« December 2008 | Main | February 2009 »
Congratulations to Jenny! Your name was drawn to win Shade by John B. Olson.
It's been extremely cold here lately and I haven't been able to get to the post office. Please forgive the delay in getting your books to the recent winners. It's supposed to get warmer starting tomorrow.
Thanks for entering!
|
|
LETTER S!
This will be a giveaway working through the alphabet by author's last name.
RULES FOR ENTERING:
a. Post a comment to the blog entries of the books you would like to win AND answer the "Just for Fun" question that goes with it.
Today's question for "S." S is for sound. What are you favorite sounds? I love my children laughing, ocean waves, and water fountains.
b. Enter on or before the date specified. Claim your prize, if you win, within 10 days of being notified or I will redraw. (In other words, let me know you want the book and where it should be sent, should you find out your name was drawn.
Enter by January 23. Today's book winner will be drawn on January 24.
c. Check back for the next giveaway: letter T!
Today's book is Beyond the NIght by Marlo Schalesky.
Description:
Maddie Foster is blind, but she never wanted pity---especially from Paul Tilden. Paul enjoyed his friendship with Maddie---but questioned his own judgment when he fell in love. Now Maddie lies unconscious in a hospital bed and her husband is left alone to recall their courtship---and await the final mystery in God's plan!
My Thoughts:
A beautiful and tender love story!
|
|
Congrats to Jenna! Winner of In Search of Eden.
Thanks for entering!
|
|
LETTER R!
This will be a giveaway working through the alphabet by author's last name.
RULES FOR ENTERING:
a. Post a comment to the blog entries of the books you would like to win AND answer the "Just for Fun" question that goes with it.
Today's question for "R." R is for reading of course! What book(s) are you reading right now? I'm reading the book for letter S...
b. Enter on or before the date specified. Claim your prize, if you win, within 10 days of being notified or I will redraw. (In other words, let me know you want the book and where it should be sent, should you find out your name was drawn.
Enter by January 21. Today's book winner will be drawn on January 22.
c. Check back for the next giveaway: letter S!
Today's book is Tristan's Gap by Nancy Rue.
Description:
She thought they had the perfect family…
For eighteen years Serena Soltanis has poured herself into her family, making every effort to please her husband and to protect her daughters from the evils of the world. Respected and admired for her obvious parenting success, she leads a popular mothers’ group at her church, passing along wisdom gained through years of experience.
until she woke up in a mother’s worst nightmare.
Then the unthinkable happens. Sixteen-year-old Tristan, the quiet “good girl” of the family, disappears–and the search brings to light unpleasant truths that prompt Serena to question nearly everything she believes about her children, her marriage, and her faith.
“Where did we go wrong?”
Brokenhearted by her daughter’s behavior and her husband’s angry response, Serena struggles to see God’s hand of grace in their lives. Initially determined to rescue Tristan from whatever trouble she’s in, Serena learns the painful lesson that true strength won’t be found in regaining control of her daughter’s choices but in finally learning when to let go.
My Thoughts:
An amazing book! Very emotional for me, reading about a mother and her two daughters, thinking about my girls... Reminded me to convey my love to my girls and to try to find ways to let them know that they can always come to me. The story is beautifully written and Rue finds a way to communicate Serena's feelings in ways that are almost poetic. I love the growth of Serena's character as she reaches into depths of strength she didn't know she had and comes to discover that God is greater than she had been giving Him credit for in her efforts to "put Him in a box."
It never ceases to amaze me how God can bring a book into your life that speaks to a situation in your life right at that moment. This book was like that for me. There are parts of the daughter's life that are part of my journey right now. Isn't it cool when a story speaks to us like that?
|
|
Congrats to Sandra Jensen! Your name was drawn to win When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
|
|
LETTER Q!
This will be a giveaway working through the alphabet by author's last name.
RULES FOR ENTERING:
a. Post a comment to the blog entries of the books you would like to win AND answer the "Just for Fun" question that goes with it.
Today's question for "Q." Q is for quilt. I'm making a quilted wall-hanging to help remind me of my word of the year, "Stillness." I need help with the color scheme. I want the main color to invoke a sense of peace and balance. What color do you think creates that mood?
b. Enter on or before the date specified. Claim your prize, if you win, within 10 days of being notified or I will redraw. (In other words, let me know you want the book and where it should be sent, should you find out your name was drawn.
Enter by January 19. Today's book winner will be drawn on January 20.
c. Check back for the next giveaway: letter R!
The letter Q is a tough one. I didn't find an author with a last name starting with Q, so I picked books that have a word in them that starts with Q. Today's books are The Sisters of the Quilt Series by Cindy Woodsmall.
Raised in an Old Order Amish family, 17-year-old Hannah Lapp wants nothing more than to break with custom and experience the outside world---so when her longtime Mennonite boyfriend proposes, she joyfully accepts! But will her choice damage her family forever? And when tragedy jeopardizes her upcoming marriage, can she cope without her community? Book 1: When the Heart Cries
Book 2: When the Morning Comes
Her relationship with fiance Paul Waddell in tatters, Hannah Lapp has fled her secluded Old Order Amish community in hopes of finding a new home in Ohio with her shunned aunt. Hampered by limited education and hiding her true identity, Hannah struggles to navigate the confusing world of the Englischers.
Book 3: When the Soul Mends
With her heart now in the hands of a new love as well as the two children left in their care, Hannah Lapp finds her Englischer life more than she'd ever hoped for and is actively pursuing a future with Martin and in medicine. When she receives a call from her sister Sarah, desperate for help, Hannah reluctantly returns to the Old Order Amish community that ostracized her. Once home, she must face her disapproving father and her former fiance, Paul Waddell, and it seems only Paul holds the key to her sister's mental health. When Hannah dares to speak her mind to him, she realizes that a lie separated them--one Paul knows nothing about.
As they work together for Sarah's sake, her feelings for Paul become too strong to ignore and Hannah's faced with choosing between the two men she loves--one an Englischer and one a Plain man. Free to follow her heart's desire, Hannah must discover her true desires and choose between the two vastly different worlds.
My thoughts:
I loved these books! I'll be honest and admit that I avoided reading them for a long time because I thought they wouldn't "be my type." I was wrong. They were not the "cookie-cutter" Amish storyline. They were fresh, enthralling, and moving. Very good books!
|
|
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ted is the son of missionaries John and Helen Dekker, whose incredible story of life among headhunters in Indonesia has been told in several books. Surrounded by the vivid colors of the jungle and a myriad of cultures, each steeped in their own interpretation of life and faith, Dekker received a first-class education on human nature and behavior. This, he believes, is the foundation of his writing.
After graduating from a multi-cultural high school, he took up permanent residence in the United States to study Religion and Philosophy. After earning his Bachelor's Degree, Dekker entered the corporate world in management for a large healthcare company in California. Dekker was quickly recognized as a talent in the field of marketing and was soon promoted to Director of Marketing. This experience gave him a background which enabled him to eventually form his own company and steadily climb the corporate ladder.
Since 1997, Dekker has written full-time. He states that each time he writes, he finds his understanding of life and love just a little clearer and his expression of that understanding a little more vivid. Dekker's body of work encompassing seven mysteries, three thrillers and ten fantasies includes Heaven's Wager, When Heaven Weeps, Thunder of Heaven, Blessed Child, A Man Called Blessed, Blink, Thr3e, The Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, White), Obsessed, Renegade, and Chaos.
Erin Healy is an award-winning fiction editor who has worked with talented novelists such as James Scott Bell, Melody Carlson, Colleen Coble, Brandilyn Collins, L. B. Graham, Rene Gutteridge, Michelle McKinney Hammond, Robin Lee Hatcher, Denise Hildreth, Denise Hunter, Randy Ingermanson, Jane Kirkpatrick, Gilbert Morris, Frank Peretti, Lisa Samson, Randy Singer, Robert Whitlow, and many others.
She began working with Ted Dekker in 2002 and edited twelve of his heart-pounding storiesbefore their collaboration on Kiss, the first novel to seat her on "the other side of the desk."
Erin is the owner of WordWright Editorial Services, a Colorado-based consulting firm specializing in fiction book development. She and her husband, Tim, are the proud parents of two children
ABOUT THE BOOK
Let me tell you all I know for sure. My name. Shauna.
I woke up in a hospital bed missing six months of my memory. In the room was my loving boyfriend-how could I have forgotten him?-my uncle and my abusive stepmother. Everyone blames me for the tragic car accident that left me near death and my dear brother brain damaged. But what they say can't be true-can it?
I believe the medicine is doing strange things to my memory. I'm unsure who I can trust and who I should run from. And I'm starting to remember things I've never known. Things not about me. I think I'm going crazy.
And even worse, I think they want to kill me.
But who? And for what? Is dying for the truth really better than living with a lie?
Sometimes dying with the truth is better than living with a lie.
After a car accident puts Shauna McAllister in a coma and wipes out six months of her memory, she returns to her childhood home to recover, but her arrival is fraught with confusion.
Her estranged father, a senator bidding on the White House, and her abusive stepmother blame Shauna for the tragedy, which has left her beloved brother severely brain damaged. Leaning on Wayne Spade, a forgotten but hopeful lover who stays by her side, Shauna tries to sort out what happened that night by jarring her memory to life. Instead, she acquires a mysterious mental ability that will either lead her to truth or get her killed by the people trying to hide it.
In this blind game of cat and mouse that stares even the darkest memories in the face, Shauna is sure of only one thing: if she remembers, she dies.
If you would like to read the first chapter of KISS, go HERE
My Thoughts:
I loved this book! Ted Dekker has done it again. This book was wonderfully suspenseful and drew me into the story and kept me hooked right to the last page. The plot twists left me guessing. I highly recommend it!
What people are saying about KISS:
“The human brain could actually be the real final frontier—we know so little about it and yet it drives the world as we know it. So when authors like Erin and Ted bravely explore these mysterious regions, going into complex places like memory and soul and relationships, I become hooked. The creativity of this suspenseful story is sure to hook other readers as well. Very memorable!”
~Melody Carlson, author of Finding Alice and The Other Side of Darkness
“Dekker and Healy prove a winning team in this intriguing, imaginative thriller.”
~James Scott Bell, bestselling author of Try Darkness
“Kiss by Erin Healy and Ted Dekker is a superb thriller that hooked me from the first sentence. The original plot kept me guessing, and I may never look at a kiss the same way again. I’ll be watching for the next book!”
~Colleen Coble, author of Cry in the Night
“The writing team of Erin Healy and Ted Dekker has taken me through a page-turner with Kiss. It’s one of those books that you think about when you’re not reading it. I highly recommend it, especially if you don’t mind staying up late because you can’t put the book down!”
~Rene Gutteridge, author of Skid and My Life As a Doormat
|
|
Congrats to Heather! Your name was drawn to win Havah! You'll have to let me know if you like it! :)
|
|
LETTER P!
This will be a giveaway working through the alphabet by author's last name.
RULES FOR ENTERING:
a. Post a comment to the blog entries of the books you would like to win AND answer the "Just for Fun" question that goes with it.
Today's question for "P." People is for people. Without thinking about it too hard, name eight people you'd like to have dinner with: 2 authors, 2 actors/actresses, 2 sports stars, and 2 religious/political/world leaders. They must be real and they must be alive currently. My "off the top of my head" list: Tosca Lee (she seems fascinating to me), Charles Martin (would he see things in my heart that he depicts in his characters?), Orlando Bloom (I can't resist him in "The Lord of the Rings" movies!), Johnny Depp (didn't really mean to have a pirate theme going, but he was my high school crush from "21 Jump Street"), Christy Yamaguchi, Bret Favre, Billy Graham, and Laura Bush.
b. Enter on or before the date specified. Claim your prize, if you win, within 10 days of being notified or I will redraw. (In other words, let me know you want the book and where it should be sent, should you find out your name was drawn.
Enter by January 17. Today's book winner will be drawn on January 18.
c. Check back for the next giveaway: letter Q!
Today's books are by Trish Perry: The Guy I'm Not Dating and Tood Good to be True.
Kara Richardson has finally suffered one breakup too many. She's decided to go the no-dating route to romance, although she's not quite sure how that works. She couldn't have picked a worse time to meet Gabe Paolino. Gorgeous men hardly faze Kara. A personal trainer, she works with hunks every day. But Gabe, the handsome young deli owner in town, proves way too available and way too challenging for Kara's vow of friendship. How will she adhere to her new lifestyle without scaring Gabe away? Enter matchmaking friends, a strange elderly aunt, three demanding teens, and one hard-to-take vixen with eyes for Gabe. Add an overcrowded road trip and plenty of God's blessings, and Kara may discover that the guy she's not dating is the best boyfriend she's ever had. My Thoughts: A funny and sweet book! I loved the strange and crazy aunt who mixes up some things and gets other things totally straight. I appreciate how hard Kara was striving to hear God's voice when it comes to dating. In her efforts, she gets a wonderful chance to get to know Gabe as friends. This is exactly how my husband and I got to know each other first: we were friends first and then started dating, so I have a soft spot in my heart for this story. A wonderful tale of friendship building to romance with lots of fun and laughter to go with it! Description of Too Good to be True: Ren, a 20-something elementary schoolteacher, has reluctantly accepted that her husband—who divorced her over a year ago—is not coming back. Tru Sayers, a handsome young labor-and-delivery nurse, seems like a gift from God. Ren's friends and Tru's siblings are supportive and excited about the match. But there are . . . complications. Ren's control-freak mother is desperate to match her daughter up with "more suitable" men. Tru's mother wants Tru to remain a bachelor—and at her beck and call—forever. Is it possible to honor your parents while on the verge of killing them? Despite conflicts, embarrassments, and a pity binge or two, Ren learns how to lean on the Lord and His loving will for her. Just when Ren thinks her happiness is slipping away, God shows her that no miracle is too good to be true. My Thoughts: Another very funny book by Trish Perry! Ren is Kara's friend (from The Guy I'm Not Dating), so it's a perfect continuation to the story with peeks at Kara's engagement plan through the eyes of Ren and her journey. Ren continues the tradition from the first book, by finding herself in crazy situations that lead to funny laugh-out-loud moments. I enjoyed it very much! Description from Trish Perry's website:
|
|
Want to know something crazy? The "M" button on my keyboard is acting up. I have to really pound on it to get it to type. If I write sentences like: "y favorite anials are onkeys because they ake e laugh."...well, now you know why.
|
|