My Favorite Pastime

Downfall by Terri Blackstock

2012-02-28T06:51:00.000-06:00

The Covington Family can’t seem to catch a break from the bad guys!

In Downfall the Covington’s have moved to Atlanta so that Barbara and Kent can be near each other to explore their feelings for each other. Barbara also was hoping that getting away from their old home would help Emily in her recovery. Unfortunately trouble seems to follow this family wherever they go.

First a bomb is planted under Emily’s car. On the same day a woman is murdered whom Emily knows. Putting the pieces together Emily realizes that a conversation she overheard at work may be unfolding. In a race to save another woman’s life Emily inadvertently sets herself up as a prime suspect in the murders.

In the meantime, Lance is having trouble at school. He isn’t fitting in. Nobody believes that he was a hero in his old hometown. They all make fun of him except for one girl. Alice has troubles of her own with her parents getting ready to divorce. When Alice starts to hang around a known drug dealer Lance once again tries to step in and save a girl’s life.

With the killer’s acts escalating it is becoming clear that he is determined to ruin the Covington’s lives. What is the connection? Will they be able to stop him before his next target is one of them?

Okay, first off does anyone in this family listen when they are told not to do something? Kent tells Emily to wait for him, does she? NO! Lance is told to stay put, does he? NO! Barbara runs around screeching at everyone to do something instead of allowing the police to do their job and then Kent has to come in and clean up everyone’s mistakes for not listening and doing what they were told. BUT, all of that being said I still LOVED this novel! The suspense is excellent! Even though the behavior of the characters annoyed me sometimes I totally could relate with some of them. If one of my children were thrown in jail I too would be the hysterical mother screeching at someone to do SOMETHING! And what kid is going to stay put when you tell them too when they think they can solve the problem with no harm to themselves? All of them getting into these scrapes adds up to the intensity of the suspense in the novel and keeps the reader turning the pages late into the night. I believe this is the last of the Intervention series. I hope so for the sake of the Covington family as I don’t think they could take any more drama in their lives!

Bourne River of Time Series 3.1 by Lisa T. Bergren

2012-02-27T09:26:00.002-06:00

Bourne takes place right after the last battle in Torrent. Many have died in the battle and there are many injured at the Castello Forelli. Gabi must put in an appearance to all of the injured since she is now lady of the Castello. She and her family must do their best to stitch and bandage up all of the injured. They must also see to the proper burial of all those who lost their lives for the Forelli family.

Just when they think that there will be peace in the land a band of mercenaries is going around seeking revenge on the brotherhood. Already two castles have been attacked. Gabi, Lia, Luca and Rodolfo must warn the other brothers of what is coming. Once again the She-Wolves have been placed in peril. Will they be able to reach Luca’s family in time to save them?

Bourne is the first of three e- novella’s that will be published this year. Bourne didn’t lack any of the excitement that the full length novels carried. I was once again transported to 14^th century Tuscany with the hunky knights Marcello, Luca and Greco. Bourne explores Lia and Luca’s relationship a bit more and also delves a little into how Lord Greco is dealing with his guilt about betraying his country. I feel so bad for Lord Greco! He needs to find a woman who will love him and whom he can love in return. He has so much passion to give and he really is a good guy, I hope that love is in his future! I’m looking forward to the next installments of The River of Time series. I can’t get enough!!

Today you can get your copy of Bourne on Amazon for .99:
http://www.amazon.com/Bourne-River-Time-Novella-ebook/dp/B007E4RWSI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330355950&sr=8-1

You can also get it at Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/136620

Here's the NOOK link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bourne-lisa-bergren/1109160629?ean=2940013977914&itm=1&usri=lisa+t+bergren+bourne

This series was my number one pick for 2011. A must read!

The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

2012-02-25T11:16:00.002-06:00

Nora, her best friend Chris, his girlfriend Adriane and Chris' best friend and roommate Max all are working on a translation project for a professor. Nora is assigned to translating letters written by Elizabeth Weston over 400 years before. What she discovers is a recipe for a machine that is believed to open up channels to God.

This discovery leads to murder, secret brotherhoods and betrayal. When Chris is found murdered in his home, Adriane catatonic by his side in a pool of blood and Max the last person seen leaving the house, Nora is determined to prove Max's innocence in the murder and to put together the puzzle pieces of where Elizabeth hid the parts of the machine(Lumen Dei).

When Max contacts Nora she and Adriane sneak away from a class trip and head to Prague to meet Max. They are followed by Chris' cousin Eli who has family connections in Prague and also has family secrets he is unwilling to share with Nora. From the time they reach Prague they are faced with those trying to protect the Lumen Dei and others that are trying to find it for their own purposes. Nora soon finds that she doesn't know her friends as well as she thinks she does. Hers and Elizabeth's lives seem to mirror each others and betrayal is around the corner for her just as it was for Elizabeth.

My Thoughts:

I found myself comparing this book to a cross between The DaVinci Code and an Indiana Jones movie. It reminded me of The DaVinci Code with the secret sects protecting a spiritual being/object along with lots of supposedly spiritual connotations. It reminded me of Indiana Jones in the fact that once the object was acquired the greedy person seeking the power suffered a grizzly demise of supernatural dimensions. Not to say that being compared to these is a bad thing, but the fact that this is marketed as a Young Adult book had me scratching my head. The writing was fairly technical and also at times hard for me to slog through. If I had a hard time keeping my attention on the text I cannot imagine a teenager staying with it through to it's ending. I have to say though that I did become invested in the characters and continued to read on just to find out what happened at the end.

Pet Peeve:
Like I said, The Book of Blood and Shadow is marketed for 12 and up. I started seeing very early in the book that the author was peppering the story with words that were not common for most adults not to mention middle school grades or high schoolers. This was frustrating for me, but I began to write down each word that I either didn't know the meaning of or knew from the sentence what the author meant, but wasn't quite sure that a YA student would know the word. I then looked these words up after I finished the book. I probably should have looked them up while reading, but seriously, what Young Adult would stop reading during a story to look up a word? So here is my list of words:

Ameliorated-heard of it, but don't use it!

Iterations-never heard of it

Ensorcelled-huh?

Egalitarian-heard of

Disingenuous-heard of

Caesura-never heard

Karass-couldn't even find it when I looked it up

Vertiginous-heard of

Soporific-heard of

Ethos-heard of

Matrices-plural of matrix!

Defenestration-never heard

Inchoate-never heard

Those are just the words that stood out to me. There were other words such as detritus that I knew the meaning of, but is not really a common word. I understand an author wanting to enlighten and improve our vocabulary, but if I had to stop and look up every word then that to me would detract from the story. And once again this is a Young Adult book, stick with what they know because the unfamiliar will lose them just as it almost lost me.

I received my copy as an ARC from ALA in January 2012. The Book of Blood and Shadow will be published and available for sale in April 2012.

Weekend Report

2012-02-24T11:29:00.000-06:00

Melanie over at Christian Bookshelf Reviews does a weekend report. I thought I would try my hand at it this weekend.

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING:

This is the ARC copy that I received at ALA in January.

This is the cover that I'm assuming is for sale in stores.

I have to admit I am struggling getting through this book. I hope to finish it by tonight. I have about 130 pages left.

WHAT I'VE READ THIS WEEK

Excellent book! I'm posting my review on February 28th so come check it out.

My review will be posted in March. This is the 3rd book in the Emma Rae Creations series. I enjoyed it.

This was just a fun aside read from the Twilight series. HERE is my review.

WHAT I PLAN ON READING SOON

I may devote the majority of March to reading some John Grisham books that have been languishing on my TBR shelf:

Plus I have this waiting on my Kindle to read:

And these two:

So there you have it, my first WEEKEND REPORT. Let me know what you have going on in your reading endeavors.

The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer

2012-02-21T19:24:00.001-06:00

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Twilight Saga is right here in this handy dandy guide. Let me tell you, IT IS A HEAVY BOOK! Filled with character descriptions, art work, quotes from the books and both vampire and werewolf lineage this has it all. What was fun for me is that each character has a total history that we may or may not have seen in the books. The Official Guide also gives a music play list that Stephenie Meyer used while writing the series. There is a Q & A section and then an interview section where Stephenie sits down with another author and chats about the books. I enjoyed the book very much!

Bourne by Lisa T. Bergren

2012-02-19T19:01:00.001-06:00

If you loved Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent, then you will definitely want to read Bourne River of Time #3.1! This is the first e-novella of three coming out this year. I absolutely fell in love with all the characters again. Come back for my review on February 28th!

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

2012-02-17T19:16:00.000-06:00

So this once again brings to a close the Twilight series. I found this time around I got bored with how stinkin LONG this book is! I guess the pace keeps the story moving, but it is just long! Almost 800 pages! Good grief! Anyway, I still am happy with the "Happily Ever After" ending of the series. I'm still one of those people that didn't feel gypped about the non-existent fight scene. Frankly I don't think my heart could have taken it. I still cried when they were all saying good-bye to each other when they thought it was their last moment together. It didn't creep me out that Jacob imprinted on Renesme. I loved the honeymoon scene and thought the book did a much better job of closing the bedroom door at the proper time than the movie did. I love the interplay between Jacob and Rosalie! All of his blond jokes cracked me up. And then when she fashioned a dog dish for him I howled with laughter. I wish the movie would have showcased that relationship a bit better. I loved the scene when Bella realizes that Jacob had imprinted on Renesme...EXCELLENT!

Just so you all know, I have heard all of the arguments for and against this series. I have heard how reading these books "puts unrealistic expectations on spouses/future spouses." I think that anything that becomes an obsession can do that. I do not look at my spouse any differently than I did before I read this series. He still lights my fire! I still have eyes only for him. I don't lust for an Edward clone. I do however expect to be adored by my husband. I don't think that that is an unrealistic expectation. Edward and Bella adored each other. Why should I expect anything less for my marriage or for my children's marriages? And by the way, when I see my husband...he sparkles ;)

FYI: I'm still resentful that Stephenie Meyer hasn't finished Midnight Sun which is Edward's story. BUT I'm still a fan of the series.

I'm counting this towards my Contentment Reading Challenge:

Interview on Danyelle Leafty's blog

2012-02-17T12:54:00.001-06:00

Today I was interviewed on Danyelle Leafty's blog.

Danyelle is the author of the Fairy Godmother Dilemma Books. Catspell is the first in the series:

Thanks so much to Danyelle for having me on her blog today! It's always fun to meet new authors and find new blogs to enjoy.

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

2012-02-14T12:39:00.000-06:00

Eclipse is the 3rd book in the Twilight series. I think that next to Twilight it may be my favorite in the series even though Jacob is a total pain in the butt in this one. I have to laugh every time I read when Bella punches Jacob's jaw and breaks a bone in her hand! Again though I feel sorry for Jacob. He loves Bella so much but even though she loves him, she cannot live without Edward. Gotta give the guy props for trying to gain her love though! I'm not a fan of Bella trying to use her whiles to get Edward to have sex with her and to also get out of marrying him. But still this is one of my favorite books in the series.

I re-read Eclipse because Breaking Dawn Part I came out on video and so I thought I would re-read all of the books. Sometimes I just need a little fluff to read and that is where I found myself while re-reading this. Also it counts towards my goal for the Contentment Reading Challenge:

I think this is my 3rd or 4th time reading the Twilight series. Yes, I enjoy it that much! And confession: I like the movies too! As cheesy as they are I just like them!

Curveball The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick

2012-02-12T08:45:00.000-06:00

Peter and his best friend AJ are the best baseball pitchers for their team. Their pitching skills are going to take them far. When Peter is pitching, AJ is catching then when AJ pitches then Peter is catching. They are quite a duo. That is until Peter messes up his arm and is told he can no longer pitch~EVER.

This does not seem to be Peter's year. Not only can he no longer pitch, but he is also starting his freshman year of high school. Also, there seems to be something disturbing going on with his Grampa. Peter's Grampa is a famous photographer. He has taught Pete everything he knows about cameras and taking the perfect picture. When his Grampa seems to miss the most perfect shot of all and then up and gives Pete all of his equipment Pete knows there is something terrible going on. His Grampa also seems to be frequently forgetting things.

Pete's mother insists that he enroll in an introductory photography class. Since he can no longer play baseball then she feels he needs to be in a "club" of some sort. Pete meets Angelika in class. They are soon put together as partners and things start to look up for Pete. Even though Pete has always told his best friend AJ everything he somehow can not bring himself to tell AJ about not being able to pitch again. The only one he really talks to about that is Angelika. She encourages him to not only be honest to AJ about his arm, but also to talk to his parents about what is going on with his Grampa.

Once again I love the emotions that Jordan Sonnenblick explores in his stories! Peter's relationship with his Grampa is so special and you feel for him as he watches his Grandfather fade into the world of Alzheimer disease. You feel for Pete in his awkward 9th grade self wondering what he is going to do with his life now that he can't play baseball. You admire AJ and Angelika for being Peter's best friends and helping him through his emotions. I have to say that once again Jordan Sonnenblick was able to bring a smile and tear to my eye in Curveball The Year I Lost My Grip.

I received my copy as an ARC from ALA in January.

Always The Wedding Planner Never The Bride by Sandra D. Bricker

2012-02-10T20:34:00.002-06:00

More weddings are being planned at the Tanglewood hotel. This time around Sherilyn(Emma Rae's best friend from college) has been hired as the new wedding planner for the hotel.

Sherilyn and her fiance Andy have moved back to Atlanta, both with new jobs. They soon find the house of their dreams but has Andy gotten cold feet about marrying Sherilyn? And what's up with Sherilyn losing two wedding dresses?!

This second installment of the Emma Rae creation series was just as much fun as the first one Always The Baker Never The Bride. Each chapter has helpful hints for wedding planning and also some yummy recipes that Emma Rae bakes up in the story. I was quite pleased with the way the romance played out and the interaction of the characters. Looking forward to the next installment!

I downloaded my copy for free from Amazon. This is the 3rd book I've read in the Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge.

Blue Moon Promise by Colleen Coble

2012-02-08T17:50:00.000-06:00

Lucy Marsh is on her own trying to raise her young brother and sister. When circumstances become dangerous for this young family Lucy finds the only thing she can do is accept a proxy marriage to Nate Stanton.

Henry Stanton is Nate's father. He has come in search of a young Christian woman to marry his son. His offer helps get Lucy, Jed and Eileen out of a dangerous situation. She believes this is an answer to her prayers to protect her family.

Nate has problems of his own. The Stanton's and the Larson's have been enemies for years. Every since Henry bought out Larson land. Drew Larson is bitter about losing his family land and will never forgive the Stanton's.

Nate is not happy when his father brings Lucy home as Nate's wife. He cannot fathom how any woman would ever agree to marry a man by proxy. The marriage is legal and binding and Lucy has no intention of shirking her wifely responsibilities. She sets out to prove to Nate that she can do whatever it takes to help him run a cattle farm.

Lucy has been relying on her own abilities for too long. Her independence immediately causes some friction between her and Nate. Lucy must learn to trust the Lord and relinquish her controlling nature to Him, which is hard for her to do since she has had to be in control of her sister and brother's care for so long.

I really liked the development of the love and attraction between Nate and Lucy. There was also a bit of mystery and suspense that in my mind played secondary to the relationship between Nate and Lucy, but added a bit of spark to the story and kept the pace moving along nicely. I really liked Nate and Lucy's characters. They both were willing to seek the Lord in their relationship. Nate was willing to be the man of the family and become a father figure to Jed and Eileen. Lucy learned to let go of her control issues and allow Nate to be the head of their family.

Blogger Interview

2012-02-06T13:55:00.000-06:00

Crystal over at Just Another Book Lovin' Girl interviewed me today on her blog. Go check it out here: INTERVIEW

Thanks so much to Crystal for this feature that she has on her blog. I have enjoyed getting to know fellow bloggers through her blog!

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

2012-02-03T18:34:00.001-06:00

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

That's the teaser on the back of this book. Of course it had me hooked!

Jazz is no ordinary teen, although he knows how to act like one. But when you have been raised by the world's most horrific serial killer it is hard to be "normal". Especially when your dad has taught you everything he knows in order to groom you as his successor.

"Dear Old Dad" is now behind bars. Jazz really is trying to lead a normal life now. He has a girlfriend, he's in the school play. But Jazz' life is anything but normal. He lives with his crazy gramma, trying to keep the child welfare people from sending him to a foster home, his best friend Howie is a hemophiliac, and he lives in fear of becoming just like his father.

When a woman is found dead in a field with 3 fingers missing Jazz knows right away that another serial killer is on the loose. Unfortunately he can't get the law enforcement to agree with him before another murder is committed. Jazz joins forces with the police to catch the murderer. Jazz knows how a serial killer thinks and he wants to prove to himself that he is not like "Dear Old Dad". But it's a fine line he is walking because he understands the cravings to see a person's last breath seep out of them.

This is one of those books where I wish I had half hearts to give out. I would have given this a three and a half rating. I vacillated between really liking it and "it was just okay". I really liked the suspense of the story and the not knowing who the killer was until almost the very end. I disliked that this is a YA book. The theme was pretty horrific and sometimes goes into some gory details about what the killer did to his victims. Surprisingly the author kept the language fairly tame. I was offended by his use of Jesus, and g** d*** but other than that there really wasn't a lot of language, maybe because the theme was harsh enough?

I Hunt Killers is published by Little Brown and will be out for sale in April 2012- I received my ARC copy at ALA in January.

Always the Baker Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker

2012-01-31T21:11:00.002-06:00

This book made me laugh out loud! I love a story that can do that. The dialog between characters was so witty and filled with humor. A very entertaining read.

Emma works in a bakery for a cranky boss. Emma has just won the prestigious Passionate Palette award for one of her mouthwatering wedding cakes. A cake that Emma has only had a taste of since she is a diabetic. Emma's eccentric friend Fiona also works at the bakery. When Emma reads about the Tanglewood hotel opening up and in need of a baker she sees it as her and Fiona's chance to shine and show her true baking abilities, with hopefully a less cranky boss.

Jackson doesn't know what to think of Emma when he stumbles into the bakery that she works in. He sees her as an annoyance when she tries to get him to drink hazelnut coffee instead of the plain black coffee he asked for. When she shows up at his hotel to apply for the job of baker he is less than thrilled. But some things are out of Jackson's hands, mainly his 3 sisters! Emma has charmed her way to their hearts and they just know that if Jackson hires her the Tanglewood will have it's start in making a name for itself.

The book really becomes entertaining once the sisters become involved and once Emma's "divorced" parents arrive. Add to that Emma's Aunt Sophie who keeps escaping from the assisted living home and it all adds up to one riotous laugh after another!

Another fun thing about the book that was fun was that at the beginning(or ending) of each chapter there was either a recipe for some delicious sweet or wedding tips and advice.

I downloaded this book for free from Amazon.

This is the 2nd book I have read for the Why Buy the Cow? reading challenge

Same Look, New Name!

2012-01-31T11:55:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone! This is the new name of my former blog My Only Vice. As I stated in a previous post unfortunately My Only Vice name coincided with an adult fetish site starting advertising on the web. They asked me if I would be willing to change my name. Since their company has been in business longer than my blogging days and since I in no way want to be associated with that industry I agreed to changing my blog name. So WELCOME to MY FAVORITE PASTIME! I chose this name to go along with my crochet blog that is called My Other Pastime. For those of you who were on my networked blogs you will need to rejoin this site. Also if you grabbed my button you will need to grab my new and improved(in my opinion) button. Thank you to my friend Karin who co-posts with me on Edifying and Edgy for all of the hard work she always does for me when I need computer help and blog management! She's a great teacher and friend!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2012-01-30T15:30:00.000-06:00

First off, don't you just love this cover?! From the first time I saw it I wanted to get this book and read it. Yup, I love a good cover!

Cinder is a cyborg. She lives with her guardian and 2 step sisters. Yes, this is a retelling of Cinderella.

Cinder is a mechanic in the marketplace. She can repair just about anything. Prince Kai, the soon to be emperor of New Beijing, brings his android for Cinder to fix. Cinder can't believe when the prince seems to be flirting with her. But Cinder knows that she can never be attractive to him once he finds out that she is cyborg.

When the dreaded plague attacks Cinders step-sister Peony, Cinders step-mother immediately volunteers Cinder to go to the palace research facility to be tested on for a cure. No cyborg that is tested on ever comes out alive.

When Kai's father dies from the plague Kai is made emperor. Being forced to marry the Lunar queen in order to save earth from war, Kai holds a ball to announce his coming marriage. Barely able to be civil to the queen, Kai is determined to save his people from war with the Lunar's. Cinder has found a hidden chip in Kai's android that will expose the Lunar queen's plans for war. She must go to the ball in order to inform Kai before it is too late.

I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the next book in the series. Cinder kind of reminded me of the Uglies, Pretties, Specials series by Scott Westerfeld. I don't even know why? Maybe because of the post-apocalyptic flavor to it? Maybe because of the advanced technology? Whatever the reason, with robots, spacecraft, cyborgs, romance and evil queens and step-mothers Cinder is a fun read and a great new twist to the Cinderella story!

Name Change

2012-01-29T13:38:00.000-06:00

Imagine my surprise when I opened my email this morning and a notice was there that My Only Vice is also the name of an adult fetish company based out of the UK! They will be starting a new website and wanted to inform me before it went live that our interests may not be the same! YA THINK?! So I am currently thinking of different names for my blog. I will keep you all informed. I hope this won't be a huge production, but certainly wanted to distance myself from any pornographic references or companies. I in no way want to be associated with this type of industry and I certainly would not want anyone innocently looking for my book blog to come across objectionable material. I hope you all continue to visit my blog once I change my name. All will be the same except for the name.

For Love & Liberty by Stephen Grimble-February sale on Amazon

2012-01-27T14:42:00.000-06:00

For Love & Liberty by Stephen Grimble will be offered as an ebook on Amazon for .99 for the entire month of February.

Here is a synopsis:

For anyone who enjoys history and a charming love story in age of disposable relationships . . .

Since the Constitution's ratification in 1789, each generation of Americans has been called to honor liberty by securing its blessings to posterity. For over 200 years, every generation has answered this call to honor.

What will be the epitaph of the current generation?

The fictional protagonists in For Love & Liberty form the Madison Committee, named to honor the Father of the Constitution James Madison, and soon determine that a constitution convention, the first since 1787, must be called to consider and adopt seven amendments known as the Second Bill of Rights. If ratified, these amendments salvage the nation's honor and fulfill its sacred trust by securing liberty's blessings to posterity.

"A ruminative thriller" Kirkus Reviews

Here is the press release:

Calling our Founding Fathers

Author looks to the past to save our future in latest work

ALBUQUERQUE - In his second book and first fiction piece, For Love & Liberty (Wasteland Press, September 2011), Stephen Grimble, author, veteran, and history buff, asks, “What can we learn from our founding fathers to solve the crisis we're in today?”

Inspired by the United States' current political and fiscal troubles, Grimble penned the novel with the belief in mind that the U.S. is long overdue for a renewed examination and application of the original constitutional principles. For Love & Liberty captures the spirit of the American Revolution and re-thinks the modern function of the American Constitution and Bill of Rights, combining both historical and futuristic perspectives...and a little romance, too.

"It's a distinct probability that we will not pass on the blessings of liberty to future generations if America is not restored to fiscal solvency and limited government," says Grimble.

Posing the questions "what will be the epitaph for the current American generation?" "will it be the first in the country's history to fail to answer the call to honor liberty?", For Love & Liberty is a cautionary tale that offers a possible solution to restoring limited constitutional government, individual liberty, and fiscal solvency, and what might happen if that solution is rejected. Grimble hopes this will inspire other concerned citizens to join him in his call for new action.

STEPHEN GRIMBLE is a retired executive and a member of SouthWest Writers. He currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he continues to call fellow patriots to the founding ideals of the United States Constitution.

NOTE: I have not read this book so I will not be doing a review of it. I was asked by the publisher to post about the sale of this book. If you choose to buy it and review it please come back and comment on this post so that I can read your review.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

2012-01-27T10:23:00.000-06:00

This year I'm participating in the Contentment Reading Challenge hosted by Katie at Legacy of a Writer. The challenge is to be content with what we have and to enjoy books that we have on our shelves and have already read. I have challenged myself to do the WADING level of this challenge. That is to re-read 10 books this year. New Moon is my first one that I have re-read.

New Moon is my least favorite book of the Twilight series. It is depressing how Edward decides to leave. It is more depressing to see how it affects Bella. And of course the most irritating part is that this is the book that Jacob becomes a key player in. Yes, I am an Edward fan! But New Moon is also the jumping off point for the last 2 books in the series. Eclipse and Breaking Dawn could not have been written without having all of the background of New Moon. So that is why when I re-read the series I never skip over New Moon even though I would like to.

The thing about re-reading books that is comforting to me is that they are like visiting old friends. Sometimes while reading other books the tension in the story gets to me, or there is anxiety over the angst that is being portrayed. In re-reading a book, I know what is going to happen, I know how the ending is going to turn out. There is no anxiety, it is JUST FOR FUN! I didn't start with Twilight because I re-read that last year. I think I will try to re-read the other 2 this year. We'll see what my mood is when I decide to re-read my next book.

So, here is my first book finished for the Contentment Reading Challenge for 2012. Head over to Katie's blog and see if you would like to participate in the Challenge!

Accused by Janice Cantore

2012-01-25T21:03:00.000-06:00

Carly Edwards is a police officer sworn to protect the community she serves in. While out on patrol with a substitute partner she was involved in a shooting. Now she is working juvenile until the investigation is over.

Carly's personal life is also in a shambles. She has just recently divorced her husband Nick for being unfaithful. She can't get away from him though since he too works for the police force.

Carly wants nothing more than to be back out on the streets. She thinks she is being given the chance when she is called to the scene of where the missing mayor's body is found. In reality she was called because the juvenile in the car asked for her. He is the son of Carly's mom's friend. Carly is to question him and get him to confess to the mayor's murder. The only problem is that after talking to him she doesn't believe that he was involved.

When Carly is told to back off of the investigation she begins to think that something isn't right in the department. At first she can't believe that there is corruption among her brothers in law enforcement. Carly soon comes to believe though that there are few people she can trust in the department.

Bitter against God and angry at her ex husband, Carly struggles with whom she can trust. She doesn't want to believe her mother when she tells her of the peace that God has given her after her father died. Carly has to take notice though when Nick too becomes a believer. Regardless of what he did, she still has respect for him as a cop. She soon finds that Nick is the only one she can trust as a cop, even though he failed her trust as a husband.

I really enjoyed this book! The story was quick-paced and action packed while also filled with suspense. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series! Also I found that the faith woven into the story was real and not distracting or preachy.

Thanks to Tyndale House and NetGalley for my review copy.

Firethorn by Ronie Kendig

2012-01-23T09:29:00.000-06:00

Things start to go terribly wrong for the Nightshade team. Griffin(Legend) is wrongly accused of murdering a high up official. He is in prison, depressed, wondering where he went wrong in life. He doesn't know how he will survive the rest of his life in prison, but he is determined to do it with honor and pride like the Marine that he is.

The Nightshade team are just back from a mission when their headquarters are attacked. They are separated and taken to different locations around the world. Two manage to escape before the others are whisked away. Their families are taken to a hidden location and given no information about where their men are.

Kazi has been hired to find the Nightshade team and get them back together. Nobody knows who is behind the setup to break up the team. Kazi's first mission is to break Legend out of prison. Kazi has hardened her heart to everyone around her because life has not been kind to her. She is afraid to allow her heart to care for anyone because that would make her weak in her goal. She is determined to earn enough money to allow her to buy herself back from the man that her brother sold her too years before. An attraction between Legend and Kazi could be dangerous to both their hearts.

One thing I like about the Nightshade books is that from the beginning of each book a person is in for a roller coaster ride of excitement! And then of course there is the romance in each one, I don't know that I could read a military style book if there wasn't a bit of attraction between the main characters! Firethorn is the last book in the Nightshade series. I don't know that a person has to read the books in order, but I think that it would definitely help if you did. I unfortunately have read them all out of order. I read Digitalis first, then Firethorn and I have Nightshade waiting for me to read and then I have to get Wolfsbane. While each book is about a different man on the Nightshade team I think it would have helped me to connect with the characters more if I would have started at the beginning. But still, I have enjoyed the ones that I have read!

Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for my review copy.

ALA-Dallas, Texas

2012-01-21T15:23:00.000-06:00

My friend Karin and I are at ALA(American Library Association) in Dallas this weekend. We are getting lot's of free books each day. Here are some pictures:

These are my haul from our first day-70 books! Today I got 60 books! Wonder how many I'll get tomorrow?

My shoulders are killing me from all of the bags of books that I have been carrying around! But so excited about all of the new titles I get to read!

King Peggy by Peggielene Bartels and Eleanor Herman

2012-01-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

Peggy is a secretary at the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington D.C. When she receives a phone call at 4:00am from her home town of Otuam in Ghana telling her that she is their new king. She thinks that the person is joking, but they are not, she truly is the new King.

When Peggy arrives in Otuam she finds that her town is poor. Children have to walk for miles to get drinking water for their families. Not many get to go to school because of the expense. She also finds the palace in shambles. It turns out her elders have been pocketing the money from the townspeople and using it for their own pleasures.

Peggy immediately begins to set things right much to the disappointment of her elders. She lets them know that just because she is a woman she will not be pushed around by them or any man.

Because of her love for her people Peggy is able to improve their lives by stopping the corruption, bringing in clean drinking water, repairing their beloved palace and giving them something to be proud of. It isn't an easy job. Peggy still has to work her job as a secretary in the United States. So she is gone the majority of the year. Her elders do not make it easy for her either by still going behind her back with their thieving ways. Add to that the disgruntled children of the former King who insist that their father does not deserve a decent burial. Peggy finds that her dreams for Otuam are very expensive for a secretary.

This true story follows the first 2 years of Peggy's kingship. Her frustrations and triumphs. I really enjoyed this strong woman's ability to take on the male leaders in her town, stop the corruption and gain the love of her people. I felt her frustration while dealing with these corrupt men who were set in place to help the people, but have only helped themselves. Peggy is able to uphold the customs of the people while maintaining the dignity and power of her Kingship.

Thanks to Doubleday for my review copy

I Shall Not Want by Debbie Viguie

2012-01-14T15:22:00.000-06:00

Cindy Preston is a secretary at her church. She is helping Joseph, a member of the church, put on a charity benefit. Joseph breeds dogs and this benefit is a project that he came up with to put dogs and homeless people together. Each homeless person that adopts a dog also receives a voucher that they can use to feed their new pet.

Cindy has just recently helped the police stop a serial killer. It seems that her luck with dead bodies is still following her around. When asked to go find Josephs assistant Derick she finds more than she bargained for. Derick has been murdered and Josephs prize dog is missing.

When several murders happen and the owners dogs are missing Cindy is once again forced out of her comfort zone much to Homicide Detective Mark's dismay. He and his partner Paul insist that Cindy stay out of the investigation, but that is hard for Cindy to do since bodies keep turning up everywhere she goes!

I really enjoyed the story. I didn't read the first novel in the series The Lord is my Shepherd, I think it would have helped with some background with characters. But it wasn't too hard to jump into this book and understand what was going on. Cindy has a caring heart that seems to give her a knack for getting into trouble. I found it funny that she doesn't like danger and throughout the book talked about taking risks and expanding her experiences yet she has helped catch a serial killer and now in this book keeps getting into pickles. Her foray into speed dating cracked me up! But she may have found a match, maybe we will see in the 3rd installment of the Psalm 23 Mysteries? A little bit of romance, a little bit of mystery and a lot of suspense I Shall Not Want was a fun read for me!

I obtained my copy FREE from Amazon several months ago. It is no longer offered for free.

Injustice For All by Robin Caroll

2012-01-13T21:31:00.000-06:00

Remington Wyatt worked for the FBI. She witnessed the killing of her godfather Judge Daniel Tate. Knowing who the killers are Remington decides quickly that she must make herself disappear. She doesn't know who she can trust in the FBI because she doesn't know how high up the corruption has gone. It is easy to make herself disappear.

Agent Rafe Baxter has been transferred to Arkansas. He is given the cold shoulder along with cold cases. One cold case happens to be Judge Daniel Tate's. Determined to pull his weight in his new job Rafe tracks down a clue that leads him to the small town of Hopewell, Louisiana.

Remington has made a new life for herself. But after 3 years of hiding her old life seems to be catching up with her. Her godfather's killers are determined that this time she will not get away! Remington is also fighting a Spiritual battle. She has been angry at God for years. She blames Him for her parents' death and for her godfather's death. She is determined to have nothing to do with God. Her best friend Hayden Simpson has been praying that she will return to the Lord.

Packed with excitement, suspense and romance Injustice For All will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page is turned...it did me! Injustice For All is the first book in the new Justice Seekers series. The next book will be Rafe's sister Riley's story. I hope to read more about Remington and Rafe in that one too! I'm also hoping that Hayden Simpson will show up in a future novel too, with a love interest of his own of course.

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

2012-01-11T07:21:00.000-06:00

The year is 2083 and chocolate and caffeine are illegal. Anya Balanchine is the daughter of a now dead crime boss. Anya is determined to keep herself, her sister and brother and grandmother separated from her family's notorious connection. Having seen her father killed right in front of her she wants nothing to do with the family business.

For all intents and purposes Anya at 16 is the head of her little family. Her grandmother is dying, her brother has not been "right" since he was in an accident that killed their mother, and her sister is only 13. When some Balanchine chocolate ends up poisoning Anya's ex-boyfriend, she finds herself in trouble with the law and her family in the media spotlight.

Amidst all of this Anya meets Win, the new guy at school, and is attracted to him until she finds out who his father is. With ambitions to become the next DA Win's father asks Anya to stay away from his son. It wouldn't look good for him in an election if his son was dating a crime boss's daughter.

Win and Anya begin secretly dating and soon fall in love with each other. Will their love be able to withstand her family name and his father's ambition?

All These Things is the first book in a series. I found the characters very believable but wasn't attached enough to them to continue on in the series. The storyline plodded along and I found myself getting distracted by other things. I guess it just wasn't the story for me.

Legacy of a Writer's Blogiversary Going on NOW!

2012-01-09T11:26:00.000-06:00

Don't forget to go check out Katie's blog this week! Day 1 has already started with a GREAT character interview and sweet giveaway! Stop by and say CONGRATULATIONS to Katie for her 2 year blogiversary!

Vicious Cycle by Terri Blackstock

2012-01-03T22:42:00.000-06:00

Jordan's mother has talked her into leaving the New Day rehabilitation center. Fifteen-year-old Jordan is an addict and about to be a mother. When Lance Covington decides to go try and talk her into coming back to New Day he gets into more trouble than he bargained for.

When he arrives at Jordan's home he finds that she has already had her baby(at home), she is high on drugs, and her mother and brother are getting ready to give Jordan's baby to a questionable looking couple. Jordan doesn't want to give her baby to them. She has already made plans to give her baby up for adoption to a Christian agency. Jordan locks herself in her room and climbs out the window. She stows her baby in Lance's car. When Lance drives away he is surprised to find the baby there.

Not knowing what to do and hoping that Jordan will come get her baby, he takes the baby to his home. In the meantime Jordan's mother and brother are furious with her and make her call the police and tell them that Lance has kidnapped her baby.

Not knowing what else to do Barbara Covington calls Kent from Atlanta to help her try and get Lance out of jail. Will they be able to talk Jordan into dropping the charges against Lance? Will Jordan be able to break the Vicious Cycle that has become her life and finally be able to do something for someone besides herself?

Vicious Cycle had me biting my nails! I seriously had to keep putting the book(my kindle) down to take a break from the intense suspense that permeates every page of the story. The second book in the Intervention series once again delves into drug addiction, but this time add human trafficking into the mix and it all adds up to one heart-pounding, intense read! I have to say that a couple of times I got frustrated with the characters. Just like in Intervention the characters seem to not want to do what they are told. Lance is told to stay home, he goes out. Barbara is told not to go looking for Jordan, she goes looking for Jordan. Emily is told to stay home away from her old drug stomping grounds, she goes right into the worst house of them all. As the reader I sat there wanting to yell at them "YOU WERE TOLD TO STAY HOME!" I know that those all add up to what makes the book a great read, but it sure gives me heart palpitations!

Now I'm on to the next book: DOWNFALL, but you won't get the review until February when the book is set to release.

Intervention by Terri Blackstock

2012-01-01T23:53:00.000-06:00

Barbara Covington is desperate to save her daughter from drug addiction. Emily has been in rehab before and has gone right back to the drugs that she craves. Barbara finally stages an intervention. Trish from Road Back Recovery Center arrives to escort Emily to rehab.

When Trish and Emily land in Atlanta Barbara's nightmare begins. Trish is found dead in the parking garage and Emily is missing. Barbara and her son Lance arrive in Atlanta where the police believe that Emily is the one who murdered Trish. Everyone sees Emily as a junkie willing to do anything for her next fix. Only Barbara believes that her daughter is not the cold-blooded killer that everyone believes her to be.

When Barbara receives a text from her daughter saying "mom help me" she is more than convinced that something horrible has happened to her daughter. Frustrated that the police seem to be doing nothing to help find Emily, Barbara is determined to go out on her own and find her no matter where it takes her.

Filled with the anguish and helplessness that a parent must feel when their child sinks into substance abuse the author captures those powerful feelings and emotions in each page of Intervention. At the end of the book Terri Blackstock shares about her own daughter's substance abuse. The feeling of first-hand experience and emotions are apparent throughout the story. The mystery and suspense of Intervention kept me on the edge of my seat. An excellent novel that has me ready to delve into the next book in the series Vicious Cycle.

Top pick of 2011

2012-01-01T01:05:00.000-06:00

On our blog Edifying and Edgy Karin and I asked our readers to make a video of their favorite book of the year. This is my contribution:

There you have it, my number one pick of 2011.

May you all have a very blessed 2012! Happy Reading!

Top 11 of 2011!

2011-12-31T01:55:00.000-06:00

Julie's Top 11:

11. Skeleton Creek: The Raven by Patrick Carman

I've already said that I am a series fan. I love this series. You get to read the book and then go online and watch video's of the characters in the book as you go along. Very fun and interactive.

10. After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick
I've come to the conclusion that anything Jordan Sonnenblick writes will be my favorite. He is so funny, yet deals with emotional situations with tender care. This book was no exception. Loved it!

9. Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz
The final Alex Rider book in the series. And it was GREAT! Although it managed to tick me off with the ending!

8. Dancing on Glass by Pamela Ewen
This was one of those stories that stayed with me long after I finished it.

7. There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

I love Jenny B. Jones' writing! She has a great sense on humor along with writing very deep, heart-felt novels. One of my favorite authors!

6. Pompeii: City on Fire by T.L. Higley
Along with a great storyline this book is filled with wonderful historical facts about Pompeii. T.L. Higley has a writing style that grabs you even when you don't think you will enjoy the particular genre she is writing.

5. Rot& Ruin and Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry
Zombies! Enough said! Okay, I never thought I would be into a zombie series but yep, I'm a fan and anxiously awaiting the 3rd book in the series.

4. Forever by Maggie Steifvater
The finale of the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. So exciting!

3. Home For The Holidays by Heather Vogel Frederick
I love love love this series! Yes, it is totally juvenile, and sweet with very little angst, but I totally love it! Every stinkin one of them!!

2. The Guardian Duke by Jamie Carie
I loved the beginning of this series! This is my new favorite Jamie Carie book. The cliffhanger was amazing! And who can resist this cover?

1. ?????? by ??????

What will it be? Come back tomorrow and see.

Protection For Hire by Camy Tang

2011-12-30T21:09:00.000-06:00

Tessa has just been released from prison for a murder she never committed. She refuses to go back to work for her uncle the head of the Japanese mafia(Yakuza). Tessa was changed while in prison. Finding the peace and acceptance she never had while working for her uncle Tessa has committed her life to Jesus.

Forced to live with her mother and sister(who is going through a divorce), Tessa tries to find a job to support herself. While volunteering at a shelter for abused women Tessa meets Elizabeth. Elizabeth has left her husband because he was hitting her and her 3 year old son. Elizabeth asks Tessa to become her body guard. Elizabeth is convinced that her husband wants to kill her so she turns to Tessa for protection and friendship.

Charles is looking to become partner in his law firm. His mother asks him to take Elizabeth's case pro bono. When he hears about the abuse it brings up memories of his father abusing his mother. He is determined to help Elizabeth and keep her husband from harming her. Unfortunately at the time of Tessa's trial Charles was a law clerk. He is the one that recommended a longer sentence for her. Neither trust each other, but yet there is an attraction between them that is hard to deny.

Set in San Francisco Protection for Hire is full of action packed pages. The book captured my interest from the very first page to the very last. Tessa is full of spunk. She has great martial art skills that she uses frequently to protect Elizabeth. She struggles with who she used to be and who she has become in Christ. With the help of Charles' mother hopefully she will see the new creature she has become. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment to the series!

Thanks to Zondervan publishers through NetGalley for my review copy.

The Holy Bible-NIV-Zondervan

2011-12-30T09:12:00.000-06:00

I read this Bible on my Kindle this year. I made it through in a year! A friend printed off a reading plan for the year for me and I was able to stay on track.

For 2012 I am planning on reading the Chronological Bible. I'm not sure which version I am going to read. I have a Bible app on my phone and it has a reading plan, but I'm not sure I want to read it on my phone.

Anyway, God's Holy Word never becomes old. I read it and study it every year and learn something new every time. This is definitely not a "one-time-read"!

BOOK COLLAGE OF ALL BOOKS READ IN 2011

2011-12-29T09:18:00.000-06:00

I'm co-hosting the Holiday Break Reading Challenge over at Edifying and Edgy. Today's challenge was to create a collage of all of the books that we have read in 2011. At the time that we created the post for E and E I had read 108 books. I now have 111 books read. I am hoping to finish one more before the New Year. We will see. Here is my contribution over at E and E:

The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter

2011-12-28T22:59:00.000-06:00

When they were just teenagers Shay and Travis planned to elope. Travis got cold feet and left Shay on the steps of the courthouse. He went to Texas to pursue his dream of being on the rodeo circuit and Shay went home in humiliation.

Fast forward fourteen years later. Shay is set to be the bride in the Founder's Day reenactment. What she doesn't count on is Travis coming back to town to take care of his parents' ranch, the ranch next door to hers. Shay and her daughter are just about to lose everything they have to debt.

Travis is coerced into being the groom for the reenactment ceremony. Both he and Shay are in for a big surprise when they find out that the ceremony was legal and binding! Travis has never gotten over Shay. He wants another chance to prove his love for her. He makes a deal with her. He will help her out financially if she gives him the chance to make up for leaving her so many years ago.

Shay agrees to the arrangement, but is determined to not let another man(or even the same man) hurt her again. The problem is that Travis is still attractive to her and causes her to have weak knees with his steamy kisses.

Will Travis be able to prove his love to Shay, or will he once more prove to be unreliable? And will Shay learn that she needs to only please God and not people?

I really enjoyed Shay and Travis's story! Shay's character was full of spark and sass and Travis was the ultimate hunky cowboy. A great romance with my much needed Happily Ever After ending!

A Tale of Two Proms by Cara Lockwood

2011-12-26T22:56:00.000-06:00

Miranda is in her Senior year at the Bard Academy. Her boyfriend Heathcliff(yes Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights) has just asked her to marry him. Miranda is torn, does she marry Heathcliff the love of her life and have to stay on the Island forever or does she leave all of Bard Academy behind and go to Penn State University where she has been accepted?

Before Miranda can make a decision though strange things begin to happen. After all, it is Bard Academy, where strange is normal. Catherine shows up from Wuthering Heights, she is Heathcliff's true love. She also happens to look just like Miranda. Then Heathcliff begins to act strangely, when did Heathcliff begin to drink Miranda wonders.

Miranda and her sister Lindsay are called away from the Island for a family emergency. Upon their return they find the Island empty. All of the faculty and students have disappeared. Heathcliff and Catherine are nowhere to be found either. Knowing that somehow Catherine is behind the disappearance of everyone Miranda and Lindsay must travel into other novels in order to find all of their friends before it is too late and the classics as we know them are altered forever.

I have totally enjoyed Cara Lockwoods Bard Academy series! Going to a school where the teachers are characters and authors from famous classics would be totally interesting. There's always a bit of danger in each one also, and of course the romance between Heathcliff and Miranda keeps the pages turning. I believe this may be the last book in the series. If so it was the perfect ending!

This is an advanced copy courtesy of Cara Lockwood through NetGalley.

2011-12-25T08:57:00.000-06:00

Merry CHRISTmas!

May you and your families have a very Merry and blessed Christmas!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

The Forgiven Duke by Jamie Carie

2011-12-23T21:15:00.000-06:00

Beginning where The Guardian Duke left off The Forgiven Duke begins with Alexandria sailing for Iceland with her now fiance' John. Alexandria is still following the trail of her parents. She is convinced that they are still alive and in need of her help.

Gabriel watched her sail away just moments too late to catch her. He is devastated to have missed her and is determined to get the next ship to Iceland to follow her. The crown regent has other ideas for him though and has soldiers bring Gabriel back to England. It is revealed to him what treasure the Featherstones are after. It is now a race to see which country can find the missing manuscript first. Gabriel is kidnapped by the same Spaniards that are after Alexandria. He is forced into service for them in order to save Alexandria.

Alex is having second thoughts about marrying John. She knows that she is in love with Gabriel. Unfortunately John has fallen in love with Alex, plus he needs her money to get himself out of debt. Determined to keep her for himself John resorts to underhanded deeds that compromise Alex's innocence.

Once Alex is returned to England and under Gabriel's guardianship she finds herself confused. Why won't Gabriel talk with her? Why does he avoid her at all costs. Gabriel too is frustrated. He fears that if he reveals his affliction to her that she will never be able to care for him.

The Forgiven Duke takes us on a fast-paced treasure hunt, full of adventure and romance. There were a few things that had me cringing but will probably not bother most people. I can't wait for the last book in the series A Duke's Promise. Just like in The Guardian Duke, The Forgiven Duke has a terrific cliff-hanger that had me screaming for the next one NOW!

This is an Advanced Copy that I read on my Kindle from NetGalley. B&H Publishing Group are the publishers.

A Victorian Christmas by Catherine Palmer

2011-12-20T21:17:00.000-06:00

Well I didn't finish the 4th story in this. I got bogged down I'm afraid. I read 3 of the stories and decided I needed to move on.

The first story: Angel in the Attic

Fara has inherited her father's estate. Now all of the single men are after her for her money. Fara wants nothing to do with them until she finds a stranger laying in the snow with a gunshot wound in his arm. She immediately thinks that he is a desperado. Aaron Hyatt has come to Silver City to find Fara. His father's dying wish was for him to find Fara and hopefully make an alliance for the 2 families. Sparks immediately fly between the two. But they soon come to care for each other.

The Second Story: Lone Star

Star Ellis is on her way from America to marry a British aristocrat in Northern England. Their alliance will help save her father's cattle farm in America. What Star doesn't count on is falling in love with the stranger that travels with her to England. Determined to keep her promise to save her fathers land Star is set on putting her own feelings aside to honor her father.

The Third Story: Under His Wings

A story that mirrors the story of Ruth in the Bible. Gwyneth has traveled with her mother-in-law back to her mother-in-law's family home. A young widow she is determined to stay and take care of her mother-in-law and serve the master of the manor well.

Each story had some entertaining parts to it and characters that make them endearing to the reader. I was just finished with the short stories and ready to move on to something else to finish the 4th story.

Christian Fiction Book Club

2011-12-17T09:20:00.000-06:00

Today we are discussing She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell. Hop on over to Renee's blog at Black 'n Gold Girls Book Spot

to join in the discussion.

Go HERE for my review of She Walks in Beauty. I really enjoyed this book while totally feeling sorry for the main character and also getting frustrated with the time period. Having to wear a corset and "catch" a rich husband while meeting all of the demands of society was quite a chore for a woman. After reading this book I was grateful for the time-period that I live in!

Here are the discussion questions that I chose to answer:

1. Have you ever wanted to fix one of your physical attributes? Which one? Why?

When I was young I wanted to be tall and skinny. I got tired of being called “shorty” or “shrimp” or “small fry” My dream was always to be at least 5’. I never reached that dream, but as an adult I am content with my height.

Fashions through the ages have often been created on the assumption that people aren’t shaped correctly. What apparent flaws does modern fashion try to correct? What is today’s ideal standard of beauty?

I think through commercials we are told that extremely skinny is the fashion of the day. There are so many young girls battling with eating disorders and a lot of it has to do with the fashion industry. A lot of our commercials whether on TV, newspaper ads or in-store advertisements focus on outward appearance. Modesty is out and sexy or I should say “sex” sells.

Head on over to Renee's blog to link up with the discussion today! I've enjoyed being a part of the Christian Fiction Book Club this year.

Guest Post-Author Carey Jane Clark

2011-12-16T00:11:00.000-06:00

Please welcome Author Carey Jane Clark to My Only Vice! Carey kindly asked me to review her first novel After The Snow Falls you can go HERE for my review which was posted yesterday. Carey is a wife, mother and author. You can check out her blog Carey Jane Clark for more information about Carey and her family.

Carey's guest post:

First of all, I want to thank Julie for the opportunity to be a guest at My Only Vice. I'm honored. Julie asked me what my inspiration for After the Snow Falls was--basically why I would choose such a difficult topic to write about, and whether there was a personal connection to the events of the story. (For a synopsis of the story, see the review yesterday.)

I don't think I set out to write about a difficult topic. My desire was to write something meaningful. I think it's just as possible to write something meaningful in a quirky, light hearted way. I really enjoy authors who are able to do that--to entertain you and keep you laughing and then turn around and make you take a look at yourself in the mirror.

I would actually like to be able to write that kind of fiction. I wrote a short piece once for a fiction class in which I created a character named Adelia Foster who was perpetually pregnant. This is part of the description of her:

But Adelia Foster did not glow and she did not look beautiful. She was a giant swollen marshmallow.

One day, perhaps, I'll be able to explore her further. I'd like to see her come to life in a story.

As far as what inspired me to write After the Snow Falls, I don't know that on a conscious level I was really aware of it until someone in my critique group asked me the same question: what motivated you to write about a topic like this? And I suddenly realized I was probably trying to work out an experience I had as a young person. When I was twelve years old, a family friend died of leukemia at the age of four. That experience had a profound effect on me, and I remember thinking: couldn't there have been some other outcome?

For some of the medical details, when I first began researching this story, I read the entire blog of a woman whose daughter had the same diagnosis as Caleb does. I followed this little girl's fight with her disease until the last post--the announcement of her passing. The mother wrote about her daughter with courage and strength of character. That mother was the inspiration for Leigh, who befriends Celia. In many ways, she was a compass to me as I wrote the story--a way to remember to keep the balance between the realities of the situation, and the joys that life brings even in the midst of it.

I think Celia, the main character, by contrast doesn't always handle things with strength and dignity, but there's probably more of me in Celia. The big lesson she has to learn is forgiveness. That's something I've definitely had to live through as well.

I guess ultimately, life is difficult and messy and imperfect, and my characters and their lives are too, but in the midst of that difficulty, there is hope. If readers come away with one impression after putting down my book, I would want it to be that.

Thank you so much Carey for your guest post! Carey has kindly offered to give away a copy of her book to one reader for either a Kindle or Epub. Leave a comment on this post and a winner will be selected next Wednesday December 22nd.

After The Snow Falls by Carey Jane Clark

2011-12-14T23:00:00.000-06:00

Celia and her husband Jeff are faced with a parent’s worst nightmare. Their son Caleb is diagnosed with a brain tumor. They must enter into a world of treatment with very little hope offered for healing.

Just as Celia’s life is crumbling around her she is also faced with her father coming back into her life. Alfie abandoned Celia and her mother when Celia was a young child. Alfie claims he is a “changed man”. Adele, Celia’s mother believes him; Celia though refuses to forgive him.

How far would a parent go to find a cure for their child? Celia explores the realm of alternative medicine while denying any spiritual intervention. Alfie wishes to share his spiritual change with Celia. He is sure that through prayer and forgiveness healing can begin.

Because of the subject matter it is hard to say, “I really enjoyed this book”. But when you take it apart and examine each character you find so much to like. Chapters are alternated between Alfie and Celia. What each one is going through during this process. The author has managed to capture heart-breaking emotions of parents faced with losing their child, consequences of choices that are made and the healing power of forgiveness. So despite the subject of the book, I really did enjoy After the Snow Falls because the characters and subject captured my heart as I read.

Come back tomorrow(Friday December 16th) for a guest post by author Carey Jane Clark and a giveaway of her book After the Snow Falls for either a Kindle or ePub.

The Christmas Bus by Melody Carlson-Kindle

2011-12-09T15:15:00.000-06:00

Christmas Valley capitalizes on it's name all year long. Every store and restaurant is Christmas themed. This year the local pastor and his wife who also run the Bed and Breakfast will sadly be alone. Their children are unable to come home for Christmas.

Inspired by one of her husbands sermons, Edith Ryan decides to open the Bed and Breakfast up to 5 people or families in need of a place to spend Christmas. Charles had preached about being hospitable because they never know when they may be entertaining angels unaware.

Pretty soon all 5 rooms in the Bed and Breakfast are filled up. One of the guests is cantankerous Myrtle. Myrtle seems to be ancient. She is "dropped off" in Christmas Valley and intends to spend 2 weeks at the Bed and Breakfast. Myrtle doesn't seem to know boundaries. She totally ignores the sign above Edith's kitchen that states "no guests beyond this point". She makes herself right at home. Myrtle has a tendency to make people angry also. Her and one of the church members butt heads instantaneously when Myrtle offers to "help" with the traditional Christmas pageant.

A young couple arrives in Christmas Valley. They are driving a broken down, very colorful bus. They are told to get it off the street. They try to get a room at the Bed and Breakfast but there are no more rooms left. Charles and Edith allow them to park their bus in front of the B&B for the night, little knowing that it will be for more than one night since the bus just broke down. Amy and Collin are so young and seem to be in desperate need of help. Not only has their bus broken down, but Amy is very pregnant.

Between Myrtle's shenanigans and worry over Amy and Collin, Edith and Charles have their hands full. Will they be able to make this Christmas special for their guests along with "entertaining an angel unaware"?

I thought this was a sweet Christmas read. It was entertaining as well as thought-provoking. I love the message of being hospitable to all because we may not know when we are entertaining angels unaware. Edith and Charles were perfect examples of two people caring for others no matter their circumstances. I may have to put this on my annual Christmas "read" list.

Christian Fiction Book Club last meeting December 17th

2011-12-08T09:15:00.000-06:00

Renee at Black 'n Gold Girl's Book Spot will be hosting our last book club meeting this year. Meet at her blog on December 17th. We will be discussing She Walks In Beauty by Siri Mitchell. There's still time to get the book and join us for the discussion! Discussion questions are located at the end of the book.

O Little Town : A Novel by Don Reid-Kindle

2011-12-05T10:10:00.000-06:00

Mt. Jefferson in the 1950's was your typical small town where everyone seems to know each other and their lives are intertwined.

It is Christmas 1958 and the story opens with a local pastor's daughter being caught shoplifting in the local department store. Not wanting to raise too big of a scene the manager of the store attempts to keep the news from getting out. Unfortunately he has to call Buddy the Chief of Police in.

Buddy is having problems of his own. He has just found out that his 16 year old daughter is pregnant. The baby's father is the son of a well-known doctor in town. Louis Wayne wants to do the right thing and marry Buddy's daughter.

Walter is in the hospital. His daughters Doris and Colleen are two very different women. Doris has always tried to win her father's love even though she already had his love. She is a strong personality. And she is married to a doctor. Colleen has always been the favored daughter, but something is bothering her that she cannot figure out. Things just don't seem right between her husband Milton(the manager of Macalbee's department store) and herself.

When Buddy brings Pastor Franklin's daughter home he and his wife Dove are both disappointed in their daughter's behavior. Millie seems to have no remorse for what she has been caught doing. Dove decides to march up to the store and defend her daughter. She has been wanting to move from Mt. Jefferson for a long time. There is one temptation that she wants to flee.

Another story is woven into the main story. That is Walter's story from his youth. It is about the tragic loss of his first love.

Everyone gathers Christmas eve for service at Pastor Franklin's church. He delivers a message on forgiveness. Hearts and lives are touched and healing can begin for so many.

I enjoyed this story very much. Everyone's lives interwoven together and the ultimate gift of forgiveness shines through.

Night of the Living Dead Christian by Matt Mikalatos-NetGalley

2011-12-02T09:59:00.000-06:00

Night of the Living Dead Christian:

One Man's Ferociously Funny Quest to Discover What It Means to Be Truly Transformed

The author Matt Mikalatos plays a part in his story of a man trying to find what it means to be truly transformed. As "Matt" is out doing his Neighborhood watch duty one night he runs into a mad scientist(Culbetron) and his robot(Hibbs 3000). Pretty soon zombies arrive on the scene. Then his neighbor turns out to be a werewolf.

Matt's werewolf neighbor is having trouble taming the beast within. His wife has now left him and taken his daughter with her. Matt, Culbetron and Hibbs decide to help Luther(werewolf) find a way of transforming himself from a beast to an acceptable citizen.

From a church full of zombies following a man and his rules instead of the Bible, to finally confronting his father, this is the journey of Luther who wants to be a better man yet instead of yielding his life to Christ like he should, is determined to fix himself his own way.

One of the characters that I liked was a vampire. She represented a "transformed" life but still struggling with the "old" self and desires of her flesh. Matt Mikalatos has written a story that is thought-provoking and challenging along with being fun and a bit irreverent. He did wax preachy a couple of times, but brought us back into the story once more.

I received my copy of Night of the Living Dead Christian from NetGalley and Tyndale House publishers.

Dead Reckoning by Ronie Kendig(Kindle)

2011-11-30T22:33:00.000-06:00

Shiloh's world is shattered when she is on a dive in India. Her best friend is shot and men are trying to kill her.

Reece is amazed at Shiloh's ability to get away from the men sent to kill her. He is trying to gain her trust and protect her while also protecting his heart from ever again falling in love with a strong-headed woman.

Shiloh doesn't know who to trust. Her best friend Khalid has just proposed marriage to her but she is unable to return his feelings. Shiloh has been estranged from her father for 15 years. She has no intentions of ever trusting a man in her life again. Why then, when she doesn't even know him, does Reece garner such trust from her?

Forced to be a player in a game she never wanted to be put in again, Shiloh must learn to forgive and open her heart once more to a faith that she abandoned many years before.

Ronie Kendig knows how to write a fast-paced, action-packed novel! I enjoyed this one from the very beginning.

V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

2011-11-30T13:45:00.000-06:00

Private Investigator Kinsey Millhone witnesses two women shoplifting in the local mall. One is caught, the other tries to run her down in the parking garage. The next thing Kinsey knows is that the woman that was caught has jumped off a local bridge. Kinsey is hired by the woman's fiance to find out what really happened. He does not believe that his fiance was suicidal. Kinsey is soon embroiled in a shoplifting ring with mob-like connections and also "dirty" cops.

Once again Sue Grafton has crafted a "fresh" and exciting Kinsey Millhone novel. I love Kinsey Millhone as a character. She is fun, witty and sassy. I noticed something different in this novel. Instead of the entire novel being written in Kinsey perspective Sue Grafton added a couple of chapters from a few other characters perspectives. It added a bit more dimension to the story and it was interesting. For the most part I enjoyed this latest installment of Kinsey Millhone's adventures. Kinsey has always had a "potty" mouth, but I noticed it a lot more in this novel. I don't know if the author sprinkled in more language or if I am just not remembering it from other novels. It does take Sue Grafton 2-3 years between novels so it could be I just don't remember. Four more novels to go in the alphabet! What will W bring us? W is for...

Holiday Break Reading Challenge 2011-2012

2011-11-29T11:04:00.000-06:00

Ok folks! The Holiday Break Reading Challenge starts over at Edifying and Edgy on December 16th, 2011 and runs through January 1st, 2012. Hop over to E and E and get all of the details and sign up to participate. Books will be given away each day of the challenge. Some of the challenges will be a bit more involved than others, but that's part of the fun! The Holiday Break Reading Challenge is usually hosted by my friend Karin at this site: http://holidaybreakreadingchallenge.blogspot.com/

Go check out former years' challenges and see how much fun we have!

This year Karin and I (Karin is the Edgy half and I am the Edifying half of Edifying and Edgy) will be joining forces on our blog and hope that you will join us in the fun!

We have lots of books to share with you this year so go sign up for the fun!

Invite all of your friends to join us! Grab the button on the right and share on your blog!

Snipesville Chronicles by Dr. Annette Laing

2011-11-27T16:36:00.000-06:00

A while back Dr. Annette Laing was kind enough to send me copies of her Snipesville Chronicles series:

Don't Know Where Don't Know When

A Different Day A Different Destiny

Her 3rd book in the series, "Look Ahead, Look Back" is coming out in March and she has asked me to review it on My Only Vice. I'm excited to do so and look forward to receiving it. She is also offering the first 2 books on sale for Kindle and Nook owners:

o Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Where-Snipesville-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0011T2VQU/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

o NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-know-where-dont-know-when-annette-laing/1022159032?ean=2940012135681&itm=1&usri=annette+laing

Click on the titles above to see my review of each book. I enjoyed them both very much.

Also Dr. Laing was kind enough to do a guest post for my blog. Click HERE to read that post.

You may notice when you click on the links to the books and the guest post that you are taken to my "old" blog at Wordpress. I'm sorry I don't know how to fix that. All of my old reviews before I started using Blogger are still directed to the old site. But it's still me!

Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks Confessions of April Grace by K.D. McCrite

2011-11-22T22:19:00.000-06:00

Eleven-year-old April Grace Reilly is starting Jr. High. She thinks that all will be the same. She is mistaken. One of her best friends is now the leader of a Clique of girls and won't even speak to April Grace.

At home April Grace notices that her mother is not looking the same. She instantly starts worrying about her. But all of the adults in her life tell her that there is nothing to worry about.

Circumstances prevent April Grace's mother from directing the church pageant this year. So April Grace recommends Isabel to be the director. Isabel is not a church member and she also has a demanding spirit about her that concerns the pastor. But April Grace and her sister volunteer to help Isabel direct so that she won't go too overboard.

The story is being told by April Grace who happens to be a hoot! I love the way April Grace just tells it like it is. She is outspoken as only an 11 year old can be. Yet her character has a love for family and friends and a diplomacy about her that seems mature beyond her years. I really enjoyed this story.

Last Breath by Rachel Caine

2011-11-16T20:42:00.000-06:00

Once again something bad is happening in Morganville. Vampires are disappearing. Nobody knows where they are going once they disappear.

Michael and Eve are determined that they will be married even though Amelie refuses them permission to marry. Both human and vampires alike are against the union.

Amelie obviously knows what is happening in Morganville, but she refuses to share with Claire and her friends what is going on. Amelie is determined to get all of the vampires out of Morganville.

Unfortunately an evil more powerful than Claire and her friends have ever faced before has arrived in Morganville. When tragedy strikes none of them are prepared for what happens next.

At first I thought oh no, here we go again. Claire and her friends are once again fighting for their lives. But Rachel Caine has managed to bring a new twist to their fight for survival that has me once again sitting on the edge of my seat waiting breathlessly for the next book!

Women of Faith Conference-Oklahoma City

2011-11-13T16:30:00.000-06:00

Thanks to BookSneeze I received two free tickets to the Women of Faith conference in Oklahoma City this weekend. I was able to take my friend Gloria with me.

We had a wonderful time and were very blessed by all of the speakers! Friday morning was general seating so we sat fairly close to the stage. Our assigned seating was higher up, but still a great view of the stage. My pictures are from my phone so they aren't very good. We could see much better than the pictures show.

Our host was Lori Robertson who MC'd the weekend wonderfully. The worship team ladies were great. They were enthusiastic and energetic and got the crowd on their feet praising the Lord throughout the day. Our first speaker was Patsy Clairmont

She is a HOOT! If you have never heard her before you are really missing out on a wonderful treat. Patsy started out telling us she wanted us to remember 3 things:
1) Say YES to God
2) Thank You-be grateful
3) Have a pocketful of "Holy No's" to be dispensed at the right time, knowing when to say yes, and when to say no.

I loved this thought she shared: "You want to feel better about yourself? Do what you know you're supposed to do."

Patsy also spoke Friday evening. Here are a few quotes that touched me:
"We are not weird, we are unique and a limited edition"
"We don't have to be slapped around by our feelings"
"Step out of our emotions to do what is right and kind and good."

Patsy also shared Saturday morning. Patsy has a way of making you laugh and cry all at the same time. She shared about her son being so sick. Had us in tears over the situation, but in hysterics over her facial expressions and on-stage antics.

Andy Andrews also spoke a couple of times.

At first I was thinking Oh my goodness if this man doesn't stand still I'm going to go NUTS! But I got used to his speaking style and he had some very good things to share. While Andy was speaking I was watching the sign language interpreter. She was moving around just as much as he was! It was very entertaining to watch! I loved when Andy shared stories of he and his boys. I love to see and hear of a father that takes the time to invest himself in raising Godly, holy men of faith. A quote I wrote down that Andy said was

"Everything you do matters to all of us and for all time"

Lisa Whelchel from the 80's sitcom "The Facts of Life" spoke on friendship:

I loved hearing her story of trying to find a friend. A couple of things she said
"Be who God made you to be"
"A real friend listens and receives you"
"imperfect=REAL"

Brenda Warner shared her story with us. She was a single mom of 2 when she met her husband Curt Warner, a football player. Her son is special needs and she shared how Curt fell in love with her kids before he fell in love with her. She came on stage and said she couldn't sing and that the only talent she had was doing the splits! And WOW, she did the splits! And then brought her back leg up! I was impressed! She has had a lot of heartache in her life, but she has chosen to still follow Jesus. A couple of things that stuck with me:
"choose to have faith"
"Circumstances don't determine who you are"

Sandi Patty was also a speaker/singer.

She shared about struggling with her weight and why she has had such a struggle with it. She sang 2 very beautiful songs:
We Shall Behold Him, which she sang and signed. So beautiful!
Then she sang with her husband. I'm not sure of the title of the song, but it had the line "Let This Be Our Prayer" WOW WOW WOW! Amazing and beautiful!

Marilyn Meberg shared about wanting "MORE" A couple of things that stood out for me:

"We were not created to be fully satisfied on this earth"
"He(God) wants us(His creation) to be fully satisfied in Him"
"Yearnings only satisfied with relationship with Him"
"Eternity=one day all yearnings will be satisfied"

Mandisa gave a concert on Friday evening. She has a lovely voice and I loved watching her sing and share about herself.

Deborah Joy Winans shared a couple of skits with us. She can sing and do drama! She just got engaged and so she shared that with us. Congratulations to her!

Amy Grant gave a concert Saturday afternoon. I love her song "Better Than A Hallelujah"

And since I am all about food in my life I can't not mention the box lunches:

This was Saturday's lunch. Sorry about the bite in the sandwich before I took the picture but I just couldn't wait! Friday afternoon our box lunch included a turkey sandwich, chips, apple and cookie. Saturday's lunch had a chicken breast(a real breast!) sandwich, orange, chips and rice crispy treat. Each box lunch also had a napkin, mint and wet wipe. OH, and water! They were both great lunches and very filling and nice that I didn't have to get lunch from a fast food vendor. I did indulge in a frozen yogurt! Obviously a lot of other women couldn't pass up the opportunity either because the yogurt vendors had the longest lines besides the restrooms! All leftover box lunches were taken to The City Rescue Mission.

I had a wonderful time this weekend! I was blessed! Each speaker shared from his/her heart. They shared their failings and their triumphs. We were able to connect with them each in a different way. Next years Oklahoma City Women of Faith will be held August 10th and 11th. My friend Gloria and I would love to go again! Thanks so much BookSneeze for providing free tickets to this event. And thanks to the Women of Faith speakers and entertainers!

Women of Faith

2011-11-09T09:44:00.000-06:00

I'm headed to the Women of Faith Conference in Oklahoma City this weekend! I'm so excited. I'll be going with a friend. We were even smart and got a hotel room so that we wouldn't have to travel so early on Saturday! I hope to post pics to facebook while I am there. I'm not very technologically savvy though so we will have to see if I can figure out how to do that with my phone.

I will be posting about the weekend after it is over. Thanks to BookSneeze for the free tickets so that my friend and I can go experience this weekend. I look forward to sharing how blessed we were!

In the meantime, enjoy the video advertising the event.

Christian Fiction Book Club Last Book of the Year!

2011-11-08T08:46:00.000-06:00

The Christian Fiction Book Club will be reading "She Walks In Beauty" by Siri Mitchell. We will be meeting on December 17th. The Hostess will be announced soon. If you haven't participated before feel free to join us for our last meeting of the year. All you need to do is read the book, choose a couple of discussion questions(that I will have to go find) and answer them. Post your review and answers on December 17th. Go to the blog that is hosting the club and link your post and join the discussion. Simple! We would love to have you join us!

Update: Discussion questions are at the end of the book. So choose a couple to answer and discuss.

The Guardian Duke by Jamie Carie-NetGalley

2011-11-06T14:22:00.000-06:00

Alexandria Featherstone's parents are treasure hunters. They have been missing for almost a year. Alexandria does not know where they are. The King has declared them dead and has ordered a guardian to take over Alexandria's affairs.

Gabriel, Duke of St. Easton is notified that he is to be guardian to Alexandria. At the moment though he is suffering his own troubles. Mysteriously he has become deaf. Unwilling to show this malady to the aristocracy, fearing the gossips, he has attempted to maintain business as usual.

Alexandria is affronted when the Duke sends a letter that comes across a little high-handed for her taste. After several exchanges of letters Alexandria decides that she must go on her own to find her parents whom she has decided have not died but are waylaid somewhere. She manages to procure money from the Duke in order to finance her quest.

Gabriel decides he must go get Alexandria and bring her home with him in order to keep her safe. Little does he know that Alexandria has already begun her quest and is determined that he will not find her before she has successfully found her parents. Not only is Alexandria trying to keep ahead of Gabriel, but she is also trying to stay out of the hands of others trying to keep her from finding her parents.

Throughout their correspondence Gabriel and Alexandria have developed a sort of affection for each other. Alexandria is determined though to not be thwarted in her mission. Will Gabriel reach her before she disappears for good?

I have enjoyed most of Jamie Carie's books. This one was about the best that I have read! I loved it! There is a bit of romance, a bit of mystery, and a bit of adventure, all wrapped up into a delightful story. And who can resist that amazing cover? I do have to say about the ending ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!! Talk about an amazing cliff-hanger! This is a must-read!

I received my review copy from NetGalley and read it on my Kindle.

Christian Fiction Book Club-Dancing On Glass by Pamela Ewen

2011-11-05T02:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Book Club! Today we are discussing Dancing On Glass by Pamela Ewen.

Here is my review:

Amalise Catoir is a law student in New Orleans. She works at a cafe to support her continued education. Having been raised in a quiet bayou town she enjoys living in the busy city.

She meets Phillip Sharp one day when she steps into an art gallery to get out of the rain. He is showing his paintings. Although his paintings disturb Amalise she is drawn to Phillip. He wants to paint Amalise. She is drawn to him and determined to love and protect him from his pitiful childhood.

Even though Amalise is warned by her best friend from childhood Jude, she is determined to pursue her relationship with Phillip. She enters into a hasty marriage with him. Even before she marries him there are signs of Phillips dark moods. He and Amalise attend church together a couple of times but Phillip is not interested. Amalise feels that if she loves him enough and gives him time that he will eventually come to church.

Once Amalise graduates from law school she is offered a job with a law firm in New Orleans. As a new lawyer she is expected to put in long hours and attend many parties. Phillip is not happy with the long hours nor is he happy to attend the parties with her. He keeps tabs on every hour of her day. He wants to know where she is at all times and with whom she is with. Soon he not only is manipulating Amalise with his words, but he also resorts to violence causing Amalise to tread lightly when she is with him.

Hiding Phillips true character from her parents, Jude and her co-workers, Amalise has nowhere to turn but to her Abba Father. Things soon fall apart when Amalise finds Phillip with another young girl. Determined to leave him she packs for a business trip telling herself that she will never go back to him. This action sends Phillip over the edge and the consequences are devastating.

This was such a well-written book. I was invested in Amalise’s character. I felt frustrated with her that she couldn’t see Phillip’s true character. But the author does explain how Amalise was manipulated. Although the subject of the book was dark the author was able to show how God can and will forgive us our mistakes and give us new life.

I give Dancing On Glass:

Discussion Questions that I chose:

1. In the first chapter of Dancing on Glass, Amalise is introduced to Phillip Sharp through his paintings on show in Porter Gallery, on Royal Street. Often the work of an artist reflects the mind of its creator. What warning do the paintings offer at first glance to Amalise about the artist’s character? What are some other clues to his character that emerge early on in the story—warning signs?

His paintings of women are very dark. They all have vacant eyes. I think it reflects on his feelings towards women. I think the paintings themselves were a warning for Amalise to stay away from Phillip. They disturbed her and she should have heeded those uneasy feelings. There were so many warning signs that I wanted to smack some smarts into Amalise! A couple of things that I can remember; when Phillip wanted to paint her unclothed, when she finds that he really wasn’t a professor after leading her to believe he was, using his “poor me” story to manipulate Amalise’s feelings and so many more things.

The ancient Greeks placed the concept of love into four categories: friendship; natural affection, such as maternal and familial love; passionate or sensual love; and God’s love. Which category most closely fits the bond that ties Amalise to Phillip? (Clue: My opinion? Not the obvious.) In your opinion, what category most closely fits the bond that Amalise feels for Jude?

I think that Amalise had a maternal bond to Phillip. He made her feel sorry for him. That brought out her mother instincts to protect him. As far as Amalise and Jude are concerned I think that it is a friendship bond that could potentially turn into a passionate bond once Amalise heals from her relationship with Phillip.

. Phillip says to Amalise: “When you’re not with me, I’m not alive…I don’t exist without you.” Variations of that thought appear throughout the book. What does Phillip mean by this? How does this affect Amalise’s emotional bond to her husband in the relationship?

I think those words are another ploy for Phillip to get Amalise to feel sorry for him. It’s another manipulation of emotions. Also it is another way of separating her from her friends and family. He has made Amalise feel that she is the only one that cares for him and therefore she feels guilty if she is friends with someone else.

Women today have choices about our lives that our grandmothers never had. A recent study at UC Hastings Law School found that in the current recession more than 50% of the jobs in 2011 are held by women, and statistically women working outside the home in two-income families are earning more than their working husbands. And yet women are still struggling to balance jobs and home life. Over time Phillip’s demands on Amalise’s increase. Once she’s a full-fledged lawyer at Mangen & Morris, her old habit of prioritizing expands into an attempt to balance home and her career by compartmentalizing. Do you think this was effective, given the situation and her relationship with Phillip?

When expected to give 100% at work and 100% at home something is going to give. It is not very effective in Amalise’s case. Phillip becomes more abusive and she becomes more exhausted. It eventually all blows up.

i. Whether working inside or outside the home, how do you find balance in your life?

Marriage is a partnership. When I was working full time it took both my husband and I working together to keep things going in the household. We helped each other get dinner ready each night. We both do the grocery shopping. There are many other things that we share the responsibility for. We both have strengths and weaknesses.

Did Dancing on Glass offer any new insight for you as to why strong women sometimes stand by their man no matter what? Do you believe that Christian faith requires this in a relationship like Amalise and Phillip’s?

Not ever having been in an abusive relationship I have a hard time understanding how a woman can stay with a man that abuses either verbally or physically. Even after finishing the book I still have a hard time with the fact that Amalise put up with so much from Phillip. I do not think that any woman should stay in a relationship that is abusive just because they are Christian.

Sorry for the wonky post in parts. The only way I could figure out to fix this was to delete and start over and I didn't want to do that!

Now it is your turn. Link up and let's discuss what you all thought about the book!

Wom

1. In

A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman

2011-11-03T09:40:00.000-05:00

Katie O'Connor is determined to have her own way. She hates being "controlled" by anyone, especially her father. One evening when she returns home after curfew her father is determined to reign her in. Her punishment is that for the rest of the summer she cannot see her boyfriend Jack and also she must do volunteer work at the Boston Children's Aid Society. To make matters worse her childhood tormentor Cluny McGee also works at the Society.

Cluny, now Luke, was a street orphan. Katie's brother-in-law took him under his wing and showed him a better way to live. Now grown-up Luke is a lawyer working for the BCAS. When Katie comes to work for the BCAS sparks fly between she and Luke. Katie is determined to make him as miserable now as he made her when they were children. What neither count on is their attraction for each other to turn into a love that neither is free to act on.

While I fell in love with the characters and enjoyed the storyline very much I must say that I got a little frustrated while reading A Hope Undaunted. It seemed that there were too many other stories besides Katie's and Luke's going on. But the thing that frustrated me the most was the continual triangle that the characters seemed to be having. It almost seemed like the characters would never get off of the merry-go-round, that they would switch from one triangle to another and the story would never end. That being said, I still felt invested in the characters and I was hoping for the Happily Ever After that I crave...and yes, the ending delivered!

Christian Fiction Book Club Reminder

2011-11-02T09:39:00.000-05:00

The Christian Fiction Book Club will be meeting here at My Only Vice this Saturday to discuss Dancing On Glass by Pamela Ewen.

If you would like to join us please feel free! Here are the discussion questions from Pamela's website:

2. Have you ever had a friend like Jude—someone you’ve grown up with, who knows you inside out, and who you’re certain you can trust? Yet Amalise ignores Judes’s advice—why do you think she reacts like this?

3. Read pages 28-29. Amalise tells Phillip about a puppy she saved from cruel treatment by a group of young boys. Mama had never allowed pets in the house, but she made an exception for this one, named Sally. Amalise describes the relationship between herself, Sally, and Mama, using the words ‘love,’ ‘grace’, and ‘redemption’. Why do you think that she described these events this way? Do you remember moments in your own life that held the same special ‘circle of grace’? How do you think this relates to God’s grace toward us?

4. Amalise’s background in the small town of Marianus is described in several parts of the book. What impact did her natural optimism and her fascination with movies at the Regal Theater when she was young have on her attraction to Phillip Sharp? What part does the ‘observer’ in her mind play in this theme throughout the story? Have you noticed an ‘observer’ in your own mind from time to time?

i. Have you ever been in a relationship that you’ve embellished in your mind, or idealized someone? Why is that sometimes harmful?

5. Phillip not only paints, he also carves miniature figures from wood. When he moves in with Amalise, she suggests that he bring the carvings with him, and he says he’s thrown them all away. He’ll carve new ones. Same with the carvings he’s left at home in New York. What clue does this give you to Phillip’s personality? (Recall Jude’s conversation with Joanna in Porter Gallery).

6. Review pages 55-58. As Phillip’s complex character begins to unfold, how does Amalise’s response foreshadow problems she encounters with Phillip later on in their relationship? Can you spot other scenes in the story where her desire to maintain illusion compounds the problem?

7. Throughout the story the tragedy of the children in Vietnam and Cambodia in the early nineteen seventies plays out on the nightly television news. Review Chapter Twenty-One and contrast the various reactions to this situation from Phillip, Amalise, and Jude. What does this tell you about Phillip’s character?

· On page 157 Amalise reflects on conversations she’s had with Jude in the past about why bad things happen in God’s world. What do you think of Jude’s answer?

8. Several times Amalise senses that Phillip is spying on her, or that he has lied and each time Phillip is able to deflect the suspicion by turning it around, by causing her to question herself instead. What are some examples of the techniques that Phillip uses in the story to accomplish this psychological confusion?

9. The ancient Greeks placed the concept of love into four categories: friendship; natural affection, such as maternal and familial love; passionate or sensual love; and God’s love. Which category most closely fits the bond that ties Amalise to Phillip? (Clue: My opinion? Not the obvious.) In your opinion, what category most closely fits the bond that Amalise feels for Jude?

10. Phillip says to Amalise: “When you’re not with me, I’m not alive…I don’t exist without you.” Variations of that thought appear throughout the book. What does Phillip mean by this? How does this affect Amalise’s emotional bond to her husband in the relationship?

11. Women today have choices about our lives that our grandmothers never had. A recent study at UC Hastings Law School found that in the current recession more than 50% of the jobs in 2011 are held by women, and statistically women working outside the home in two-income families are earning more than their working husbands. And yet women are still struggling to balance jobs and home life. Over time Phillip’s demands on Amalise’s increase. Once she’s a full-fledged lawyer at Mangen & Morris, her old habit of prioritizing expands into an attempt to balance home and her career by compartmentalizing. Do you think this was effective, given the situation and her relationship with Phillip?

i. Whether working inside or outside the home, how do you find balance in your life?

12. And, women today are strong, self-confident, strengthened by our new opportunities and independence. Yet we’re also still the softer sex, nurturing, with instincts to protect those who are weaker. I call that the ‘double-bind’. In the end Amalise decides, regarding her relationship with Phillip, that ‘pity was the trap’. Do you agree with this concept of the double-bind and relationships. Recall Phillip’s acts of cutting himself with the carving knife during the story. Do you think the double-bind made Amalise a perfect target for Phillip’s manipulation, or do you think her vulnerability was fed by something else?

13. Did Dancing on Glass offer any new insight for you as to why strong women sometimes stand by their man no matter what? Do you believe that Christian faith requires this in a relationship like Amalise and Phillip’s?

14. Just for fun: On the cover – do you notice anything unusual about the red umbrella?

Choose one or more of the discussion questions to answer. If you do not have a blog feel free to enter the discussion anyway by commenting in the comments section. I'll have a linky for everyone to link up their thoughts and questions and answers.

Go out and grab your copy of the book today and plan on joining us this Saturday November 5th right here at My Only Vice!

Home For The Holidays(The Mother Daughter Book Club) by Heather Vogel Frederick

2011-10-30T17:09:00.000-05:00

Emma, Jess, Cassidy, Megan, Becca and their mothers are all back for a new season of the Mother-Daughter book club. This season the girls and their mothers will be reading the Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace. Since they will all be in different places for the Holidays they decide that they will celebrate together on New Year's Eve.

The girls have picked names among themselves to be Secret Santa to. As each girl opens their gifts each day they are disappointed in their Secret Santa. It seems that their Secret Santa does not know them at all. When the "big reveal" on New Year's Eve comes around tempers are right under the surface.

Becca and her family spend Christmas on a cruise with Megan and her family. Becca's family has a secret that they do not want to share with anyone until after the Holidays. Becca can only think of how this secret affects her.

Megan's boyfriend has just broken up with her over email. She is heart-broken, but when she meets Phillipe the captains son she thinks that maybe life will go on.

Jess is disappointed as she was going to spend the holidays in Switzerland. An unfortunate accident keeps her in the States. When her aunt and uncle invite her family to come to their hotel in New Hampshire they decide to go there.

Emma is invited to go with Jess and her family. Her parents let her go, but she finds that it is not as fun as she thought it would be to be away from her family during The Holiday.

Cassidy and her family go out to California. Her step-father Stanley has a job offer that could take them back to California(where they lived before moving to Concord). Cassidy had longed to go back to California, but now she has established her home in Concord and is not sure that she want to move again.

Through all of the bumps and trials the girls' family and friendships stand the tests of time. I absolutely love The Mother-Daughter book Club series and recommend it as a great read for young girls. My daughter is 19 and when we got this new book in the mail she was so excited! She wanted to read it before I got to it, but was gracious enough to allow me first dibs! This 5th book was just as good as the 1st and I'm looking forward to future books in the series.

Shadow In Serenity by Terri Blackstock

2011-10-23T22:28:00.000-05:00

From the Publisher:

Summary:

At the age of 17, Carny Sullivan broke free from the traveling carnival and scamming visitors with her dad, and moved to the safe town of Serenity, Texas. Now with a house of her own, a young son and a new life with people who love her, Carny is very protective of her new hometown. But Carny still knows a con artist when she sees one, and when charming, slick Logan Brisco arrives to dupe her town, she is determined to reveal his greedy intentions to all. Carny may be Brisco's biggest match.

Never having had a real family, Brisco becomes comfortable in the quaint, welcoming town, and the lure of the townspeople love may be just what he needs to change his criminal ways. Despite Carny's anger towards Brisco and her attempts to expose his scam to the townspeople, Carny learns the truth about the man behind that suave smile. It would take a miracle to change him, but she's seen that kind of redemption firsthand.

About the author:

Terri Blackstock has sold six million books worldwide and is a ”New York Times” bestselling author. With over 25 years of success as a novelist, Blackstock's most recent novel, “Vicious Cycle,” debuted on the ”New York Times” bestseller list. The first book in the Intervention Series, “Intervention” is a “New York Times” bestseller and a 2010 Carol Award Winner. Other Blackstock favorites include ”Predator” and “Double Minds,” as well as the Restoration Series, the Newpointe 911 Series, the Cape Refuge Series and the SunCoast Chronicles series. For more information, please visit www.terriblackstock.com.

Book Vitals:

Vitals:
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN-13: 9780310332312
Page count: 352 Pages
USD: $14.99
On Sale Date: September 27, 2011
Genre: FICTION/Christian/Suspense

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed Shadow In Serenity. I found myself getting frustrated with the town of Serenity though. They seemed to be easily duped by Logan Brisco even though Carny tried every way possible to tell them that he was pulling a scam. Knowing her background I think that people would have taken her more seriously. Logan's love for the community he came to scam is very believable. Serenity showed him the love and acceptance that he never had growing up. I believe that Shadow In Serenity shows that nobody is beyond the redemption that God has to offer. Throughout the book you can see God working in Logan's life to soften his heart and bring him to Himself.

The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere

2011-10-17T19:12:00.000-05:00

Gretchen and her children move into a condo to be closer to her mother. While moving in Gretchen and her children meet their neighbor Melissa. Melissa doesn't seem very friendly, but Emma and Ethan still try to make friends.

Shortly after moving a man shows up at Gretchen's door. He is Melissa's mother's landlord. Melissa's mother Ramona has died and her landlord is trying to find Melissa. He leaves it to Gretchen to tell Melissa about her mother. Gretchen doesn't know why, but she is compelled to go over and offer Melissa her assistance in helping clear out her mother's apartment.

Melissa has never felt love from her mother. Ramona went from one boyfriend to another and from one apartment to another Melissa's entire childhood. She doesn't know why she accepts Gretchen's offer of help, but she is grateful for this neighbor who insists on becoming part of her life. While cleaning the apartment Melissa discovers a note that her mother started to write to her. It indicates that Melissa has siblings that she never knew about. This is both exciting and devastating news for Melissa. She is angry that her mother never told her this while she was alive.

Gretchen has her own problems. After her husband was involved in a bombing while serving in Afghanistan she has moved her children to be closer to her mother. While starting over and trying to keep their family together she doesn't understand why she feels the urge to help Melissa. With the help of Gretchen's mother and her quirky friend Gloria, Melissa finds the love of friends that she has never known before.

This was a heart-warming, feel-good story that I thoroughly enjoyed. It had the "Happily Ever After" ending that I crave so much in stories. This is the perfect book for a cold winter day curled up on the couch with a fire going and hot chocolate by your side!

Lion's Pride by Debbie Jordan

2011-10-14T13:39:00.000-05:00

The sheriff of Moon Valley must find the murderer of Don Santiago Castillo de Leon. Unfortunately for sheriff Paco Alaniz the list of suspects is long. Don Santiago was not a man loved by his family or his workers, few will miss him.

Father Ramon does his best to comfort the grieving widow Dona Margarita while battling his forbidden attraction for her. He cannot understand how Margarita can grieve for the husband that abused her. Both are wracked with guilt and condemnation.

In a nearby settlement a group of polygamists live. Led by their strict leader Prosper Hanson, the husband of 9 wives looking to take on a 10th wife to further populate the earth. When sheriff Paco's wife visits the settlement one of Prosper's wives approaches her to take a message to her brother. She is fed up with Prosper's ways and has decided to leave the sect.

When Willa's brother Jacob Strong arrives in town he is determined to rescue his sister from Prosper. Jacob not only wants to rescue Willa but also the woman he loves, Maida, Prosper's first wife. Even though Maida loves Jacob she is determined to honor God by staying with the sect. The family have all been taught by Prosper that God speaks to him and therefore they must honor him in order to honor God.

Not only does the sheriff find his hands full with a murder investigation, but also the unrest in the polygamist settlement along with a roving puma cat killing cattle and terrorizing the town and settlement. Sheriff Paco, in his steady calm manner goes about protecting his town and the people that live there.

Lion's Pride was a delightful surprise for me! I enjoyed each character in the story. I loved the relationship that sheriff Paco and his wife Connie shared. Prosper and his family and fellow polygamists were depicted with honesty and even sympathy. Author Debbie Jordan was able to bring the feelings and flaws of all of her characters onto the pages of her book and into the heart of this reader.

Published by: Outskirts Press

Famous by Todd Strasser

2011-10-11T22:37:00.000-05:00

Jamie Gordon is famous for being the youngest paparazzi. She has a knack for getting just the right pictures of the stars. Her fellow paparazzi think that she is just a one-hit wonder. Her mother refuses to call her photography skills a career. And her boyfriend seems to be distancing himself from her.

When superstar Willow Twine requests Jamie come to LA and do an exclusive photo shoot for a week, Jamie is thrilled. Willow is trying to boost her career. After coming out of rehab she has one last chance to clean herself up or she becomes a has-been. Willow is bent on destruction though as she has her former boyfriend Rex come stay. When Jamie finds some unexpected pictures on her camera she must decide what to do, betray a friend to boost her own career or delete them and miss her opportunity for fame.

Also while in LA, Jamie tries to get in contact with her best friend. Avy moved to LA when he was 15 to seek his acting career. When Jamie finally meets up with him she is shocked by what he has done to himself. Plastic surgery has made him not even look like the Avy she used to know.

On the positive side I liked Famous very much. I was engaged with all of the characters. I wanted to know what was happening in their lives. On the negative side the book was written so choppily that it sometimes got hard to follow. One minute we were reading about something that happened in 9th grade and then the next chapter we were in the present, then the next chapter we would be early in Jamie's 10th grade year. Somehow though I managed to become involved in the story and then it was hard to put down.

Christian Fiction Book Club November 5th!

2011-10-10T12:37:00.000-05:00

The Christian Fiction Book Club will be meeting here at My Only Vice on November 5th to discuss Dancing on Glass by Pamela Ewen. All are welcome to participate. Feel free to join us that day to discuss the book. I'll have a place for you to link your review and answers. You can choose as many of the discussion questions as you would like. Answer them and post them, link up and we will hop around that day to discuss the book.

The author has kindly sent me an introduction and the questions:

FROM THE AUTHOR:

SPOILER ALERT: These questions will give away surprises in the story.

Don’t peek until you’ve finished!

In Dancing on Glass we’re probing some knotty questions together: the secrets many women keep hidden away in the privacy of home, secrets that only sometimes seep into the open. The question is why do some women with every opportunity to leave abusive relationships (whether emotionally or physically abusive) stand by their man no matter what?

I think understanding is the key to prevention. Amalise Catoir is a woman who made a commitment too soon. In Dancing on Glass Amalise is honest, strong, self-confident. She had a happy childhood. (This is not the Burning Bed) But she’s also compassionate, with that full-blown nurturing instinct. Her bad choices lead to difficult consequences. So I asked myself, what causes a strong and independent woman to become trapped in such a manipulative relationship? And what part does faith and God’s grace play in all of this?

AND NOW FOR THE QUESTIONS:

Here are some questions you might like to think through. Pick them all, or pick a few. And contact me(Author Pamela Ewen) through my web site at www.pamelaewen.com if you’d like to discuss them together!

i. Have you ever been in a relationship that you’ve embellished in your mind, or idealized someone? Why is that sometimes harmful?

· On page 157 Amalise reflects on conversations she’s had with Jude in the past about why bad things happen in God’s world. What do you think of Jude’s answer?

i. Whether working inside or outside the home, how do you find balance in your life?

14. Just for fun: On the cover – do you notice anything unusual about the red umbrella?

Go out and grab your copy of the book today and plan on joining us November 5th right here at My Only Vice!

The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund

2011-10-09T21:05:00.000-05:00

Priscilla White knows that she is called to be a missionary. After all, she knows she will never marry because of the heart-breaking secret she carries with her each day.

Dr. Eli Ernest has a dream to become a missionary in Oregon country. He too carries scars from his past. He also knows that the mission field is no place for a woman.

Unfortunately for both Eli and Priscilla the mission board is no longer sending out single people. They wish for only married couples to go into the field. With no other choice before them Eli and Priscilla enter into a marriage of convenience.

Eli resents having to take a woman across the hard trails to Oregon country. Priscilla is determined to show him that she is strong enough to make the journey. Neither one of them counted on the awkwardness that would occur when they met up with the other young couple traveling with them. Henry, a young preacher, and his wife Mabel have agreed to travel with Eli and Priscilla to Oregon country to start a new mission. Henry though is a former suitor of Priscilla's. She had told him that she would never marry, now she shows up married to another man.

The journey is filled with frustration for Eli, hardships for the entire party and near disaster at every corner. Will their determination to serve their Savior carry them through the many miles and hardships of travel? And what about Eli and Priscilla's agreement of a marriage of convenience? Will they be able to deny the attraction they feel for each other?

This is the second book I have read by Jody Hedlund and I must say that she is not afraid to delve into the cost of following Christ. Eli and Priscilla leave all that they know in order to bring the gospel to the lost Indian tribes in the Oregon country. They suffer hardships, illness, exhaustion and frustration(and fleas) at every turn and they still press on to serve Him. Ms. Hedlund is not afraid to show the weaknesses of her characters, their human-ness helps us to relate. If you are a Historical Fiction fan this book is for you!

Kiss on Night Winner

2011-10-08T09:16:00.000-05:00

THE WINNER OF A COPY OF KISS OF NIGHT IS...LEN!

Thanks to Random.org Len was selected as the winner of Kiss of Night. I'll be emailing Len soon. Congratulations! Thank you for participating. I've enjoyed the week of blog-touring for this book and look forward to the next 2 in the series!

Last day for KISS OF NIGHT blog tour

2011-10-07T02:00:00.000-05:00

Check out these blogs today for the last day of the blog tour. I've enjoyed seeing everyone's reviews and interviews and guest posts. Remember to leave a comment with an email address to enter to win a copy of Kiss of Night. Winner will be announced tomorrow(Saturday).

October 7

http://books-movies-chinesefood.blogspot.com

http://afewofmyfavoritethings-michelle.blogspot.com/

http://bookzone.atwc1.com

http://proudbooknerd.com

http://www.amusingreviews.blogspot.com

http://www.talesofwhimsy.com

http://www.libslibrary.blogspot.com

KISS OF NIGHT BLOG TOUR

2011-10-06T02:00:00.000-05:00

Check out these blogs for the next stop on the tour:

October 6

http://rbclibrary.wordpress.com

http://www.reviewsbymolly.com

http://www.bibliophilesretreat.com

http://www.bookswithbite.net

http://reviewsfromtheheart.blogspot.com

http://Www.tinasbookreviews.com

http://itstimetoreadmamaw.blogspot.com/

Check out my review HERE

Go HERE to read my GUEST BLOG POST with Debbie Viguie and enter the giveaway for KISS OF NIGHT

Guest Post featuring Debbie Viguie-Author of Kiss of Night-and GIVEAWAY

2011-10-05T02:00:00.000-05:00

When I was asked to review Kiss of Night I had a choice of doing a question and answer post with Debbie Viguie or have Ms. Viguie herself do a Guest Post. I opted for a Guest Post since I am horrible about coming up with questions for authors. A couple things I asked Ms. Viguie to cover in her guest post were a biography about herself and writing and also what made her choose to write a "Christian" vampire novel.

Here is what Ms. Viguie had to say:

I loved reading since I was little and writing seemed to come right after. I would play with my toys and then stop and write about the very adventure I’d just acted out. My teachers and parents saw this desire to write and encouraged me to pursue it. When I was in 6th grade I received my first rejection letter. It wasn’t until many years later that I would walk into a bookstore and see my name in print. I sold more than a dozen books, some to the Christian market and some to the secular market, before I finally sold the book I’d been dreaming of selling for years.

And that’s what I want to talk about.

Everyone has a dream, the thing that seems so wonderful and yet so elusive. For many people dreams seem like impossibilities but I believe that if you work at your dream, and share what you want with those around you, no dream is impossible.

Ever since I was little I loved stories about classic monsters like the Wolfman, Dracula, and Frankenstein’s monster. When I was in high school I read two books that changed my life: Dracula by Bram Stoker and Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti. Both books were terrifying in their own way. Both books moved me. I learned that I loved stories of redemption and stories about good struggling against impossible odds to defeat evil. In college I tried to find other books that inspired me as these did. What I wanted most was to read about Christian heroes fighting evil, particularly monsters, and overcoming. I was deeply disappointed that on the rare occasion when Christian characters were introduced in films or novels they were deeply flawed and most had lost their faith.

That wasn’t what I wanted to read. So, one day, I decided that since I couldn’t find the story I wanted to read then I would write it. I remember coming home from class and scribbling down my very first notes for what would ultimately be the Kiss series.

But I wasn’t a published writer and it seemed like an impossible dream that I would ever be able to share these stories with anyone else.

I kept working and eventually I achieved my goal of becoming a published writer. I thought again of my Christian vampire series.

But I wasn’t published in Christian fiction, only in secular, and it seemed like an impossible dream.

I sold more books, got an agent, and sold my first Christian series, a fabulously fun one called Sweet Seasons. Once again I thought of my Christian vampire series and I told my agent about it.

But my agent laughed at me for two minutes straight on the phone without taking a breath. She then told me no one would buy such a thing and I was crazy to think they would.

I sold more books, including more Christian books. I kept working to build a name for myself in the secular fantasy and the Christian mystery genres. And then one day the impossible happened. My agent called and said that after some false starts and dead ends she found a publisher who wanted to buy my Christian vampire series.

And now book one is coming out and I will finally get to share my dream of a Christian vampire series with the world. It took eighteen years.

And I have to say as I hold it in my hands -

It was totally worth the wait.

I have fulfilled a dream that many, many people told me was impossible. And now I want to challenge others to do the same. What dream do you have that hasn’t come true? It’s never too late you know. Consider this. Grandma Moses is one of the most famous and honored artists in American history. She didn’t start painting until arthritis prevented her from holding a needle and doing any crocheting. She was in her upper seventies. She died at the age of 101 and painted every day up until the last three months of her life. Imagine all that she accomplished and how late she started!

What dream do you have? It’s never too late to start. And take it from me, there’s nothing quite like a dream come true.

Thanks so much to Ms. Viguie for agreeing to do this guest post!

Check out my REVIEW here.

Visit these blogs today as part of the ongoing tour:

October 5

http://www.myfriendamysblog.com

http://ashleysbookshelf.blogspot.com

http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com

http://overweight-bookshelf.blogspot.com/

http://www.seasonsofhumility.blogspot.com

http://www.mikeduran.com

http://www.tickettoanywhere.net

NOW FOR A SPECIAL GIVEAWAY OF KISS OF NIGHT. LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOU WILL BE ENTERED TO WIN A COPY FROM THE PUBLISHER! US AND CANADA RESIDENTS ONLY. LEAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS TO CONTACT YOU.

Kiss of Night by Debbie Viguie-Blog Tour

2011-10-04T02:00:00.000-05:00

Susan is in Prague for her grandmother’s funeral. Susan’s cousin Wendy just arrived also and has met up with a guy and wants to go clubbing with him. The minute Susan meets him she feels evilness surrounding him. She tries to persuade Wendy to not go with him. Wendy is determined to leave with him so Susan decides to go with them. Returning from getting a sweater Susan finds that they have left her behind.

Raphael appears and insists that he knows where Wendy and her companion have gone. He too scares Susan but she must find Wendy. Raphael takes Susan to a place where evil reigns. She finds Wendy but Wendy seems to be under a spell. This is all too true. Susan finds that Wendy is under the spell of an evil vampire. Raphael helps the girls escape. He too is a vampire. Changed many centuries before, Raphael has returned to Prague to fight a war between good and evil.

David is a hotel guest in the room next to Susan and Wendy’s. When other vampires come to kill Raphael and the girls he jumps into the fray not knowing what he is getting into.

Raphael needs both Susan and David to help in the war. Susan’s grandmother has left her property in France along with a mystery to unravel. Raphael and Susan travel to France and are followed by the evil vampires and their slave humans.

Can Raphael and Susan learn to trust each other? Susan is attracted to Raphael, but she wonders if his kisses are as knee-weakening as they seem or is he mesmerizing her in order to gain her compliance with his schemes?

I enjoyed this book. I thought it was interesting to see the way the author made some of the vampires redeemable instead of damned. I liked how each chapter began with a verse of scripture about blood. Even though this is advertised as a Christian novel the book does not get overly preachy. It is more about good vs. evil and the question of whether vampires can be redeemed from their past evil. There was lots of action that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I did think that the romance between Raphael and Susan could have been developed more. A few steamy kisses do not a romance make (at least for this reader). My understanding is that this is to be a trilogy, so I am looking forward to seeing what happens next!

I give Kiss of Night:

Come back tomorrow for a Guest Post by the author of Kiss of Night, Debbie Viguie and a GIVEAWAY of the book!

Follow today's tour stops:

http://www.a-fair-substitute-for-heaven.blogspot.com

http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com

http://www.kittycrochettwo.blogspot.com

http://www.heartofabookworm.blogspot.com

http://practicalfrugality.blogspot.com/

http://www.electrifyingreviews.com/
http://www.myonlyvice.blogspot.com/

Kiss of Night Blog Tour October 3-7

2011-10-02T15:16:00.000-05:00

I will be participating in the Kiss Of Night blog tour that runs from October 3rd thru October 7th. Visit My Only Vice October 4th for my review and then come back on October 5th for a guest post by Debbie Viguie and a give away of her book!

Here is the blog tour schedule:

October 3

http://www.renees-reads.blogspot.com/

http://torilounge.blogspot.com

http://www.bittenbybooks.com

http://steelergirl83.blogspot.com

http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com

http://www.moonlightbookreviews.com

http://www.edgyinspirationalromance.com

October 4

http://www.a-fair-substitute-for-heaven.blogspot.com

http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com

http://www.kittycrochettwo.blogspot.com