tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31036205218941100832012-01-29T11:42:29.126-08:00Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.comBlogger2151100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-43479876062653872942012-01-29T11:42:00.000-08:002012-01-29T11:42:29.147-08:00

One of the very best things about my Kindle is all of the free reads that come my way.  Yes, there are times when books come along that just waste my time, but I have stumbled upon some really good reads that I wouldn't have picked up on my own when they were free for Kindle. Love Will Follow contains many of my favorite book elements- romance, the Old West, historical fiction.  Kittie is a

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-71012125959352567012012-01-29T11:31:00.000-08:002012-01-29T11:31:09.905-08:00

Having read Radical by David Platt and other similar titles about the state of the modern church and the lives of modern believers, I was very intrigued by the title of this book: 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess.  I'm not sure exactly what I expected, but what I read was thought-provoking and convicting. Author Jen Hatmaker chooses seven areas of life over the course of seven months

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-64119747934949075912012-01-27T14:42:00.000-08:002012-01-27T14:42:45.132-08:00

I was happy to see this as a free Kindle read recently.  From the description, I could tell that it was a romance set in Nazi Germany.  The young German girl falls in love with the dashing Jewish man.  They face hardships and struggles because of the war-stricken era they live in.  But, love conquers all. I was to be disappointed.  The style of the writing seemed very stilted, very emotionless.

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-41396899100951436102012-01-25T18:19:00.000-08:002012-01-25T18:19:44.016-08:00

I love Catherine Palmer's sweet Christian romances.  She writes with believable characters in interesting circumstances who have real relationships.  There is nothing deep or earth-shattering here.  But, her romances are enjoyable, and the characters always learn something about their relationship with God even as they grow in relationships with each other. I enjoyed Finders Keepers and would

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-49159167762745385812012-01-23T17:53:00.000-08:002012-01-23T17:53:29.828-08:00

When Shannon travels with her father to Idaho Territory away from her war-ravaged Virginia, she is at first bitter and resentful.  God uses her pastor father and the friendship of a dying widow to change Shannon's heart and prepare her for the love of a former Wells Fargo driver. This was a tender, sweet, Western romance by a Christian author I have read and enjoyed before.  Shannon is

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-3621603235679830022012-01-22T17:21:00.000-08:002012-01-22T17:21:05.827-08:00

This week I read and reviewed First Date, a young adult read loosely based on the biblical story of Esther. I also read and reviewed All For One, a free Kindle read that ended up being a creepy, dark sort of suspense novel. And, I read Between Dusk and Dawn, another free Kindle read that was part romance, part suspense, and an enjoyable, though somewhat predictable read.

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-43424808006714871142012-01-20T14:06:00.000-08:002012-01-20T14:06:05.691-08:00

First Date by Krista McGee is a young adult read that is a loose modern take on the story of the biblical Esther. When Addy's Christian school chooses her to be a contestant on a t.v. reality show vying for a date with the President's son, Addy doesn't want to be there.  She faces opposition from the show's producer, mean girls, and fear of being a Christian witness.  At the same time, she

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-41233157912414918512012-01-18T11:21:00.000-08:002012-01-18T11:21:32.204-08:00

All For One is a murder mystery but a strange and disturbing one.  When a fifth grade student is murdered, a group of his classmates are suspect.  A detective famed for his ability to catch a child murdered is brought in to the case.  Dooley Ashe attempts to ingratiate himself into the lives of the classmates and their teacher to solve the murder.  The guilty will be someone very unexpected. The

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-3154063701537201972012-01-14T07:58:00.000-08:002012-01-14T08:01:47.389-08:00

Smitten is a collection of novellas written by real life friends and authors Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter.  In the world of Smitten, four friends are joining forces to save their small town after the local mill is forced to close.  They want to turn Smitten into a romantic honeymoon destination and attract the tourist trade.  But, can they make a go

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-77146231126108329492012-01-10T14:17:00.000-08:002012-01-10T14:17:54.852-08:00

The Silent is a young adult book by Rebecca Kenney and is published by Journey Forth Books, a division of the Bob Jones University Press.  When death threats are made at Nikki's high school, she is asked by the detective to listen out for any information about the other students.  As Nikki listens to and watches those around her, she learns about their pain.  As one of the only

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-27198110311779058512012-01-09T18:35:00.000-08:002012-01-09T18:35:41.708-08:00

When Rachel Dunne is exiled to England for a crime she didn't commit, she meets James Edmunds, a struggling, young doctor who is fighting his own sense of failure and discouragement.  Rachel is determined to never practice the healing arts again, but over and over finds herself thrust into the position of helping Dr. Edmunds.  Both of them have to come to terms with God's plan for their

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-28985956889293539952012-01-06T19:13:00.000-08:002012-01-06T19:13:32.673-08:00

I've long enjoyed Dee Henderson's Christian romantic suspense novels.  Somehow I had missed The Witness but caught it a few weeks ago as a free Kindle read. In typical Dee Henderson style, the hero of our story is in a "hero" job.  Luke happens to be a policeman when he meets Amy, a woman on the run for the past five years.  She's been hiding to protect herself from a New York City crime boss.  

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-59443151608088572782011-12-29T08:38:00.000-08:002011-12-29T08:38:04.690-08:00

Science fiction, fantasy, super heroes: I love books with all of these.  Suspense, mystery, intrigue: bring it on!  Invasion: quite a let down. Colt is a normal, every day, surfer kid from California.  When he is taken to a top secret military training facility to undergo special testing to see if he has what it takes to be a CHAOS agent, he is very surprised to learn that all he thought was

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-28869086234010658212011-12-26T11:23:00.000-08:002011-12-26T11:24:07.426-08:00

Yesterday I wrote this post summing up my reading year for the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge.  Today's post is all my reading statistics for the year.  It's all about the numbers. 114 Total recorded books read this year  (Did I miss any?  Very likely.) 97 Fiction books 15 Nonfiction books 2 Recorded read aloud books (I know I read many more than these 2 as read alouds!) 58 Books reviewed for

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-45251035079145088632011-12-25T18:09:00.000-08:002011-12-25T18:09:40.457-08:00

As the year draws to a close, I'm going to wrap up the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge with a question and answer. Did you reach the goal of 52 books or did you manage to beat your own personal best?   I actually finished up with 111 books this year.  I'm not sure that beats a personal best. What book are you ending the year with? This week I read Blame it on the Mistletoe by Joyce Magnin.

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-53590526871351133032011-12-25T17:05:00.000-08:002011-12-25T17:05:46.520-08:00

Blame it on the Mistletoe is another great Bright's Pond novel from Joyce Magnin.  Once again, the quirky, entertaining characters make an appearance in this holiday installment.  Something fishy is going on at the nursing home in Bright's Pond where Griselda Sparrow's very overweight sister Agnes is now living.  And the strange happenings seem to have something to do with a funny little man

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-66089820004212593072011-12-19T11:44:00.000-08:002011-12-19T11:44:26.182-08:00

Having very successfully managed waaaay more than 52 books this year, I'll be joining the challenge again for 2012.  I plan to post next week a summary of the best and worst books I've read this year.  And then I can jump right in to reading in 2012.  Perhaps I'll try some of the mini challenges posted at 52 Books in 52 Weeks also.  We'll see.  Right now my Kindle holds at least 150 books

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-54128659170956969492011-12-19T11:30:00.000-08:002011-12-19T11:32:47.522-08:00

The sleepy little town of Amaryllis has a dark secret.  A serial killer has been killing women in the town for three years- one every six months.  When another murder takes place, three women from the town each suspect someone.  But, all three can't be right about their suspicions.  Or can they? Brandylin Collins has some great Christian suspense novels.  I was not disappointed by Gone to

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-37186927277529705442011-12-15T11:06:00.000-08:002011-12-15T11:06:03.064-08:00

What does a story about werewolves, vampires, and mad scientists have to do with living the Christian life?  Quite a lot, actually, when the story happens to be Night of the Living Dead Christian by Matt Mikalatos. Mikalatos crafts a clever story about the monsters he discovers in his neighborhood and his quest to help one of them, a werewolf, change before the monster hunter finds and

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-45749922498028820962011-12-09T17:57:00.001-08:002011-12-09T18:11:27.961-08:00

Okay, I'll confess: nonfiction is not my favorite genre.  But, I found myself intrigued by the title of this book: To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man's Year of (Almost) Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life.  No Lie.  The picture on the front was a big draw too. Phil Callaway- not an author I had read before- takes his editor's challenge to live truthfully for one year.  Despite some

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-86675454893457519572011-12-08T09:53:00.001-08:002011-12-08T09:55:27.743-08:00

I often review books from Tyndale publishers, so I was excited to see a great contest/giveaway over on their Facebook page.  You can have the chance to win a family pack of study Bibles and an ipad!  My oldest daughter really wants a good study Bible, so I'm going to enter.  Hop over to the Facebook page and check it out, so you can enter also! Here are the details: Starting on November 29th

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-62991346031194628982011-12-03T08:08:00.001-08:002011-12-03T08:17:34.901-08:00

I discovered Joyce Magnin's delightful books earlier this year when I found The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow as a free Kindle read.  I've since received Griselda Takes Flight and now Charlotte Figg Takes Over Paradise as free reads. In this, another charming, good read by Magnin, middle aged Charlotte Figg picks up and moves to Paradise Trailer Park after the death of her controlling and sometimes

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-33632455730315825022011-11-28T18:18:00.001-08:002011-11-28T18:42:28.607-08:00

After much reading of all reviews and much pondering and much deliberation, I bought a Kindle Fire this weekend with my birthday money.  Even in the store, as I stood waiting for the employee to see if they had any of these left in the back, I was undecided. After a few days with my new toy, I must say I absolutely LOVE it.  But, I still don't think it is exactly what I expected. So, here's the

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-15031196397968917772011-11-28T18:08:00.001-08:002011-11-28T18:15:37.187-08:00

Even though this past week was Thanksgiving, I didn't read as much as I thought I would.  I did finish two easy reads- both were recent Kindle freebies. The better and more uplifting of these was Lady of the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes was a Christian historical romance.  Set in the tumultuous times surrounding the War of 1812 when Americans were being pressed into service in the English

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-10642101711795213922011-11-22T09:58:00.001-08:002011-11-22T10:10:42.355-08:00

Book One in the Heart of a Hero series, A Texan's Promise (which I reviewed here) was a really good read by an author new to me.  This second installment in the series, A Texan's Honor, was even better. Jamie finds herself unloved and unappreciated after her brothers are killed in the Civil War.  When her parents are dead, she travels to live with her old maid aunts in Kansas where she plans

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-47350249346505225972011-11-19T16:32:00.001-08:002011-11-19T17:10:18.434-08:00

When Vanessa is a victim of her stepfather's attack, Clayton, her family's ranch foreman, takes her away to save her from him.  As Vanessa and Clay travel to safety, Clay realizes what it means to keep a promise and the two grow closer to God and to each other through their trials. This was a sweet, though sometimes predictable, Christian romance.  The author, Shelley Gray, is new to me.

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-26757943354233681312011-11-18T14:00:00.001-08:002011-11-18T14:09:53.556-08:00

Eden and Clay lost their daughter five years ago, and Eden thought her marriage was over.  But when Clay shows up with the information that he's never signed the divorce papers and that their daughter may still be alive, Eden decides to trust him and look for her.  They'll find intrigue and trouble, but perhaps they'll also be reunited with their daughter and each other. I enjoy Colleen

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-13333560574356543932011-11-14T13:42:00.001-08:002011-11-14T14:03:18.308-08:00

If any of my readers were around last year, you will remember my obsession with the Twilight series.  I read each book multiple times.  I really pondered over and over what exactly so delighted and intrigued me about the series.  I know there were many critics decrying them as foolish or even downright evil.  But, there was a draw for me.  It wasn't the whole vampire/werewolf dimension. 

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-49158221452165849932011-11-10T13:10:00.001-08:002011-11-10T13:33:13.648-08:00

Biblical historical fiction is a demanding genre.  When I read a book about a Biblical character that is written as a fictionalized story, I either love it or hate it.  I want it to be well-written.  I want historical accuracy.  And, I want as much Biblical accuracy as can possibly be concluded from the amount written about the character in Scripture.  I chose this book to review with some

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-80572634831579711652011-11-08T14:05:00.000-08:002011-11-08T14:05:42.578-08:00

I must insert a small disclaimer here at the beginning of this review.   I love, love, love (is that enough "loves"?) Scottish historical fiction.  I dream of wandering the bonny hills one day myself and seeing all of those wonderful places.  But, until then, I live vicariously through wonderful books.  I also greatly enjoyed Liz Curtis Higgs retellings of the life of Jacob and his wives and

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-43760894177118449342011-11-02T18:39:00.000-07:002011-11-02T18:39:09.642-07:00

For Time and Eternity is a story set in the 1800s of Camilla, a young girl who joins up with a group of Mormon's headed to establish Salt Lake City when she meets her true love- Nathan.  Through the years of their early marriage, especially after the death of their infant son and Nathan's decision to take another wife- Camilla comes to realize that the faith she abandoned everything for is false

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-51291450775174639662011-10-30T08:20:00.000-07:002011-10-30T08:20:37.471-07:00

I read two easy reads this week: The Oak Leaves by Mareen Lang is a novel of discovery.  When Talie finds some old family mementos and a journal in her parents attic, she begins to discover a secret family "curse."  As she reads the journal of her long dead relative, she begins to look for evidence of the curse in her own young son. I enjoyed this read.  The story line was interesting. 

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-25695963713161021902011-10-23T05:56:00.000-07:002011-10-23T05:56:10.627-07:00

The Harvest of Grace is the third installment in the Ada's House series by Cindy Woodsmall.  In this third (and final?) book, familiar characters are brought in and we learn more of their continuing lives and relationships.  And Sylvia Fisher joins the story.  When Sylvia is betrayed by her beau and her sister, she finds herself struggling to stay in her family home.  Caught in a

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-45151865788800795072011-10-09T18:01:00.000-07:002011-10-09T18:02:09.609-07:00

I read several books this week: Dead Reckoning- Ronie Kendig-fiction- This was a great Christian fiction/suspense/romance read.  I don't know that I've read anything by this author, but I really enjoyed this one and will certainly be looking for others. My Heart Remembers- Kim Vogel Sawyer-fiction- I enjoyed this one also.  It was a touch of romance and was combined with a heartwarming tale of

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-89219429439293795902011-10-09T13:38:00.000-07:002011-10-09T13:38:44.700-07:00

Carrie Carter runs a restaurant in the small beach town of Seaside.  She is in love with a man who doesn't notice her and is hiding from the bitterness she feels toward her mother that she and her sister ran from long ago.  Into her life comes a mystery involving a young employee at the restaurant.  As Carrie may be beginning a relationship with the man of her dreams and may also be facing

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-6446988371280494852011-10-06T18:06:00.000-07:002011-10-06T18:06:03.409-07:00

I was VERY excited about my new review book from Master's Books.  It is a timeline book, and I loooove timelines!  And what could be better than a timeline but a giant fold out timeline! The description of this book was reminiscent of my Adam's Synchronological Chart or Map of History which is a lovely giant fold out timeline that has detailed history lines from creation through the early

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-54468101589266075452011-09-30T18:54:00.000-07:002011-09-30T18:54:13.838-07:00

Mariette comes home from boarding school not sure what she wants for her life.  Her father wants her to go to college to get a degree and help him in his business, unusual for a woman in the 1950s.  Her mother wants her to take the traditional route and marry into money.  When Mariette falls in love with her father's mail room employee, neither of her parents is happy.  But, it will be a

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-79205479211309150592011-09-27T18:44:00.000-07:002011-09-27T18:44:08.990-07:00

From the author of The Birth Order Book, one that I read and learned much from years ago, comes a new book about getting your family off of the activity wheel- It's Your Kid, Not a Gerbil.  I chose this one to review because, honestly, I enjoyed the cute, catchy title and because I really enjoyed The Birth Order Book when I read it years ago.  I also realize that, despite our efforts to the

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-66876407221906390032011-09-25T17:26:00.000-07:002011-09-25T17:26:16.023-07:00

I picked up this story as a free Kindle read and as of Sunday evening, it was still free. I absolutely loved this read.  It was a refreshingly good story after my last read (which you may recall that I had to finish because it was a review book).  Set in the 1600s among the Puritans of England, this was a historical fiction novel from a time period I really hadn't read much from.  The story

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-71374075315524034432011-09-23T17:47:00.000-07:002011-09-23T17:47:59.338-07:00

Rarely will I stop reading a book before the end.  Even if I really dislike it, I will stumble on in a determined effort to complete the story.  I suppose it is my obsessive compulsive self.  I would have made an exception to my rule for this book had I not been reading it for review purposes. Syrupy sweet, condescendingly preachy, totally unbelievable: this read was almost too much to bear.

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-33622859059362281762011-09-22T13:31:00.000-07:002011-09-22T13:32:21.931-07:00

Charles Martin was a new author for me.  I picked up Wrapped In Rain to review, not really knowing what to expect.  In fact, I passed the book over several times even after I added it to my TBR stack.  From the description, the book sounded very introspective, very reflective- not always my typical reading fare.  But, I began the story and was quickly entranced. Tucker Mason (Rain) has had a

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-5911510781162143052011-09-15T18:00:00.000-07:002011-09-15T18:00:09.459-07:00

This is a story within a story as Jada, the young interviewer interviews Jack Harrington, the famous movie star, and his wife, Grace.  The main story is Jack and Grace's relationship and a faith that is strong despite their ties with Hollywood.  But, along with reading about Jack and Grace and how they met, we see Jada's journey to faith as she learns more about this famous couple. This

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-24836770594335189832011-09-11T17:35:00.000-07:002011-09-11T17:35:27.092-07:00

I finished three books this week for 52 Books in 52 Weeks: A Daughter's Inheritance by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller was VERY disappointing.  A free Kindle read, I found myself quite thankful it was free because I would hate to have paid for it.  The book was slow and dull from page one, but I persevered because I hate to leave a book unfinished.  And, when I came to the end, I was

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-45985064853786556212011-09-11T17:17:00.000-07:002011-09-11T17:17:32.485-07:00

Anna Riley finds out that she has an unexpected job- and a grandfather she thought long dead. Anna's family are the long time guardians of a historical and spiritually significant secret.  As Anna learns more about her role, she finds out how dangerous this commission really is. I'm a little torn about this one.  One the one hand, after a rough and disjointed beginning, the pace was quick

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-48517131615446437172011-09-04T09:06:00.000-07:002011-09-04T09:06:51.047-07:00

As I may have mentioned before (many times), fantasy is one of my favorite genres.  I was very excited to review The Realms Thereunder by Ross Lawhead. Daniel Tully and Freya Reynolds were missing as children from a school field trip.  When they were later found, their missing days remained somewhat of a mystery to those who knew them.  Now, eight years later, Daniel and Freya find

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-35733798629686613372011-09-01T10:22:00.000-07:002011-09-01T10:22:49.387-07:00

In This Hospitable Land is historical fiction based on the true story of a family from Belgium during World War II.  When brothers Andre and Alex fear for their families' safety, they flee to Southern France where they become farmers and later join the French Resistance. I began this book with high hopes.  I enjoy history, and World War II is one of the most interesting time periods for me.  I

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-17166784998497192002011-08-29T14:23:00.000-07:002011-08-29T14:23:55.506-07:00

This week I read and reviewed Mercy Come Morning, a Christian fiction novel about a woman dealing with her mother in the last days of her life as an Alzheimer's patient. I also read Behind the Gates, a juvenile fiction novel from the Amazon Vine program.  Although it was a young adult novel, I thoroughly enjoyed this futuristic, science fiction novel.  It was the first of a series, and I plan on

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-61181893315340078262011-08-27T11:09:00.000-07:002011-08-27T11:09:35.651-07:00

Krista has never had a good relationship with her mother and she isn't sure why. For the last several years, her mother has been in an Alzheimer's care center in a slow decline.  When Krista gets word that the end is near for her mother, she travels back home to visit her and try to make peace with their strained relationship.  In her search, she learns things about her mother and herself

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-49765296018838044082011-08-23T09:46:00.000-07:002011-08-23T09:46:22.614-07:00

Soon, I'll be reading and reviewing It's Your Kid Not a Gerbil by Dr. Kevin Lehman.  I'm really looking forward to this read because I've read several books by Dr. Lehman that I thought were very insightful.  As my children are getting older, I feel like we're falling into the never ending activity cycle, so I'm looking forward to this book. You can win a copy of this book, a pack of Dr.

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-77826817525958785562011-08-21T17:56:00.000-07:002011-08-21T17:56:56.932-07:00

This is week 34 of the year.  I read a few books this week. I read and reviewed The Bone House by Stephen Lawhead.  This was a difficult read to enjoy because it was the second in a series and I hadn't read the first. I also read and reviewed The Fallback Plan- an advanced review copy from Net Galley.  I loved this one. Besides these two which I reviewed, I also read The Vigilante's Bride. 

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-41699401485112472432011-08-21T15:44:00.000-07:002011-08-21T15:44:20.654-07:00

Disclaimer:  This book is not a Christian read.  There are some drug and sexual references (although no description) and some crude words.  That said.... I really really liked this story!  The Fallback Plan is a coming of age story.  It's a story about an awakening.  It's a story about new beginnings.  There is depth.  There is humor.  There is tragedy.  There is love. Esther Kohler is back at

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-49391694664115169942011-08-17T19:16:00.000-07:002011-08-17T19:16:24.014-07:00

I will confess that I wanted to love this book.  I've long been a Stephen Lawhead fan and have greatly enjoyed many of his books.  I had a hard time with The Bone House. First of all, when I chose this book to review, I had no idea that it was book two of a series.  There are some authors whose series books do not have to be read in order.  You can pick up one, and with just a few chapters,

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-61791408762464905202011-08-14T14:53:00.000-07:002011-08-14T14:54:54.537-07:00

One  of my favorite genres is fantasy.  Hand in hand with fantasy typically goes science fiction.  I'm not so much of a science fiction fan, but I have read some good science fiction.  The difference for me is really the setting.  I am not so much a fan of futuristic novels as I am of those set in the past.  So, I read on the 52 Books in 52 Weeks blog about this list published this past week by

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-85798841581094262212011-08-14T14:08:00.000-07:002011-08-14T14:08:08.352-07:00

This week I read and reviewed The Light Horseman's Daughter by David Crookes, Bloodlines by John Piper, and The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y'Barbo. I also read Kiss of Adventure by Catherine Palmer- a delightful Christian fiction romance.  This was a great read with lots of good historical information about the African explorer Mungo Park and a very likable hero and

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-12646890937973084782011-08-11T06:55:00.000-07:002011-08-11T06:55:28.443-07:00

Charlotte Beck is mischievous and often a trouble maker.  She is determined and opinionated.  She certainly doesn't fit the mold for a young lady at the end of the 19th century.  When she meets Alex Hambly, a British royal, she considers him an annoyance as he does her.  But when circumstances continually bring them together, they will both learn to see God's hand as they grow closer to Him

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-80715809346905111682011-08-10T18:45:00.000-07:002011-08-10T18:45:42.403-07:00

John Piper takes a difficult and honest look at race relations and the responsibility of the Christian.  He spends the first part of the book looking at the problem of racial relations- particularly between blacks and whites- and the second part of the book exploring how the cross and the hope of the gospel message is the ultimate answer to the problem of race relations. I confess that I

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-55524445435637660102011-08-10T18:34:00.000-07:002011-08-10T18:34:23.055-07:00

Sometimes a really great book comes along.  A book so wonderful to read that it is painful to finish. A book that I long to reread again and again.  This was not that book. This was the story of Emma, daughter of Captain McKenna of the Australian Light Horse Brigade, during the 1930s and 40s.  Australia was in the throes of the Great Depression and headed toward World War 2.  Emma's father

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-69861497559602012552011-08-07T17:08:00.000-07:002011-08-07T17:08:58.246-07:00

After some careful counting, I have concluded that I have read 57 books so far, and we are at week 32 for the year.  I have had several weeks that I haven't finished a book- namely those weeks that I was reading The Outlander books.  But, I have had quite a few weeks that I finished multiple books also. This week I read and reviewed Sweet Sanctuary by Sheila Walsh and Cindy Martinusen Coloma,

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-46634369045297204642011-08-07T09:41:00.000-07:002011-08-07T09:43:27.052-07:00

The Corruptible is one of a series of mysteries involving the private detective Ray Quinn.  I haven't read any of the other Ray Quinn mystery books, but it wasn't hard to pick up with this one and follow what was going on. Ray Quinn is a struggling private detective who needs funds.  So, when a millionaire CEO wants to hire him to find some stolen property, the pay off is hard to

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-91427513391915771762011-08-06T08:42:00.000-07:002011-08-06T08:51:24.692-07:00

Hmm, I've decided to try my hand at participating in Weekly Geeks.  I'm not sure I can keep up with checking every week to see what the week's challenge is, but it sounds like fun. This week's edition is to answer some questions about school and reading memories in honor of back to school.  (We've actually been doing school around here all summer, but we did take most of July off and started

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-54283443114427689732011-08-05T18:10:00.000-07:002011-08-05T18:10:03.972-07:00

This was the novelization of a screenplay from the producers of Fireproof and Facing the Giants.  Adam Mitchell and his fellow police officers face danger on the force day after day.  But, throughout this story, they come to realize that their first and most important job should be to be the husbands and fathers that God wants them to be.  When Adam's family faces tragedy, he develops a

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-91017155238971140222011-08-03T16:33:00.000-07:002011-08-03T16:33:28.675-07:00

Wren Evans is a small town librarian who wants the best for her son, Charlie.  She's afraid of dating again.  And she is dismayed when her grandmother shows up wanting Wren to get together with her estranged siblings and throw her a ninetieth birthday party.  But, as she faces trials, she grows closer to God and realizes that He is always with her. I will admit that I really didn't like

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-45786893351083340152011-07-30T10:56:00.000-07:002011-07-30T10:56:27.827-07:00

A little disclaimer for my regular blog readers is in order here.  I reviewed this book for NetGalley.  I am going to give it a fairly good review because I enjoyed it.  It is a romance novel.  It has several scenes of intimacy that you may feel are totally inappropriate.  It has some language that you may not like.  I'm not reviewing the morality of the book here.  I am simply reviewing

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-74690139108684041842011-07-29T14:12:00.000-07:002011-07-29T14:12:50.370-07:00

I became a Ted Dekker fan when I first read 3, a psychological thriller.  Dekker writes in a variety of genres ranging from psychological thriller to horror to science fiction.  Forbidden is one of my favorite genres- science fiction. Rom is about to learn a secret- a secret that will change his life and convince him that he's never really been alive.  When he knows the truth of this

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-62658705449642315662011-07-24T14:49:00.000-07:002011-07-24T14:49:17.302-07:00

Agnes Sparrow is housebound with no other purpose in her life than to pray for her neighbors in Bright's Pond.  She is an over 700 pound woman who long since decided that it is too much trouble to be outside.  And so she prays.  And when she prays things happen.  So, her town decides to have sign and statue honoring Agnes. But, when trouble comes to the town, Agnes is the villain

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-14680696073798168742011-07-19T17:53:00.000-07:002011-07-19T17:53:08.694-07:00

Bridget Pickwick Buchanan is not ready to move on from being a widow.  Even four years after the death of her husband, Bridget is stuck in the past.  But, when a handsome developer shows up to look at her family's land in the mountains of North Carolina, Bridget might try to move on.  When she finds out who this man really is and what he's really after, she may have second thoughts. This

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-42729168058027119032011-07-17T17:20:00.001-07:002011-07-17T17:20:48.949-07:00

I was able to review The Family Illustrated Bible (previously The Children's Bible from DK) published by New Leaf Press. This is a beautiful hard back book.  The illustrations are very well done.  Besides illustrations, the Bible has real photographs of places and objects that are relevant.  There are maps of Bible places also.  This Bible would make a beautiful addition to a family library.

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-3780991988261253642011-07-17T17:19:00.001-07:002011-07-17T17:19:31.883-07:00

Lately I finished reading two free Kindle books, both Christian fiction, historical romance novels. Breathe by Lisa Bergren is the story of Odessa, a consumptive patient who makes her way to the new town of Colorado Springs to seek healing for her consumption in the famed mountain air.  At the sanatorium she meets two men who become her friends and finds love and a mystery even as her body

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-8696027532256597322011-07-17T14:12:00.000-07:002011-07-17T14:12:12.099-07:00

Thunder Dog is the true story of a blind man and his dog leaving Tower 1 of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.  Michael Hingson and his guide dog Roselle went to work that Tuesday morning and were stunned by what Michael later learned was a terrorist attack.  With Roselle's guidance, Michael was able to make his way down from his office on the 78th floor and even be an encouragement

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-56628755648052429242011-07-11T09:27:00.000-07:002011-07-11T09:27:57.274-07:00

Several weeks have passed since I posted for a 52 booksin 52 weeks update.  Looking over my books read list so far, I have easily read more than a book a week on average, but occasionally I haven't finished a book in a week.  This past week we were at the beach, so I more than exceeded my book for the week.  In fact, I finished 6 books. Before heading to the beach, I finished up book 7 of

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-84707147491969024162011-07-09T13:57:00.000-07:002011-07-09T13:57:12.842-07:00

Delivery is the tale of a middle-aged woman working in her family's flower shop, struggling to make sense of her life, and struggling not to become an alcoholic. Livi has had some hard times in her life as a young person and now as an adult.  Her life has been shaped by the death of brother, killed in Vietnam.  She is pretty sure that if there is a God, He has forgotten her family.  But, as

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-23579669596666470992011-07-09T13:43:00.000-07:002011-07-09T13:43:24.281-07:00

Livy O Brien is a new and different person from when she was a pickpocket on the streets of Chicago. She's a Christian now and helping to run an orphanage. But when street children begin showing up in the small mid-western town she's living in, her past might catch up with her. And, now that she knows deputy Jake Russell, she really doesn't want that to happen. But, she cares for the

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-57133420675618532342011-07-09T13:35:00.000-07:002011-07-09T13:35:19.621-07:00

Last year was the year of the memoirs for me. I discovered a genre that I hadn't really spent much time in before. And, I discovered that I enjoyed a good memoir. Ian Morgan Cron is a wonderful story teller. He points out that no true memoir is true in every detail because no one can remember every detail accurately. But, his memoir of sorts is very well-told and quite moving.

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-37965719511271683082011-07-09T12:16:00.000-07:002011-07-09T12:16:11.715-07:00

Already Compromised by Ken Ham and Greg Hall takes a hard look at Christian universities and what they truly believe and teach. Using a series of questions and assisted by Britt Beemer, a researcher who helped Ham write the previous book, Already Gone, Ham and Hall reveal what over 300 mainstream Christian colleges believe about the Bible. Ham and Hall alternate as the authors of the book as

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-89233087912470487002011-07-09T09:13:00.000-07:002011-07-09T09:13:38.706-07:00

Last year, I heard Ken Ham's Already Gone presentation online. Listening to the data collected showing how Christian young people are leaving the church at an alarming rate- many in their elementary and middle school years- was sobering. I had the opportunity to review the book Already Gone, and reading about this trend is just as sobering. In Already Gone, Ken Ham relates and interprets

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-10288013045007094662011-06-28T19:30:00.000-07:002011-06-28T19:32:10.348-07:00

As if I couldn't find enough to read between free Kindle reads and library book sales, I also review books for several sites now.  And, I've just added another.  Here's the rundown on the sites I review for with a brief description of each- in case you're looking to add to your To Be Read list. BookSneeze- This was my first review site and is still one of my favorite.  Thomas Nelson is one of my

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-74892432442965950592011-06-15T18:27:00.000-07:002011-06-15T18:27:10.934-07:00

I am actually very hesitant to write this review today.  I haven't read any of the other Dinah Harris mysteries by Julie Cave, but I was excited to have the opportunity to review this one because it sounded very good, and it was my first book to review for the New Leaf Publishing Group.  The reason I am reluctant to write the review is because I actually happen to agree with the beliefs

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-39838369613963769682011-06-12T07:17:00.000-07:002011-06-12T07:17:35.739-07:00

I finished the 6th book in the Outlander series this week.  A Breath of Snow and Ashes did not dissapoint.  I am still very enthralled with Claire and Jamie's story.  I am a little worried about reading book 7 because book 8 is not written yet and is not supposed to come out until next year, I believe. I also read Indelible by Kristen Heitzmann this week.  Kristin Heitzman has long been one

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-66518919342876065872011-05-29T07:24:00.000-07:002011-05-29T07:24:42.977-07:00

By my count, we are 22 weeks into the 52 books in 52 weeks blogging adventure.  I counted up on my reading list, and I have read 36 books so far this year.  I am slightly ahead.  But, there have been several weeks I haven't finished a book.  These Outlander books are huge, and I just can't finish one in a week.  Fortunately, I throw in some light, easy reads in between for a bit of a break. 

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-66491586189087014582011-05-24T15:35:00.000-07:002011-05-24T15:35:24.027-07:00

When Susannah heads out West as a mail order bride, she is shy and quiet.  She doesn't seem at all like a good wife for Jesse, outspoken and strong in his relationship with God.  But, as Jesse and Susannah get to know each other, Susannah learns to open up and may learn to become a true Dakota bride. I really enjoyed this debut novel by Catherine Richmond.  It was a light, easy read.  The

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-31614788416803718612011-05-22T18:05:00.000-07:002011-05-22T18:05:51.788-07:00

Ah, we are on school vacation, so I finished several books this week: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen- the very popular book that has been made into a movie Nick of Time by Tim Downs- a CSIish mystery novel that I thoroughly enjoyed TJ and the Time Stumblers: New Kid Catastrophes- a children's novel that enjoyed as much as the kids The Canary List- a not so good read that I reviewed for

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-7092962665581793262011-05-20T14:14:00.000-07:002011-05-20T14:14:40.395-07:00

I don't live under a rock (most of the time), so I had heard of the very popular current movie- Water for Elephants- starring none other than Edward (I mean Rob Pattinson).  I didn't know that the movie came from a book- until I began seeing said book cropping up in all my favorite book stores and on my Kindle advertisement screen.  And I really didn't know the book/movie was about a

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-52727330173617748042011-05-20T09:08:00.000-07:002011-05-20T09:08:29.062-07:00

Suspense, murder, romance, excitement, and a dash of intrigue: Nick of Time is a great read that has it all!  Nick is a forensic entemologist.  His fiance is an unusual dog trainer.  When Nick decides to leave town just a few days before their wedding to attend a research meeting, Alena is not too pleased.  The resulting adventures, including a murder mystery that Alena is dragged into, may

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-52334304404591393702011-05-17T16:57:00.000-07:002011-05-17T17:00:16.205-07:00

TJ and the Time Stumblers: New Kid Catastrophes by Bill Myers is a kid's read published by Tyndale.  It is the first in the TJ and the Time Stumblers series.  But, don't let that stop you, as an adult from sneaking a read before you pass this one on to your kids. TJ is starting a new school in Malibu when she meets some stumbling, bumbling time travelers.  While the guys try to teach TJ some

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-4348835383398798292011-05-16T14:24:00.000-07:002011-05-16T14:24:03.200-07:00

The story begins with Jamie Piper, a young girl haunted by evil.  When she runs to her teacher's house for safety, she begins a whole chain of events that lead to false accusations against her teacher, Mr. G, attempts on his life and on that of his neighbor, Nanna, and on Jamie and Mr. G being taken to Rome to the heart of the Vatican to expose evil in high places.  Evil, darkness, suspense,

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-22525495161282767962011-05-15T17:42:00.000-07:002011-05-15T17:42:41.953-07:00

The Fiery Cross was the fifth installment in The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.  I'm sure my readers are getting a little tired of my gushings of praise for each one of these novels, but I must say again, I loved it. In this book, Jamie and Claire, along with their daughter Brianna and her husband Roger, are facing the beginnings of the Revolutionary War in 18th century America.  Jamie,

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-858051678205141042011-05-08T16:34:00.000-07:002011-05-08T16:34:44.966-07:00

Once again, I have no books to record as finished this week.  Sadly I am bogged down in the midst of book 5 of The Outlander series, The Fiery Cross.  I am still madly in love with the series, but I am a little concerned that Diana Gabaldon can make one morning of events take four or five chapters of print.  We are about four years away from the Revolutionary War here in book 5, and four years

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-76365423934471197222011-05-02T17:11:00.000-07:002011-05-02T17:11:36.851-07:00

I realized with dismay that I never posted last week.  I actually did finish five books last week.  Two were children/young adult, but they were long enough to count here, so I've included them.  This week I didn't finish a book at all.  I am deeply into book five of the Outlander series; and, as it is another long one, I still have a way to read. So, last week, I finished reading book four

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-11418751287582059112011-04-23T07:55:00.000-07:002011-04-23T07:55:55.701-07:00

Olivia Stewart travels West to find out the truth about her sister's mysterious death.  She strongly suspects her sister's fiance, Harrison Bennett; so she keeps her identity a secret from him.  As she searches for answers, she falls in love with Harrison but almost becomes a victim herself. This was a light and easy read. The Lightkeeper's Ball combined a little historical fiction, a little

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-4682536214586100062011-04-22T14:53:00.000-07:002011-04-22T14:53:34.127-07:00

At the end of last year, I read Radical by David Platt and have been attempting to incorporate the five principles that Platt gives at the end of the book- The Radical Experiment- into my life this year. (Reading the whole Word, praying for the whole world, giving sacrificially, spending time in another context, and being a part of a growing community of believers)  Radical Together takes

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-77792474093834968152011-04-21T09:04:00.000-07:002011-04-21T09:04:49.476-07:00

Kit Corrigan is trying to make her way and a life for herself in New York on Broadway in the 1950s. She is approached by her ex boyfriend's father and takes him up on an offer for an apartment and later a job. She unknowingly finds herself involved in a mob crime and begins to learn deep dark secrets about her past, her family, and her love Billy's family. So many things about this

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-33276945604700422732011-04-20T17:00:00.000-07:002011-04-20T17:00:49.626-07:00

The DoppleGanger Chronicles is a new series by British author G.P. Taylor.  The novels are a combination of regular print and graphic novel.  I chose to review this first book in the series to see if I thought Charles (my 10 year old) might like the series.  Bold and encouraging praise graces the book's back cover stating that this author is "the new C.S. Lewis" and the books are "hotter than

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-81282803857361411462011-04-20T08:42:00.000-07:002011-04-20T08:42:45.845-07:00

I'm still traveling through the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon and still enjoying them.  Drums of Autumn focuses more on Brianna, the daughter of Claire and Jamie, and her fiance, Roger Wakefield.  The story is still in the 1700s but is now focused in America in the early colonies.  I love the historical picture that Gabaldon paints.  I feel as if I am truly there in the 18th century when

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-4276089369818363752011-04-18T18:22:00.000-07:002011-04-18T18:22:42.649-07:00

I love any book by Max Lucado.  He's a master story teller as well as a very inspiring pastor and writer. Max on Life didn't disappoint. This isn't Max Lucado's typical book.  It is a compilation of some of life's most difficult questions and Max's answers.  Some of the answers are things that Lucado has written in other books and some are new answers.  All of the answers are Bible based.  I

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-67165737913769172252011-04-11T04:49:00.000-07:002011-04-11T19:05:37.386-07:00

Andy Andrews is hailed as an inspirational speaker and story teller.  The Final Summit is his newest novel, a sequel to The Traveler's Gift. In The Final Summit, David Ponder is summoned by the archangel Gabriel to be a part of a summit convened to be the last hope for humanity.  Humanity teeters on self-destruction.  And it is up to Ponder, a previous time traveler in The Traveler's Gift, to

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-18711026703372574712011-04-10T08:49:00.000-07:002011-04-10T09:02:01.746-07:00

I realized this week that I never posted for the 52 Books in 52 Weeks challenge last week.  I did finish three books actually.  This week, I haven't finished a book.  I am still reading through book 4 of The Outlander series- The Drums of Autumn. Last week, I read and reviewed In Constant Prayer by Robert Benson for BookSneeze.  This was a very thought-provoking read that led me to make some

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-5837474269921386972011-04-02T16:47:00.000-07:002011-04-02T16:47:56.551-07:00

Suzanne Kidwell is a journalist.  But, she doesn't always care about the facts.  Instead she wants sensational reporting.  She hasn't made many friends along the way.  When her soon to be fiance is killed and Suzanne herself is framed for murder, she turns to a private investigator who may be her only hope.  Unfortunately, he is also her ex-boyfriend.  That she dumped rather cruelly.  But,

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-11778662896336402082011-03-30T11:21:00.000-07:002011-03-30T11:21:33.581-07:00

Previously I reviewed The Sacred Journey, a part of the Ancient Practices series edited by Phyllis Tickle.  So, I chose In Constant Prayer, another book in the series, as my most recent review for BookSneeze. Robert Benson takes a fresh look at praying without ceasing by teaching us how to pray the hours or keep the offices.  Traditionally this meant interrupting secular time every three hours

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-13558838898594928712011-03-28T13:31:00.000-07:002011-03-28T13:31:52.523-07:00

Ahh, after reading until past midnight on Saturday night and until almost midnight last night, I have finished book three of the Outlander series.  As I posted earlier, this 1762 page mega book was the reason I did not finish a book to post for the challenge last week. In Voyager, our heroine, Claire, having learned that her beloved Jamie is still alive in 18th century Scotland, prepares to

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103620521894110083.post-46736749660389472882011-03-26T17:23:00.000-07:002011-03-26T17:23:32.953-07:00

Well, as you may have noticed, I didn't post a book read last week.  That was not an oversight on my part.  Rather, it was because I have not yet finished Voyager, the third book in the Outlander series. I am very much enjoying the book, as I did the other two in the series.  I'm reading it on my Kindle, so I really didn't know how long/ how many pages it was.  I'm just happily reading along. 

Leah Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812333478201076333noreply@blogger.com2