I actually have her first book, which I have never read, and I think I will try it to see if it is any better than this one.

START SOMEWHERE

I received this book free from Tyndale as part of their blogger program.
This book is only less than 200 pages long so a quick read or scan.
Start Somewhere deals with Calvin Nowell's journey from a 450 lb man losing 215 lbs and how it came to be. He lost the weight without medical intervention with four major ideas-Trust God, Eat less, Move more, Understand there are not quick fixes. These are the same identified in many weight loss books so this was not anything new. Most of his book chronicles his life and how he got so obese. Thirteen chapters are devoted to the God part of the solution and the end is dedicated to diet, journaling and exercise.
Starting somewhere is picking up the change and be willing to let go. If we think we do anything by ourselves, the Lord won't take the burden. He will wait patiently while we continue to try and handle it ourselves.
This book was ok-did not hold my interest. In my opinion,it would be a library book to read and not a book purchase.

66 Love Letters

I received this book from Booksneeze for review. I was so excited to read this since I looked at this book at our local Christian book store. This book by Larry Crabb is absolutely superb and so unique. Each book of the bible is a letter from God to you and what He wants you to know from that chapter. Each chapter also has a subtitle to explain what that chapter may deal with. For example, love letter from Exodus-You must know me to trust me. Larry Crabb always asks- God what do you want me to hear, know or get from as I read this chapter? That is something that has changed me-I need to ask that as I read God's love story to me. This book has become one of my daily devotionals as I read a chapter a day. He suggests you read each chapter as a weekly devotional but I find it so interesting I want to finish it sooner. Each chapter of this book is only 2-3 pages so that makes it short but very interesting reading. This book invites you into His story and helps change the way you look at the bible.
This book enables you to hear God speak. You can know who He is and what He is up to and where He's going. Now you can join Him in the story He is telling.
Please read Larry's prologue on how this book came into being-it all began in 2006 and took this long to put it together.
This is one book that will be a favorite to buy and give away-it's that good!!!

THE NIGHT WATCHMAN

Just finished the new book by Mark Mynheir-The Night Watchman. This is the fourth book I have read by him and it was "GREAT" He is a homicide detective by trade and he encompasses that in his suspense books.
Ray Quinn was a tough Orlando homicide detective at the top of his game until a barrage of bullets ended his career and his partner's life. A pastor and an exotic dancer are found dead in an apparent murder-suicide. The pastor's sister can't and won't believe her brother was capable of murder and hires Ray to find out the truth. He unravels a murder investigation so deep it threatens to turn the Orlando political landscape upside down. There is someone determined to keep him from ever finding out the truth-at any cost. He kept me guessing who was trying to silence Ray and how he was ever going to find out the truth. This, like his other books, are page turners and extremely well written stories.
Try Mark Mynheir out-you will really like him

My library reads

Now that I don't work at a Christian book store with lots of books at my disposal, the public library has become my "my new best friend". It's fun to request books and not have to pay for them. My bookcases are full and this "feeds" my love of reading.
I had three books come in at the same time so it has been fast and furious reading. All three have been superb.
Fat Chance by Julie Hadden
I am a lover of The Biggest Loser tv show- and have been for a long time. Julie was on season 4 of TBL show. It was an interesting read-especially the behind the scenes of the show and the trainers.
The book chronicles her journey-from childhood to making it on the show and where she lost nearly half her body weight and saw her life forever changed. This book is so inspiring and she gives God the credit for everything which is how it should be. Great book for anyone who has struggled with weight-and who hasn't. Great quote from Julie-"When I began to catch a glimpse of the Julie that God saw, a Julie who was far different from the one staring back at me in my mirror-it was then that I started living the life I was created to live." If you enjoy the show you will really enjoy this book.

IN THE PRESIDENT'S SECRET SERVICE by Ronald Kessler
I normally do not read non Christian books but I saw this was a bestseller and it sounded really interesting and it was eye opening!!!!. This book went behind the scenes with agents in the line of fire and the presidents they protect. He goes into a lot of detail about past presidents that will shock and dishearten you about the men we elect to lead this great country. I guessed which presidents were mean and ugly even to the agents protecting them and which presidents passed the "nice" and a joy to be around and protect. This book will open your eyes to how the government-president, vice president, Cabinet officers and their families are really like-it is not a pretty sight.

GOING ROGUE Sarah Palin
I will be honest-I voted for the McCain/Palin team so this book was one I wanted to read. It was an adventure to read and very enjoyable. I find her to be a remarkable woman and this book just enforced that opinion. She prides herself as being a main street American woman: a working mom, wife of a blue-collar union man and the mother of five children with the last being a special needs child. She starts out as a child growing up in Alaska, getting married and then venturing into local politics-then state-then the national scene. What I enjoyed the most was her importance of faith and family. She was very candid about the 2008 presidential race and national politics. She brings a fresh vision of a way forward for America and her unfailing hope in the greatest nation on earth. It is going to be fun to see what God has in store for her and our country next. Big book but definately worth the time to read.