The Sea Keeper's Daughters

There are many great Christian authors that tell stories and then there is Lisa Wingate who is a storyteller that weaves magical stories . I first started reading her last fall and have read everything she has written and am amazed how magical her stories are. They are real people with real struggles trying to find how to keep going in life.

This story follows Whitney Monroe who owns two restaurants in Michigan, one struggling to keep afloat, and a cousin running the other one. She finds that she has inherited  a decaying Gilded Age hotel on the Outer Banks.  She thinks she can go down there to clean the hotel out and sell it to hopefully fund her failing restaurant. One problem, Whitney's stepfather, who she is at odds with, is staying there and will not budge.  He is in failing health and she figures she can find a center to take care of him. Since this is a three story historic building, the downstairs tenants want to save the building and not see it sold. Whitney has her work cut out for her when she arrives.  She thinks she has it all figured out until as she is weeding stuff out and trying to figure out what is valuable and what is trash, she comes across an old necklace among letters that date back to the 1930's. As Whitney puts the letters together she realizes that there are family secrets and memories she wasn't prepared for. The letters are to her grandmother from her sister.  The sister, Alice, was hired by the WPA to chronicle the lives of people throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains. You learn about the cruelty and prejudice in the mountains and how it affected Alice.

Absolutely fascinating how she wove the past and present together to create a story I was sad to see end.  Wish she could have gone on and on with the story. When you read Lisa's stories you will be thoroughly entertained and hooked on her stories as I am.

Thanks to Tyndale Publishers for sending me a free copy just for my honest opinion.

 Lisa Wingate is a magazine columnist, speaker, and the author of nineteen mainstream novels, including the national bestseller, Tending Roses, now in its eighteenth printing.  She is a seven-time ACFW Carol award nominee, a Christy Award nominee, and a two-time Carol Award winner. Her novel, Blue Moon Bay, was a Booklist Top Ten of 2012 pick.  Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others, as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.  When not dreaming up stories, Lisa spends time on the road as a motivational speaker. Via internet, she shares with readers as far away as India, where her book, Tending Roses, has been used to promote women's literacy, and as close to home as Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the county library system has used Tending Roses to help volunteers teach adults to read.

War Room

Chris Fabry does it again!. Another spectacular story from one of my all time favorite authors. Excellent sums up how I felt after finishing this book and so look forward to seeing the movie.  I knew this would be a good book but I was not prepared for how this story would impact my life.  We all know that prayer is a powerful weapon and we know we should pray more.  Sounds so simple, but how do we put this into practice and become better at conversing with the "one who made us"?  This book showed me different ways to put the power of prayer into my everyday life and make prayer a priority, which it should be.

The story centers around Tony and Elizabeth Jordan and daughter Danielle.  They have career's, money, and what they think is the charmed life. Their marriage is in trouble which sends this plot into a tale of  what causes this marriage to crumble.  Lots of things are present in their alienation to each other and bitterness is prevalent in Elizabeth.  Since Elizabeth is a real estate agent, God arranges her to meet Miss Clara who is interested in selling her house. That is where this storyline takes off.  Miss Clara realizes that Elizabeth needs help and she challenges her to fight for her marriage and family instead of against her husband.  Miss Clara has a war room where she prays for and encourages those around her to pray without ceasing. Miss Clara wants Elizabeth to start her own war room and begin fighting. Miss Clara tells Elizabeth that "prayer is God drawing us close and asking what's on our hearts. Now most people, if you tell them that, will go to their list. The first thing God wants to do is help you see.  See yourself.  See your sin.  See your helplessness without Him.  And then-He opens your eyes and bring everything into focus".

I have read every book Chris Fabry has written and this is one of the best ever.  Not often, do you highlight and turn corners down in a fiction book to remember what you loved and what really spoke to your heart. This book has plenty of those and it is one I will re-read just to remember how important prayer is. My own prayer life has taken on a new meaning. Please, please pick his up to read and recharge your prayer life.

Thanks to Tyndale Publishers for his free copy just for my honest opinion..

Drawing Fire

Drawing Fire is Janice Cantore's latest novel and the first in her Cold Case Justice series and it is another winner.  I am a huge fan and eagerly await her next book. Since she is a retired Long Beach police officer, I am sure a lot of these stories she has lived through which make each novel more interesting.

Two open cases, two dead ends. I won't let them go cold. The storyline follows a possible serial killer that stalks elderly women in Long Beach California.  Abby Hart is a homicide detective assigned to this case.  She is teamed with Luke Murphy who is a private investigator also assigned to this case. Luke saw the suspect flee the scene of the latest homicide but Abby discovers that the latest victim is related to the governor. That brings about it's own set of problems. Other problems are a fire that Abby's parents were killed in 27 years ago.  They never found out who set the fire and how they were killed.  She is set to find out who killed them but all roads and help from the police end up being stalled and  why she should leave the crime alone.  Luke also searches for a missing teen and tries to help runaways.  Interesting how these two story lines coincide  and how in the end they both find hope and forgiveness  along he way.  When Abby and Luke search for evidence buried under years of deceit..they realize someone wants this case to remain cold. She has a way of keeping the reader engrossed in the story and the endings always surprise me.
Now, if she could only write faster.

Thanks to Tyndale Publishers for this free book just for my honest opinion.

Legend

This book by Eric Blehm is a fascinating account of a hero, and a legend. My typical reading consists of Christian Fiction so this was a different genre for me. I read Fearless by Eric and was enthralled by his writing. So, when I had a chance to read another book by him, I agreed after reading the synopsis of the story.  I graduated from high school in the mid 60's when the Vietnam war was escalating so this story peaked my interest of the background of things that happened.

 The storyline centers around Staff Sergeant Roy Benavidez who was part of a 12 man Special Forces team.
It starts out with his childhood and how he grew up as a street kid from Cuero, Texas. At age 6 he turned into a "tough mean kid". His mother died and he went to leave with an uncle. He dropped out of school and proceeded to join the military. He was assigned to the 82nd Airborne and eventually went to become a member of the Special Forces. From there the author chronicles Roy's single mission in 1968 in the jungle of neutral Cambodia . This is where the battle intensified and Roy jumped from the aircraft and ran 100 yard thru enemy fire.  He was wounded but refused to abandon his efforts until every survivor was out of harm's way.

This was written with access to family members , survivors of the 240th Assault Helicopter Company as well as declassified military records. Hero's come in different shaped, sizes and skin colors and Roy Benavidez was just that-a hero. This book helped me understand more of the why we were involved with Vietnam even thought I lived thru that era.

Thanks to Blogging For Books for this free copy just for my honest opinion

 http://images.randomhouse.com/cover/9780804139519?width=125&alt=no_cover_b4b.gif
 http://www.randomhouse.com/author/153527/eric-blehm

Double Cross

Want a fast moving, well plotted thriller with many twists and turns? Then Double Cross by Diann Mills is the book to pick up and devour.  I am a huge fan of Diann and could guarantee this would be a five star book before reading the first page, and I was so right. She has a knack for superbly crafted characters and a storyline that has you turning pages late into the night.

Interesting plot; FBI agent Laurel Evertson is investigating a scam that targets the elderly. As she investigates the scam, key evidence leads to Morton Wilimgton. She arrested him on her last undercover assignment which caused the death of her partner.  She has never forgotten or forgiven Morton and what she sacrificed to put him in jail. Now it appears that he is her best lead to track the culprits. Laurel has help from Daniel Hilton a Houston police officer who fears his grandparents may be the next target.  Morton is released from prison  claiming he found Christ and salvation in prison.  The unlikely three team up to find those responsible. Daniel is not sure teaming up with a felon is such a good idea, and is he on the good side or the evil side. The scam doesn't just clean out bank accounts but becomes deadly. Can they find the killer before it is too late, save Daniel's grandparents from the killer and is Morton's claim of redemption for real or just a double cross?

What strikes me the most about this story was my complete fascination with the characters and how I was never sure if Morton was really the Christian he said he was or was he the best con artist around.  One minute, I thought I had it figured out and then the next minute, I was baffled. That is the good writers write and this is one of Diann Mill's best books.  I have read all her books, and if you have not, please start.  You will not be disappointed by her writing.  Always a good mix of scripture and the characters finding God or how God finds them and changes them.

I was given this book free by Tyndale Publishers for my honest opinion.


http://www.diannmills.com/

Sabotaged

I guess,as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Sabotaged by Dani Pettrey is the fifth and final book in the Alaskan Courage series and I hate to say goodbye to the McKenna family. In each of the preceding books, the author has focused on  a member of the McKenna family and they have each been a wonderful story.  This final books finds Reef McKenna returning home to Alaska. Reef came back to help with the Iditarod with search and rescue.  The only problem is he is teamed up with Kirra Jacobs and they share a long history of being at odds with each other.  Kirra's uncle Frank, who is a musher with the Iditarod has disappeared. The two of them track him only to find out his daughter Meg has been kidnapped. Now comes the fun, the cat and mouse game of trying to find Meg with Frank being no help to them. There is a villain that will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and whoever gets in his way will pay. Will Kirra and Reef be able to solve the mystery, find Meg and avert a disaster in Alaska?  Can Kirra and Reef put their past aside and work together to bring Meg home safely?  Pick up book five and find out the answers.

Since I have read all the other books, I gave this five stars even before I read it.  From past experience, I knew the author would "finish strong" and she did.  Can't wait for the start of her new series and hope she can write fast!! Please, do yourself a favor, and read all five in the series..you will be a fan for life.

The Great Big Pressure Cooker Book

I will admit that I do not like to cook-takes too long to cook, too short to eat and too long to clean up!.
With that being said, I will try to find shortcuts to put dinner on the table. I have a pressure cooker that I have used for 35 years.  I say used very lightly. I use it for a few things and tend to use the slow cooker for a lot more.  Why, I don't know.  The pressure cooker is faster and things come out usually better.  When I saw this book up for review.. I grabbed it and have thoroughly enjoyed it.  It has shown me a whole new way to use my pressure cooker.  I have an old style used on the stove and this book shows both stove top and electric machine uses.  The cool thing is...over 500 recipes and lots of photos in the middle of the book.
I never knew I could cook dried beans in the pressure cooker, oh what a time saver that is. The authors have shown me tricks and shortcuts to use. I will be trying the Apple Maple Oatmeal recipe this week which takes only 12 minutes to prepare.  Now, that is how I like to cook!

I will be using my pressure cooker more, thanks to this cookbook, and my slow cooker less. My advice is to get a pressure cooker, don't be afraid of it, and get this cookbook.  You will be in for a treat and a whole new way of cooking..fast, that is.

Thanks to Blogging for Books for this free copy just for my honest opinion.

http://www.randomhouse.com/book/235617/the-great-big-pressure-cooker-book-by-bruce-weinstein-and-mark-scarbrough