Tree Swing Reading

Summer Colds are a bummer!

I've been knocked for a loop this week.  It's my girls' first week of summer vacation and I have the worst cold I've had in years!  I lost my voice, my eyes are infected, my head is stuffed, I have fever and chills...in JUNE?  Crazy, huh?!  I can't even read because my eyes are all blurry! 

Enough whining...just wanted to work up a little sympathy for myself. :)

Hope no one else is feeling like me.  It's supposed to be a beautiful day here.  Hopefully the girls will play outside nicely while I relax on the tree swing.  A girl can dream, right?

Review of "Match Point" by Erynn Mangum

Review of Match Point book 3 in the Lauren Holbrook series by Erynn Mangum.

Description:

Now that she's successfully matched four couples, Lauren Holbrook is wondering if she'll always be the bridesmaid and never the . . . or will she finally admit that she and Ryan are more than "good friends?" But handsome Keller Stone may try to convince her otherwise. A riotous, romantic conclusion to Mangum's caffeine-laced series!

My Review:

I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book!  I LOVE this series and love Lauren Holbrook.  Of course now that I've finished the last book in the series I'm going to have to go into mouring because I'm going to miss Laurie-girl.  Regardless, if you like to laugh, like romance, like fantastic dialogue--you've got to read this series!

Book three was full of all the crazy antics that delighted me in the first two books.  Laurie is still crazy for coffee and chocolate and will do anything to get her hands on her supply.  She even names her coffee maker that she hides in her bathroom after her dad and stepmom go on a crazy "get healthy" kick and switch to a soy coffee substitue that threatens to kill Lauren (or so she thinks).  Now Laurie is trying to figure out if she's in love with Ryan.  She gets lots of advice from friends and family, but she is longing for the "voice from God" kind of assurance. 

Along the way to trying to discover what the future holds for her and Ryan, Laurie has a wonderful and wacky series of adventures that includes a surprise girlfriend shopping trip, friends setting her up to "fall into Ryan's arms," a fake break-up, and the realization that romance in real-life is not always like it is in a Jane Austen movie. 

Totally fun book!  Mangum has a wonderful way with dialogue and humor that shines through the character of Laurie and makes you love her like crazy!

Wacky List of Giveaways

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  THANKS SO MUCH FOR ENTERING!

Here's the end of the Kitchen Sink Giveaways.  I'm going to throw a bunch of my assorted items out on this post.  You let me know in the comments which books you are wanted to be entered for.

What does this "kitchen sink" giveaway mean?  Well, I'm giving away a bunch of books of all kinds!  Some new releases, some that have been around a while...but are too good to miss.  Some fiction of all different genres, some non-fiction. 

My rules will be the same as usual. 

1) Post a comment to this blog with the books you want to enter to win.

2) See if you win! Winners will be drawn on June 29!

I'm just going to show the picture of the book and give you the description.  There are 10 books in this listing.  You may enter for all 10 or just one.  You let me know.

#1: Hazardous Duty by Christy Barritt

Description:

She always wanted to be a forensic pathologist. But when circumstances force her to drop out of school, Gabby St. Claire starts a crime scene-cleaning business. Suddenly a routine job turns up a murder weapon, and Gabby and her neighbor Riley realize that the wrong man is behind bars! Will they catch the real killer?

#2: Perfect by Harry Kraus

Description:
Wendi Stratford’s job as an accident reconstructionist is just one more enviable reflection of her ideal life. She’s got it all—perfect career, perfect looks, perfect husband, perfect home, perfect faith. There’s just one problem: it’s all a sham, right down to her bleached-blonde hair.

So Wendi hatches an impulsive and exhilarating plan to break free of the lie she’s been living—only to watch her hopes die in a terrible accident. But as she sifts through the wreckage, Wendi comes to a shocking conclusion. This was no accident.

The quest is on to learn the truth, but the truth could be deadly. And now someone is leaving Wendi clues at accident scenes, clues that could lead her straight into a killer’s hands. With her life on the line, Wendi must find strength in a faith that until now had been merely an accessory to her storybook life.

#3: The Bunko Babes

Description:

Becca Thornton loves her kids, her husband, and her home---but longs for some real girlfriend time! When she starts a weekly bunko night, it becomes a transforming journey for eight women. Yet beneath the fun-and-games surface lie some very serious issues. Will their faith and friendship provide fresh strength when things get dicey?

#4: Prayer by Philip Yancey

Description:

In his most powerful book since What's So Amazing about Grace? and The Jesus I Never Knew, Yancey probes the most fundamental, challenging, perplexing, and deeply rewarding aspect---the very heartbeat---of your relationship with God: prayer. In theory, prayer is the essential human act, a priceless point of contact between you and the God of the universe. In practice however, prayer is often frustrating, confusing, and fraught with mystery. Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? explores the mysterious intersection where you and God meet and relate. Writing as a fellow pilgrim, Yancey explores the questions surrounding prayer that you may wonder about but not know how to express. Above all, Yancey shows you how to pray to a God who sees what lies ahead of you, knows what lies within you, and who invites you into an eternal partnership with Him---through prayer.

#5: The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out by Neta Jackson

Description:

Resurrected just in time to help refugees from Hurricane Katrina, Manna House is being put in apple-pie order by the Yada Yada friends as Thanksgiving and the holidays approach. But will they be grateful for reminders of the painful past that show up unexpectedly? Features recipes from Ruth, Chanda, Florida, Avis, and Jodi!

#6: Truffles by the Sea by Julie Carobini

Description:

Sometimes all a girl has left is chocolate...

Gaby Flores has a penchant for drama and an unfortunate knack for dating Mr. So Wrong. After breaking off yet another relationship, watching her apartment building burn to the ground, and discovering that her dippy delivery guy has run off with most of her business, Gaby decides it’s time to turn things around.

So she moves to a tiny waterfront loft and takes on a new motto: “Be gullible no more!” With help from her friends, she works to rebuild her flower shop—and her life. But when legal troubles and quirky neighbors and two surprising romances enter her beachy world, Gaby’s motto and fledgling faith are put to the test.

Can a young woman prone to disaster in both work and love finally find happily ever after?

#7: Kimberly Stuart books: Balancing Act and Bottom Line, Heidi Elliot Series 1 & 2

book 1 description:

After her baby's birth, Heidi Elliot's life is unraveling. Her career as a Spanish teacher is in jeopardy. Her husband spends his time helping a wealthy and slim client. And one of her old flames has reappeared. Heidi is at the end of her rope. Could the Mom's Group at church hold the lifeline she needs?

book 2 description:

Heidi Elliot has joined the elite ranks of stay-at-home moms, a world of cartoons, toys and lactation. When her husband's business experiences financial problems, Heidi decides to take a part-time job at a pyramid scheme dressed up in women's clothing: "Christian" lingerie by Solomon's Closet, a company created by her new friends Kylie and Russ Zimmerman. Filled with colorful characters, including a clog-wearing legalistic and a best friend who skipped town to travel the globe, Bottom Line provides a humorous and knowing look at a mom's life.

#8: Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

Description:

Discover the secret that cracks the communication code between husbands and wives and reap the benefits of marriage as God intended. Citing extensive biblical and psychological research, Eggerichs shows that harmony and happiness in relationships is not achieved by love alone, but by building on both parts of the Ephesians 5:33 equation: love and respect.

#9: Robert Whitlow's Deeper Water

Description:

In the murky waters of Savannah's shoreline, a young law student is under fire as she tries her first case at a prominent and established law firm. A complex mix of betrayal and deception quickly weaves its way through the case and her life, as she uncovers dark and confusing secrets about the man she's defending--and the senior partners of the firm.

How deep will the conspiracy run? Will she have to abandon her true self to fulfill a higher calling? And how far will she have to go to discover the truth behind a tragic cold case?

#10: Daring Chloe by Laura Jensen Walker

Description:

When Chloe Adams is left at the altar, her girlfriends know the antidote to her post-rejection funk. After all, why let a honeymoon cruise go to waste? Play-it-safe Chloe isn't sure she's up for it. But when she travels to exotic places, she blossoms. Will her newfound daring prepare her for her greatest adventure yet?

Winners

Congrats to AnneMarie DeRemer!  You name was drawn to win the Melanie Wells series!

Congrats to Robin!  Your name was drawn to win the Love Languages of God.

Java Chicken

Just for fun I'm posting the recipe for the Java Chicken I wrote about as my favorite food on the grill.  Technically it's cooked first in the marinade, but the grilling adds a lot of flavor too.

Ingredients: Various pieces of chicken, about 3 ½ lbs (I get a family pack of thighs which seem to stay moist the best); remove skin, wash chicken and pat dry.
Marinade
2 cups brown sugar
3 cups black coffee
1 cup vinegar
½ cup chopped onion
3 Tablespoons dry mustard
2 Tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
6 Table spoons margarine
Mix all ingredients for the marinade and bring to a boil in a large pot. Add chicken to marinade. Simmer until tender—about 35 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate whole pot (chicken in marinade) 1 to 2 hours or overnight. Remove chicken from marinade. (The chicken may be removed from marinade easier if the pot is warmed slightly on the stove first.) Chicken needs only to be heated and crisped on the grill. Enjoy! Let me know if you try it and how you like it!

Giving away "Defenders of Hope Series" by Amy Wallace

What does this mean?  Well, I'm giving away a bunch of books of all kinds!  Some new releases, some that have been around a while...but are too good to miss.  Some fiction of all different genres, some non-fiction. 

My rules will be the same as usual. 

1) Post a comment to the blogs with the books you want to enter to win.  Answer the question that goes with that blog.

Today's question: What's your favorite food on the grill?  You know what's funny about this?  Growing up we called it a BBQ, no matter what was served.  Now we call it "grilling out" or "cooking out" in the midwest.  I have to admit I like a good steak on the grill.  I also like my family's recipe for java chicken--a chicken marinaded in a coffee/brown sugar/vinegar/other stuff mix...yum!

Winners are drawn 10 days after the giveaway is posted. 

Today's giveaway will be drawn on June 25.

Post your comment to win Amy Wallace books Ransomed Dreams and Healing Promises.

Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace, book one in the Defenders of Hope Series

Description:

Chained To Yesterday

When tragedy struck and Gracie Lang lost everything, her faith crumbled, and nothing but the drive for justice propelled her forward. But after two years of dead-end searching, the truth Gracie seeks is the very thing her stalker will stop at nothing to hide.

Forgiveness Unlocks the Future

An FBI agent in the Crimes Against Children Unit, Steven Kessler spends his days rescuing other people’s children and nights caring for his son. He’s through with God, embittered by his ex-wife who abandoned them both, and definitely doesn’t expect what’s coming next.

The Past Is the Key

A plot to kidnap a British ambassador’s daughter dangerously intersects Steven and Gracie’s worlds–a collision that demands a decision. But are they willing to pay the high ransom required to redeem dreams and reignite hope?

What the Author Says About this book (good stuff!):

Out of the national tragedy of September 11, 2001 came a literal dream that wouldn’t let go. It included FBI characters and a deep desire to give tribute to the agents who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to see our country both protected and healed. This story also required me to walk through my greatest fear, that of losing my precious children. These two different plot lines converged to create my first novel, Ransomed Dreams.

As I began plotting this book, God brought into my path a federal agent who just happened to be married to a writer. Both Jack and his wife met with me and together we brainstormed a story originally titled The Journey. Through the initial writing and a few years of editing, one major theme rose to the top… forgiveness.

As I wrote about Gracie’s struggle to forgive the person who killed her family, I looked at the pictures of my children on my desk and wrestled with forgiving people in my past who nearly succeeded in destroying my family. But Steven’s battle with forgiving himself struck even closer to home. Growing up in an alcoholic family I learned early that type A behavior had its rewards. Now an adult, I see that the same behavior that helped me survive stands in opposition to trusting Christ and walking with Him at peace. Through writing Steven’s personal and professional struggles, God shined the light on my prideful living where I demanded perfection of myself and failed miserably. In God’s amazing grace, He also gave me a clear picture of the peace gained from setting others and myself free from the perfection treadmill.

Forgiveness is in no way an easy process. But my prayer for readers of Ransomed Dreams is that they will see the healing power of forgiveness played out in the pages of the book in a way that they can transfer to their own walk with the Lord.

My Review:

I think I found another favorite author!  A wonderful book with a great combination of suspense, romance, and heart.  Gracie Lang goes through a horrible tragedy, losing her husband and children in a deadly automobile accident.  I could not imagine going on with that kind of pain.  On top of that, she is still searching for answers of the identity of the drunk driver who killed them. She is convinced that she will be able to find him and that finding him will put the past to rest.

Gracie moves to a new home and begins a new life as a teacher. Meeting one of the fathers will end up changing her life. Steven is an FBI agent who is dealing with his own painful past.  He has been raising his son alone since his ex-wife abandoned them for alcohol years before.  What will happen when she suddenly shows up again wanting custody? 

As Steven and Gracie grow closer, they both have to learn to let go of the past. To forgive.

Forgiveness becomes a key theme in this wonderful book.  I enjoyed it very much and found the author had just the right mix of suspense with romance and important truths of God's unfailing love and his forgiveness in our lives. I picked up on Amy Wallace's profound authenticity in her writing and the heart for her characters. 

Healing Promises by Amy Wallace, book 2 in the Defenders of Hope Series

Description:

Facing a new threat.
When FBI Agent Clint Rollins takes a bullet during a standoff, it might just save his life. But not even the ugly things he’s seen during his years working in the Crimes Against Children Unit could prepare him for the overwhelming powerlessness of hospital tests revealing an unexpected diagnosis. If only Sara weren’t retreating into doctor mode…he needs his wife now more than ever.

Frozen in fear.
Sara Rollins is an oncologist with a mission–beating cancer when she can, easing her patients’ suffering at the very least. Now the life of her tall Texan husband is at stake. She never let the odds steal her hope before, but in this case, the question of God’s healing promises is personal. Can she hold on to the truth she claimed to believe?

Faith under fire.
As Clint continues to track down a serial kidnapper despite his illness, former investigations haunt his nightmares, pushing him beyond solving the case into risking his life and career. Clint struggles to believe God is still the God of miracles. Especially when he needs not one, but two. Everything in his life is reduced to one all-important question: Can God be trusted?

About this series:

Missing Children
	Shattered Dreams
		Hidden Truth

What Amy Wallace says about this book and the first book:

My Review:

Wow. This book grabbed me and held on to me from the beginning to the end.  A beautiful book that speaks of hope and trust in times when hope and trust are hard to find.  The characters are protrayed wonderfully and their stuggles are painted with authenticity and an almost raw humaness.  I put myself in their shoes as they wrestled with God and battled to understand the reasons for their suffering.

Cancer. It is a frightening word. Clint is an FBI agent whose job it is to find missing children.  That makes him a hero already. But to have to face cancer is an enemy that he can't take down with his gun.  Plus cancer battles the person and his entire family and friends as well. I know personally. My mother  had cancer and it was our whole family's battle for a time. His wife Sara's battle to "do it all" during Clint's chemo treatments reminds me of my own struggle to run my mom's household at age 16.  The questioning of God and the waiting on Him was as profound for me then as it is for Sara and for Steven, Clint's partner, as they pray and pray and look for answers.

Wallace does a wonderful job of showing that trusting God doesn't always mean the answer that we want. Some cancer patients live and some don't and we don't know why. All we can know is that God is on His throne and He is always good.

I highly recommend this book.  I reminded me again that though life is known to be hard, God is faithful. 

FBI Agent Clint Rollins is one of my favorite characters to write, but the challenges he faces in book two were the hardest to put into words. This story grew out of a painful time of wrestling with God and doubting His goodness when two dear friends and a vibrant young adult in my church’s student ministry faced life threatening illnesses. These amazing people all play cameo roles in Healing Promises. But the book is dedicated to Ken Whaley and his family, who showed me in action that even when circumstances don’t go the way we prayed, God is on His throne and He is very, very good. Always.

Writing about a married couple whose deep love for each other is tested right along with their faith stretched me in ways I’m still decoding. The intimacy and history between marriage partners was both fun and painful to put into words. Clint and Sara’s love sizzles at a deeper level than new romance, but inherent in that depth is the possibility of even more pain with loss.

In Ransomed Dreams I wrote about one of my greatest fears, that of losing my children. With Healing Promises, the fear I grappled with was not only losing my spouse, but also the reality of living in a fallen world with bodies that aren’t always healed this side of heaven. My hope for readers of Healing Promises is that as they watch Clint and Sara’s journey, they’ll be challenged to ask their own deep questions. In doing so, I pray they’ll find that understanding isn’t the key to survival, but believing the truth is where the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) begins.

That’s where Defenders of Hope come in. FBI agents Steven Kessler, Clint Rollins, and Michael Parker risk their lives and hearts serving in the Washington DC Crimes Against Children Unit.

Every day these FBI agents work cases that constitute a mother’s nightmare. The hardest cases evoke haunting questions. What is justice? What part does faith play? And the hardest question of all… why?  Read more at the website: http://www.defendersofhope.com/index.html

Winner of "Fatal Deduction"

Congrats to Roxanne!  Your name was drawn to win Fatal Deduction by Gayle Roper!

Winner of "Be Sweet"

Congrats to Elizardbreath! (Cool name!) you name was drawn to win Diann Hunt's Be Sweet.

Water, water everywhere!

This is a video of a home in our area literally being washed away.  We've had unbelievable weather with flooding and tornadoes and all kinds of crazy stuff.  Personally we have not had any flooding, but many we know are dealing with varying degrees of water in their homes and water damage.  We were hit with more rain last night, but are expected to have a few dry days now. 

Review and Giveaway of "Ruby Among Us" by Tina Ann Forkner

Post a comment for a chance to win this book!  Enter by June 22.  My thanks to the author for offering a copy of this book to give away.  And my thanks to her for writing a beautiful story! 

Speaking of Ms. Forkner:

Tina Ann Forkner writes contemporary fiction that challenges and inspires. Originally from Oklahoma, she graduated with honors in English from CSU Sacramento before ultimately settling in the wide-open spaces of Wyoming where she now resides with her husband and their three children. Tina serves on the Laramie County Library Foundation Board of Directors and enjoys gardening, spending time outdoors with her family, and works as a full-time writer.

About Ruby Among Us:

Sometimes, the key that unlocks your future lies in someone else’s past…

Set in the lush vineyards of present and past Sonoma Valley, Ruby Among Us weaves a story of three generations of women and the memory that binds their hearts together. Journey with Lucy as she searches for a heritage long buried with her mother, Ruby, in this stirring tale of remembrance and redemption.

Ruby Among Us is published by Waterbrook Press, a division of Random House

Read an Excerpt Here.

Visit Tina’s Blog Here

Praise for Ruby Among Us:

“The writing is so vivid I felt if I inhaled hard enough I’d be able to smell the roses described in the garden Ruby created and Lucy would later inherit…Ruby Among Us takes the reader on a bittersweet journey filled with hurt, loss, shame and forgiveness. The writing is very fluid and the emotions expressed feel genuine that the reader will forget Lucy and Kitty are just characters in a novel.  “- Blog Critics Magazine (www.blogcritics.org)

“This book is absolutely amazing! In this her debut novel author Tina Ann Forkner has done an outstanding job of capturing the very essence of her characters … She writes as one who is well established and this is only the beginning.” - Cheri Clay, Reviewer - Midwest Book Review

My Thoughts:

I love a book whose characters stay with you long after you finish reading the book.  That's how these characters are.  I was enamored with Lucy and Kitty and their strange but beautiful relationship.  The story of Lucy's journey was beautifully captured and illuminated with the pieces of her past as they began to come to light. 

The beginning of the book packs an emotional punch as Lucy's mother and Kitty's daughter, Ruby, dies suddenly.  In the aftermath of Ruby's death, Lucy must deal with her guilt and her fears of forgetting her mother.  Kitty steps in and becomes Lucy's mother and fierce protector.

The story then steps rapidly to Lucy's 19th year and her determination to know her past and find out her grandmother's and mother's secrets that Kitty has guarded and only hinted at in her quilts.  (I love that she uses quilts to express herself, being a quilter myself!)  Slowly and cautiously Kitty's stories and the family secrets begin to spill out.  Leaving a time and place for finally forgiving and changing the course of Lucy's future as well.

A beautiful story with genuine and engaging characters.  It makes me wish for the days when I could sit down with my grandmother Grace and hear her stories, not that she had any secrets, but just the beauty in the act of sipping tea together and hearing her story.  Strong women have so much to offer us in their stories.  It also reminds me of how much courage it can take to open up ourselves and share our stories.