Tree Swing Reading

Winner of "Solemnly Swear" by Nancy Moser

Congratulations to Wod Lily! Your name was drawn to win Solemnly Swear.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Contemporary Series, Sequels, and Novellas Christy Nominees

I enjoyed these three books very much! The nominees were:

 Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Description:

Two midlife mamas hop over to jolly ole England and encounter so much more than the usual tourist stops. Liz does have a bit of a childhood crush on Big Ben, and she has hoped to "meet" him ever since her fifteenth birthday. Kellie dreams of starting an interior design business and figures Liz needs to be a part of that equation-a calculation that hasn't added up for Liz yet.

Nothing on the excursion goes the way these two friends had envisioned. They start with a village pancake race and end up being held for questioning on The Underground. Kellie and Liz take a wild tour through the land of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and then find themselves swept up, up, and away in a hot air balloon over the Cotswalds. London beckons with the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, shopping at Portabella Road in Knotting Hill, and of course, reservations at the Ritz for a posh high tea.

My Take:

Another fun adventure by Robin Jones Gunn! As always, the sisterchicks get into some crazy mishaps, but in the end the trip and the friendship teach them important lessons. A quick, light-hearted read.

Summer Snow by Nicole Baart (Tyndale House Publisher)

Description:

Julia DeSmit is finally learning to accept her new life. Optimistic and anxious to begin again after dropping out of college, she is taking fumbling steps down a challenging yet hope-filled road.But the careful existence Julia has begun to build falls hopelessly to pieces when her estranged mother, Janice, appears on the front porch one icy March night. Mother and daughter have not seen or talked to each other in ten years, and a decade of anger, resentment, and bitterness follows in Janice's wake, along with a surprise Julia could never have anticipated. Julia is convinced that which is broken cannot be mended. Yet when she faces the very decision her mother did years before, she begins to realize what it means to truly accept grace. Will it be her undoing or the impetus for a change she'd never dared hope for?

My Take:

Very beautifully written and full of strength. I was especially moved by Julia's transition as she lets bitterness go out of her life and begins to seek happiness instead of resentment.   I think this was my favorite.

 You Had Me at Good-bye by Tracey Bateman (FaithWords)

Description:

When editor Dancy Ames is fired by Jack Quinn, she needs to find a new career. Maybe she'll write a novel about a mean publisher who falls in love with a coffee barista! On a dare, she sends Jack the book proposal under an assumed name. But what if he's interested in the story---and more?

My Take:

Also a favorite is anything in this series! They are wonderful "chicklits" with the main character making decisions and ending up in scrapes that make the reader laugh. A wonderful fun read.

Contemporary Romance

I just finished reading Zora and Nicky and Finding Stefanie and had already read Beyond the Night,  so I wanted to give you my favorite pick in the Contemporary Romance Christy Award nominees category. I have to admit that although the winner was Beyond the Night and it was an excellent book, it is not my personal first pick.  I would pick Zora and Nicky: A Novel in Black and White by Claudia Mair Burney, with Finding Stephanie as a close second. By the way, you can still enter to win these and all the Christy Award Nominees here.

Zora and Nicky is a pretty challenging read in the sense that it brings to light some pretty intense stuff. Stuff like racism and conformity and the feeling of aloneness that can come right in the middle of a big "perfect looking" church. Reading it may make you squirm, but it will also make you think and warm your heart with the intensity of the relationship between Zora and Nicky.  Nicky's thought especially made me blush sometimes, but I so related to the feelings of both characters as they fought to come out from under a world of expectations and public "Christian" image.  Pretty heavy stuff. But definately worth reading!  Just to warn you, the 'n' word is used a few times.

Finding Stefanie was also good and spoke to my heart about the pain of losing sight that God sees us as His Beloved no matter how successful we are in the world's eyes.

All three are great books!

Personal Update

Sorry to bore you with a personal note, but I wanted to keep being honest about this weight struggle I've been having.

I have to confess that I have decided to step back from the gluten free diet to get tested for intolerance first. I jumped into it too fast in my desperation to lose weight. I have been paying for it with a severly upset stomach and horrible heartburn since Monday. I can't eat anything without feeling horrible. This feels like an indication that I need more information before drastically altering my diet like I was.

I don't know the answer, but I do know that God is making a pretty clear point in my life that I need to stop worshiping the idea of a thin me and find a way to accept His love for me as I am. 

I need to stop pouring all my energy into feeling sorry for myself for my weight troubles and re-prioritze the focus back on what really matters.

So forgive me, please, for my pitty parties and desperate posts about diets.  I seem to be a bit slow in getting this message through my thick skull.

Please pray for healing for my stomach that seems to have gone into some spasmatic reaction to the diet I was doing.

2009 Christy Award Winners

The winners were announced last night. You can still sign up to win these and all the nominated books here.  I'm working through all the books I hadn't read yet and will let you know my picks too. :)

 

Contemporary Romance: Beyond the Night

by Marlo Schalesky (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Contemporary Series, Sequels, and Novellas: You Had Me at Good-bye

by Tracey Bateman (FaithWords)

Contemporary Standalone: Dogwood

by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers)

First Novel: Blue Hole Back Home

by Joy Jordan-Lake (David C. Cook)

Historical: Until We Reach Home

by Lynn Austin (Bethany House Publishers)

Historical Romance: From a Distance

by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House Publishers)

Suspense: The Rook

by Steven James (Revell)

Visionary: Vanish

by Tom Pawlik (Tyndale House Publishers)

Young Adult: I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires

by Cathy Gohlke (Moody Publishers)

Winner of Hope Lyda books

Congratulations to Darby! Your name was drawn to win these books!

Thanks for entering!

Christy Award Nominees Giveaway!

The Christy Awards will be presented on July 11. In honor of that event and excellence in Christian fiction, I am happy to offer a HUGE giveaway of all the Christy Award nominees!

Here are the rules for entering:

a. Post a comment and list which of the books you'd like to win. You can enter for as many of the books as you would like. You are allowed to enter for all if you so desire. Or for one if you so desire.

b. Each book has its own drawing with entries for all those who indicate they would like to entered for that book. 

c. Enter on or before July 30. Winners will be drawn on July 31. 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.)

d. Please help me promote this giveaway, if you are willing, with a post on your blog or Twitter or Facebook or even just mention it to a friend at coffee... Thanks!  It's great to help spread the word that there is high quality Christian fiction just waiting to be devoured!

The Books!

Contemporary Romance Category

1. Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

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!

2. Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House Publishers)

Description:

Stefanie Noble feels like "happily ever after" has passed her by---until three needy kids show up in town. Movie star Lincoln Cash has one last chance to start a new career---in Phillips, Montanta. When Lincoln accuses one of Stefanie's charges of arson, neither of them realizes that somebody is out to get them!

3. Zora and Nicky: A Novel in Black and White by Claudia Mair Burney (David C. Cook)

Description:

Zora Johnson's daddy pastors a megabucks megachurch. Nicky Parker's father preaches old-time religion and old-fashioned racism. Nicky's a reformed playboy and Zora a misunderstood artist---and their first encounter is hardly a meeting of minds! Despite skin-deep differences, will two lost sheep from very different flocks find their Good Shepherd . . . and each other?

Contemporary Series, Sequels, and Novellas

 4. Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Description:

Two midlife mamas hop over to jolly ole England and encounter so much more than the usual tourist stops. Liz does have a bit of a childhood crush on Big Ben, and she has hoped to "meet" him ever since her fifteenth birthday. Kellie dreams of starting an interior design business and figures Liz needs to be a part of that equation-a calculation that hasn't added up for Liz yet.

Nothing on the excursion goes the way these two friends had envisioned. They start with a village pancake race and end up being held for questioning on The Underground. Kellie and Liz take a wild tour through the land of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and then find themselves swept up, up, and away in a hot air balloon over the Cotswalds. London beckons with the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, shopping at Portabella Road in Knotting Hill, and of course, reservations at the Ritz for a posh high tea.

5. Summer Snow by Nicole Baart (Tyndale House Publisher)

Description:

Julia DeSmit is finally learning to accept her new life. Optimistic and anxious to begin again after dropping out of college, she is taking fumbling steps down a challenging yet hope-filled road.But the careful existence Julia has begun to build falls hopelessly to pieces when her estranged mother, Janice, appears on the front porch one icy March night. Mother and daughter have not seen or talked to each other in ten years, and a decade of anger, resentment, and bitterness follows in Janice's wake, along with a surprise Julia could never have anticipated. Julia is convinced that which is broken cannot be mended. Yet when she faces the very decision her mother did years before, she begins to realize what it means to truly accept grace. Will it be her undoing or the impetus for a change she'd never dared hope for?

6. You Had Me at Good-bye by Tracey Bateman (FaithWords)

Description:

When editor Dancy Ames is fired by Jack Quinn, she needs to find a new career. Maybe she'll write a novel about a mean publisher who falls in love with a coffee barista! On a dare, she sends Jack the book proposal under an assumed name. But what if he's interested in the story---and more?

Contemporary Standalone

7. Dogwood by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers)

Description:

In the small town of Dogwood, West Virginia, Karin has buried her shattered dreams by settling for a faithful husband whose emotional distance from her deep passions and conflicts leaves her isolated. Loaded with guilt, she tries to raise three small children and "do life" the best she can. Will returns to Dogwood intent on pursuing the only woman he has ever loved--only to find there is far more standing in his way than lost years in prison. The secrets of Will and Karin's past begin to emerge through Danny Boyd, a young boy who wishes he hadn't survived the tragedy that knit those two together as well as tore them apart. The trigger that will lay their pain bare and force them to face it rather than flee is the unlikely figure of Ruthie Bowles, a withered, wiry old woman who leads Karin so deep into her anger against God that it forces unexpected consequences.

8. Embrace Me by Lisa Samson (Thomas Nelson)

Description:

Immersed in the world of a traveling circus, Valentine listens endlessly to the song "Embraceable You" on an old record player. She has friends, but romance is nowhere in sight. When a dreadlocked, scarred local with a hidden past and a compelling presence enters the picture, will Valentine find the love she longs for?

9. Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas (Moody Publishers)

Description:

When single mom Marty Winslow discovers that her deceased child was switched at birth, she sues for custody of her orphaned biological daughter. But winning in court is the easy part of the battle! Andie won't fit in, one of her "sisters" hates her, and she's worried about her grandparents. Can anything heal this tattered family?

First Novel

10. Blue Hole Back Home by Joy Jordan-Lake (David C. Cook)

Description:

1979 was the summer that 15-year-old Turtle hung in a mangy pack with her brother, his friends, a couple of dogs, and the New Girl---the one with the deeply colored skin whose father prayed on a rug facing East. That was the summer hearts and minds---and lives---changed forever in a small Appalachian mountain town.

11. Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler (Bethany House Publishers)

Description:

Unspoken secrets surround Nicole Michelin's childhood as a missionary kid in Japan, but she's quite satisfied with her American lifestyle. She enjoys writing about fish in her online column---where she meets Harrison Michaels. When he hints at having connections to her past, will Nicole listen? Is she ready to know the truth?

12.Safe at Home by Richard Doster (David C. Cook)

Description:

In the spring of 1953, sports columnist Jack Hall and the rest of his sleepy southern town eagerly await the opening pitch of the Whitney Bobcats. But lackluster ticket sales prompt the team to recruit Percy Jackson---a 17-year-old black man with a .364 batting average---as their season-saving "white knight." Will the town jeer or cheer?  

Historical

13. Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley ( B&H Publishing Group)

Description:

Like Colossus overshadowing the island's harbor, years of bondage on Rhodes have darkened Tessa's heart. A high-priced courtesan in 227 B.C., she's abandoned hope for liberty or love. But her wealthy owner's death offers her a chance for both---if she can conceal his absence! Will she find God's wholeness before the island's peace is shattered?

14. Until We Reach HomeLife in Sweden seems like an endless winter for three sisters after their mother's and father's suicide. Ellin feels the weight of responsibility for her sisters' welfare and when it circumstances become unbearable, she writes to her relatives in Chicago, pleading for help.

Joining sixteen million other immigrants who left their homelands for America between 1890 and 1920, Ellin, Kirsten, and Sophia begin the long, difficult journey. Enduring the ocean voyage in steerage and detention on Ellis Island, their story is America's story. And in a journey fraught with hardships, each woman will come to understand her secret longings and the meaning of home.

15. Washington’s Lady by Nancy Moser (Bethany House Publishers)

Description:

It has been said that without George Washington, there would be no United States. But without Martha, there would be no George Washington. He called her "my other self." Who was this woman who captured the heart of our country's founder? Martha Dandridge Curtis was a wealthy, attractive widow and the mother of two small children when she was courted by, then married to the French and Indian War hero. Her new life as Martha Washington took her through blissful times at Mount Vernon, family tragedies, six years of her husband's absence during the Revolutionary War, and her position as a reluctant First Lady.

Historical Romance

16. Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishers)

Description:

Let yourself be swept away by this fast-paced romance, featuring Grace Calhoun, an instructor of reading, writing, and arithmetic, who, in an attempt to escape the clutchs of a relentless pursuer, runs smack dab into even more trouble with the 6R's - widower Daniel Reeves, along with his five rowdy sons. When a marriage is forced upon this hapless pair - two people who couldn't dislike each other more - an avalanche isn't the only potential danger lurking amid the shadows of Calico Canyon. Will they make it out alive? Or end up killing each other in the process?

17. From a Distance by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House Publishers)

Description:

Determined to establish herself as a photojournalist, Elizabeth Westbrook travels from Washington, D.C., to Timber Ridge, Colorado. But when one of her pictures is used as evidence in a murder trial, she finds her life in peril. Meeting Confederate sharpshooter Daniel Ranslett teaches Elizabeth something surprising about herself---but what she learns about Daniel is life changing!

18. The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Binnings Ewen (B&H Publishing Group)

Description:

Set in Siam and Europe during the 1920s, the glittering decade of change, The Moon In The Mango Tree is based upon the true story of Barbara Bond, a beautiful young ex-patriot and opera singer from Philadelphia who is forced to choose between her fierce desire for independence-a desire to create something of her own to give purpose and meaning to her life-and a deep abiding love for her faithful missionary husband whose work seems to create a gap between them. But when you choose between two things you love, must one be lost forever?

Suspense

19. By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer (Tyndale House Publishers)

Description:

After a series of killings, reporter Catherine O'Rourke is plagued by dreams that reveal each crime in ghastly detail. But because of her intimate knowledge, she's charged with murder! When she engages high-priced lawyer Quinn Newburg, he wants her to plead insanity. Can his famed legal maneuvering save her---or will it take a miracle?

20. The Rook by Steven James (Revell)

Description:

While investigating a series of baffling fires in San Diego, FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers is drawn into a deadly web of intrigue where nothing is as it appears to be. With his own criminology research being turned against him and one of the worlds most deadly devices missing, Bowers is caught up in a race against time to stop a criminal masterminds trap before it closes around him and the people he loves.  

21. Winter Haven by Athol Dickson (Bethany House Publishers)

Description:

Eleven years ago, Vera Gambles brother left their house never to be seen again. Until the day Vera gets a phone call that his body has been found, washed ashore in the tiny island town of Winter Haven, Maine. His only surviving kin, Vera travels north to claim the body, and finds herself tumbling into a tangled mystery. Her brother has not aged a day since last she saw him.

Determined to uncover what happened in those lost years, Vera soon discovers there are other secrets lurking in this isolated town. But Winter Havens murky past now seems bound to come to light as one woman seeks the undeniable and flooding light of truth.

Visionary

22. The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka (Harvest House Publishers)

Description:

Packer Throme, determined to demonstrate that power comes only from above, leads his people in a war against the dreaded Drammune. The evil Hezzan of Drammun will kill without remorse for the secret of the Firefish...and so will dark forces lurking within Nearing Vast.As army faces army, and navy faces navy, all are drawn inexorably to the source of the epic struggle... the feeding waters of the Firefish within the Achawuk Territory. One final surprise awaits Packer Throme there in the foreboding place where the struggle for the dominion of the world will be settled at last.

23. Shade by John B. Olson (B&H Publishing Group)

Description:

"You will not fear the terror of the night."--Psalm 91

A monstrous waking nightmare is pursuing graduate student Hailey Maniates across San Francisco to Golden Gate Park where she is rescued by a towering homeless man. She seems able to read her rescuer's mind but is it just a delusion? Doctors diagnose her as a paranoid schizophrenic and attempt to prescribe away her alleged hallucinations. But too many questions remain around Hailey and the man who saved her. He appears to suffer from her same mental condition and is convinced that some type of Gypsey vampire is trying to kill them both.
Against reason, Hailey finds herself more and more attracted to this strange man. But what if he is a fantasy. What if he is the monster?

24.Vanish by Tom Pawlik (Tyndale House Publishers)

Description:

Caught in a mysterious storm, three strangers survive to find everybody else has vanished. When unscrupulous lawyer Connor Hayden, aging model Helen Krause, and enterprising mechanic Mitch Kent meet, they're desperate. And they're being watched---by "observers" who force them to relive their pasts. Does a mute homeless boy hold the key to their future?

Young Adult

25. The Fruit of My Lipstick by Shelley Adina (FaithWords)

Description:

Loud-mouth New Yorker Gillian Chang is about to start her second term at posh Spencer Academy boarding school in San Francisco... But can she hang on to her integrety and her faith when she loses her heart to Lucas Hayes?

26. I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires by Cathy Gohlke (Moody Publishers)

Description:

When his father joins the Union Army, 17-year-old Robert Glover reluctantly vows not to enlist until he turns 18. But when his cousin Emily writes seeking help for Uncle Albert---imprisoned at Fort Delaware---he unwittingly becomes embroiled in a Confederate escape plan! Can Robert find answers on matters of family, faith, and freedom for all?

27. On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Description:

Come away to a fantastical world where ice prairies sparkle, sea dragons sing by moonlight, and lost legends come to life! Penned and partially illustrated by Peterson, this adventure-filled tale takes you to the land of Skree where the Igiby children are pursued by the evil Gnag after they stumble upon a cache of precious jewels.

Those are all the books! I had hoped to give you my picks from among these, but I haven't had a chance to read them all, and, well, it would be unfair to pick against one I hadn't read! LOL!  Hopefully in the next few weeks I can read some more of these great books!

a. Post a comment and list which of the books you'd like to win. You can enter for as many of the books as you would like. You are allowed to enter for all if you so desire. Or for one if you so desire.

b. Each book has its own drawing with entries for all those who indicate they would like to entered for that book. 

c. Enter on or before July 30. Winners will be drawn on July 31. 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.)

d. Please help me promote this giveaway, if you are willing, with a post on your blog or Twitter or Facebook or even just mention it to a friend at coffee... Thanks!  It's great to help spread the word that there is high quality Christian fiction just waiting to be devoured!

The Books!

1. Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Winners

Congratulations to:

Carolynn, winner of Riven by Jerry Jenkins

and to

Lisa, winner of Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Alphabet Soup Giveaway: Letter M

Alphabet Soup Giveaway is back!

Here are the rules:

RULES FOR ENTERING:

a. Post a comment to the posts of the books you'd like to win. You can enter for as many of the books as you would like. Every 2-3 days the next letter's giveaway will be posted.

b. Answer the day's silly question for fun.

Today's question: M is for musicals. I LOVE musical theater! I used to work backstage on all my highschool productions and love going to them.  What are your favorite musicals?

I love "Fiddler on the Roof," "Pirates of Penzance" and, yes, "High School Musical."

c. Enter on or before July 12. Winners will be drawn on July 13. 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.)

d. Check back for the next giveaway!

Today's letter is M and the book is Solemnly Swear by Nancy Moser

 

Description:

Patti McCoy, a kitchen worker at a local resort, is accused of killing her boyfriend, Brett Lerner, the restaurant's maitre d'. But was she simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? It's up to the jury to decide. Each member comes from a different background, but one in particular has a lot at stake by being on this jury. Her husband was actually the last person to see the victim alive. The circumstantial evidence against Patti, however, is piling up, and the jury--although torn--has no alternatives. Will the real murderer be discovered before it's too late?

My Thoughts:

Good read...I always like a good courtroom mystery, and this was very enjoyable. A mix of characters, trying to make changes in their lives, and facing mistakes they've made.  I find Nancy Moser a delightful author and her stories always grab me and hold my interest.

RULES FOR ENTERING:

a. Post a comment to the posts of the books you'd like to win. You can enter for as many of the books as you would like. Every 2-3 days the next letter's giveaway will be posted.

b. Answer the day's silly question for fun.

Today's question: M is for musicals. I LOVE musical theater! I used to work backstage on all my highschool productions and love going to them.  What are your favorite musicals?

I love "Fiddler on the Roof," "Pirates of Penzance" and, yes, "High School Musical."

c. Enter on or before July 12. Winners will be drawn on July 13. 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.)

d. Check back for the next giveaway!

Today's letter is M and the book is Solemnly Swear by Nancy Moser

 

Description:

Patti McCoy, a kitchen worker at a local resort, is accused of killing her boyfriend, Brett Lerner, the restaurant's maitre d'. But was she simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? It's up to the jury to decide. Each member comes from a different background, but one in particular has a lot at stake by being on this jury. Her husband was actually the last person to see the victim alive. The circumstantial evidence against Patti, however, is piling up, and the jury--although torn--has no alternatives. Will the real murderer be discovered before it's too late?

My Thoughts:

Good read...I always like a good courtroom mystery, and this was very enjoyable. A mix of characters, trying to make changes in their lives, and facing mistakes they've made.  I find Nancy Moser a delightful author and her stories always grab me and hold my interest.

Winner of "Women's Intuition"

Congratulations to Carole! Winner of Women's Intuition by Lisa Samson.

Thanks to everyone for entering!