What to Do When When You Don't Know What To Do by Cloud & Townsend

Michelle's February Book Review Blitz- Book #7

Have you ever been confused wondering which direction you should take? Life decisions can be difficult. Sometimes, it seems impossible to understand what God would want you to do and distinguish that option from all the others. 

If you've ever been on a trip, you know that it isn't fun being lost with no landmarks for guidance. Anxiety sets in as other cars whiz by and you're in the wrong lane to get on the proper street, or is it the proper street? Several loops around the block and suddenly you can't tell North from South. You head in what you think is the right direction, only to discover later that you've veered way off course. 

Life can produce that much anxiety too. If you're caught in a bad habit, looping around in a dead-end career, or stranded with no clue how to get on track, there is hope. Sometimes you just need to know where to go for guidance.

I just finished reading What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. If you're trying to find your way through a problem, maybe this book would be helpful. 

A Review of What to Do When When You Don't Know What To Do

The book is subtitled “8 Principles for Finding God’s Way,” so it shouldn’t surprise the reader that there are eight chapters. Each deals with one principle for getting through uncertain times. The size of a gift book, this is a quick read. It’s almost a pocket guide. This isn’t a wordy or academic textbook. The authors teach the principles in simple terms making the content easy to process and apply to life. They use personal examples and illustrations, which makes reading both pleasant and practical, and the bonus material at the end provides guidance on several specific issues.

This book is suitable for giving to friends who are growing in their faith and those who aren’t familiar enough with the Bible to know where to seek direction. But I think the more spiritually mature will likely see the 8 principles as more of good review of the biblical concepts they already know.

Some of the authors’ statements are a little too simplistic. For example, the authors tell the reader, “All you have to do is ask [God] for answers and he will provide them”(p. 22). For someone unfamiliar with discerning God’s voice, the reader might not find it so easy to find the answers God provides. This could have used a lot more explanation.

Overall, this is a useful book. It would make a great graduation gift. I recommend keeping a few copies on hand to give to friends when they are experiencing a difficult decision or a discouraging season in life.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from Thomas Nelson Publishers, however, my reviews are always objective and honest.

Sneak Peak at Never Far From Home

February Book Review Blitz #6

Ready for some more "bonnet" fiction? I'm waiting for my complimentary review copy of Never Far From Home to arrive, but in the meantime, I thought I'd give you a sneak peak at the book on the day the book promotional tour begins.

Here is a link to the book trailer on You Tube: 


Would you like to know more about how an author researches a book such as this Amish fiction? Author Mary Ellis shared some of her secrets on her blog. She said, "Since Never Far from Home—Emma’s story—involves sheep, one morning I drove the back roads until I found the perfect Amish sheep farm. After I parked my car and ran to the fence to see them, the sheep came running to see me. What a joy to see dozens of God’s gentlest creatures frolicking down the hillside! When the Amish farmer joined me at the fence, he explained it wasn’t my magnetic personality that had drawn them, but their expectation of sweet treats. Nevertheless, asking him my list of questions on a sunny morning proved far more enjoyable than surfing websites." Read the full article here

I'll be posting a review very soon!

There is one more book review for you in my February Book Review Blitz coming tomorrow. Then I'll take a break from reviewing and get back to regular posting. I hope you've found some time to curl up with a good book in this snowy season. 

Urban Amish? Debut of Plain & Simple Series

Ever Heard of "Urban Amish"?

 February Book Review Blitz #5

ABOUT THE STORY

 Jayne Tate is an investigative reporter for a major daily. When her editor demands she take time off to grieve the death of her father and get her writing back up to par, Jayne instead follows her instincts. She's certain there's a story to uncover about the Amish, but where to start?

An initial interview with the intriguing owner of an Amish furniture store opens the door for Jayne to live with the Amish family he left behind. What she doesn't yet know is that her journalistic observations of this sincere, yet conflicted family are destined to cause reflections of her own childhood.

REVIEW BY MICHELLE

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit an Amish community for a little while? Imagine the simplicity and quiet without the barrage of technology. I’m not sure I could give up my laptop for long, but it would be fun to experience the culture for a few days.

That’s what Jayne Tate got to do in Plain Jayne by debut author Hillary Manton Lodge. Jayne didn’t exactly find it easy to give up her laptop either, but visiting Amish country gave her an opportunity to do some soul searching. To be honest, when I received my complimentary review copy from Hillary Lodge’s publicist, I thought, not another Amish book! They’re everywhere and I’m a little burned out on them. But this author has a different slant than so many of the other series that are out there.

Lodge skips all the Pennsylvania Dutch jargon that other authors have in their Amish books. You won’t find any “wunderbar gut” or “Rumschpringe” here, and I found that refreshing. Instead, the author focuses on the characters and plot, and she does it without doing an injustice to Amish culture. The other difference is that this book focuses more on a non-Amish character whose encounter with the Amish helps her put her own future into perspective, where authors focus exclusively on an Amish young person struggling to decide whether or not to embrace the Ordnung. Although some of that is sprinkled in the story, it isn’t the main conflict.

This was fun to read. I love the wit in this author's writing voice. Her humor and personality come through in a way that make me want to meet her in person. Harvest House Publishers knew what they were doing when they signed this author. I enjoyed this book very much, I’m looking forward to more from Lodge's Plain and Simple series.

 I'm networking this week with this other blogger:

• The Inspired Room's What Inspired You? link party Stop by and see what inspires other people.

The Country House Courtship

February Book Review Blitz #4

Have you ever been so sure of the direction you wanted your life to go, but then unexpectedly, your desires change? I remember when I planned to be a career nurse, I'd send my children to the hospital daycare, and my husband and I would make loads of money. Then mid-pregnancy with my first son, my desires totally changed. I became a stay-at-home mom and eventually a freelance writer and speaker. Who knew? 
 
I just finished reading The Country House Courtship by Linore Rose Burkard and elements of the plot reminded me of my major turn-around as one of the main characters discovers that what she thinks she wants may not be exactly what she really wants. Let me tell you a little about this author whom I've not heard of until I was given this book to review. 

The Country House Courtship is a regency romance. This means that the book isn't a modern interpretation set in historical times. It's a book with the style and flair of literature form the early 19th century that's also set in that era. The language is different from most romance novels and it reads more like a Jane Austen book than a modern story. 

About the Author

Publishers Weekly acclaimed the work of Burkard in its review of The House in Grosvenor Square, saying, "Ms. Burkard's command of period detail is impressive..On the whole, it's a tasty confection."

Burkard, a fan of classic romances and graduate of City University of New York, began writing stories when she couldn't find true Regency romance within the inspirational fiction category. "I knew that many women like me want stories that are historically authentic and offer glimpses of God's involvement in our lives," she says.

Raised in New York, Burkard now lives with her husband and five children in a town full of antique stores and gift shops in southwestern Ohio. This is her 3rd novel. To learn more about her, visit www.linoreburkard.com. 

Sneak Preview of the Book

Beatrice, sister of the heroine in The House in Grosvenor Square, is intent upon landing as wealthy a husband as her sister managed. Yet her youthful heart is about to encounter life lessons that will leave her re-aligning priorities and re-considering the individual upon whom she can depend and love.

Michelle's Review

Linore Rose Burkhard won a place on my list of new favorite authors with this book. It's a delightful story, well-researched, and packed with tongue in cheek humor that puts the reader in the head of the author as the narrator. But putting little notes in parentheses, the author answers some questions a reader might have about the plausibility of certain occurrences. I enjoyed this conversation between author and reader. I also enjoyed the elements of mystery and romance.

For the reader unfamiliar with regency romance, this isn't a light read, despite the pace of the story and the entertaining aspects of it. Because the language and style is consistent with the period, it takes some thought to process. Dialogue isn't always separated into new paragraphs for each speaker, which again requires thoughtful reading. Fortunately, the author has included a glossary in the back for those unfamiliar with certain regency terms. The other feature that makes sets this genre apart from modern romance or women's fiction is the point of view. It changes often, sometimes within a paragraph since it is told in third person omniscient. Since I rarely read this style, it took a little getting used to. 

Reading this book was like getting a little historical culture lesson through fiction that was just as pleasant as consuming dietary fiber via a delicious brownie. It made it thoroughly pleasant! I'm sure I'll be looking for other books by Burkard now that I've been hooked on the style.

Note: I received the book for review from the publicist, but all reviews are fair and objective.

Thin Places of My Own

This week, I hosted Mary DeMuth’s Thin Places on the blog. I’ve been thinking more about those times when heaven is so real in the mundane of life. My first writers conference was a thin place for me. I went there, unsure of what God wanted me to do with my life. Unsure of whether I ought to call myself a writer.

I attended expecting to learn the craft of writing. What I learned was something much more valuable. I arrived as an insecure stay-at-home mom but by the end of the first day, I sobbed in my room as I realized God loved me enough to have a plan for my writing. I saw how He cared for me enough to connect the random details that made up my life. I began to see how my hobbies, my volunteer activities, my varied career pursuits all connected like dots in a coloring book, and how each one had prepared me for writing and speaking. 

During one of the sessions, the worship leaders led a song by Shawn Craig and Don Koch that said, “In Christ alone, I place my trust, and find my glory in the power of the cross. In every victory, let it be said of me, my source of strength, my source of hope is Christ alone.” I made it my theme song from that moment on.

That whole four-day conference was a thin place for me, a place where I sensed God so near that I could almost touch Him. It changed everything for me.

How to Talk Texan

As part of Lisa's tour on my blog, she's provided a fun bonus article. Don't forget to read the book review to see how you could get your name in the grand prize drawing. 

How to Talk Texan: Road Trip Tutorial

by Lisa Wingate

A couple dozen phrases that'll keep you from lookin' like you don't know gee from haw.  You can hang your hat on it!

Hey, y’all!

If you’re planning a road trip across Texas, well, my friend, you’d better get your trottin’ harness on, I’ll tell you that right now. 

This state’s wider than a woodcutter’s pile. You’ll be so busy here, you’ll think you’re twins. You might even meet yourself comin’ and goin’ or travel so fast you’ll catch up to yesterday.  

One thing’s for sure--there won’t be any grass growin’ under your feet, especially if it’s summer, because it’ll be hot as a nanny goat in a pepper patch. Don’t let that trouble your mind, though. 

Seeing the whole state might seem about as easy as tryin’ to saddle up house flies or put socks on the rooster, but here’re a few phrases that’ll make your trip just as smooth as a calf’s ear. You’ll find this little bit of Texan talk just as handy as a pocket on a shirt. With these phrases, you’ll be right at home in jig time, and happy as a pig in sunshine, I promise. 

Folks’ll think you’re just as fine as frog hair split four ways. Why, you might even find yourself a Texas gal who’s cute as a bug’s ear or a fella who catches your eye like a tin roof at noonday. Even if you don’t find love here, you’ll run across lots of folks who’re so friendly, they’ll add a cup of water to the soup and tell you to get your sittin’ britches on. 

Some of them might be full of wind as a corn-eatin’ horse, but you’ll be welcome ‘till whenever you figure it’s time to put the chairs in the wagon and turkey-tail it toward home. 

When you do, we’ll keep a light on and a hitch out for ya, just in case you miss us like a west Texas farmer misses rain. You’re welcome to darken our door any old time. Long as we got a biscuit, my friend, you got half, and if that ain’t a fact, well, then I’m hip high to a horned toad. 

Y’all come back now, y’hear!

--Lisa Wingate (and the REST of the folks in Daily, Texas, too!)

 

For stories with Texas flavor

and fun, come see us at www.Lisawingate.com

Never Say Never

February Book Review Blitz #3

Another Grand Prize Chance!- See below

I’m having so much fun with all this reading! It’s winter—the perfect time to snuggle in and read. This week, I read Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate.

About the Author:

Lisa Wingate is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books, including Tending Roses, Talk of the Town, Drenched in Light, A Thousand Voices, and A Month of Summer. Her work was recently honored by the Americans for More Civility for promoting greater kindness and civility in American life. Lisa and her family live in central Texas.

About the Book:

Kai Miller floats through life like driftwood tossed by waves. She's never put down roots in any one place--and she doesn't plan to. But when a chaotic hurricane evacuation lands her in Daily, Texas, she begins to think twice about her wayfaring existence. And when she meets hometown-boy Kemp Eldridge, she can almost picture settling down in Daily--until she discovers he may be promised to someone else. Daily has always been a place of refuge for those the wind blows in, but for Kai, it looks like it will be just another place to leave behind. Then again, Daily always has a few surprises in store--especially when Aunt Donetta has cooked up a scheme.

Interview With Lisa:

1. How did you develop the initial story idea/plot line for this book?

Some book ideas you search for, and some just blow in on the wind. For the past several years, dating back to Hurricane Katrina, we in Central Texas have been the recipients of massive hurricane evacuations. These massive exoduses of people, pets, and belongings are frightening, frustrating, challenging, and at times oddly wonderful. When so many are on the road seeking shelter, the worst, but also the best qualities of humanity come to the surface. Hurricane evacuations truly provide times when we ask the question, "Am I my brother’s keeper?" In answering that question, we’ve enjoyed amazing moments of friendship and fellowship, family reunions, and chances to share a food and space with strangers from other parts of the country. We’ve traded stories and recipies, laughter and tears.

One thing we’ve learned about hurricanes, living here, is that the paths are never predictable. Storms waver, hesitate, speed up, slow down, and sometimes change course unexpectedly. Evacuations needs can change and develop quickly. What better way for the beauty shop girls to find their inner strength and to show Daily hospitality, than for their cruise plans to land them smack in the middle of a sudden and chaotic hurricane evacuation?

2. Almost every author puts a little of themselves into their stories—what did you put of yourself into this one? (personality traits, life events/jobs, settings, characters based on people you know, likes/dislikes, etc.)

There’s a bit of me in the setting, of course. I love Texas, in all its variety of cultures and landscapes, but, living in a small town, I have a particular affection for little bergs like Daily, where the coffee’s always hot, and a good slide of pecan pie can cure most ills. Having watched our little town mobilize to take in hurricane evacuees several times now, I’ve been reminded that sometimes the worst things that can happen bring out the best in people. Given the opportunity and faced with the need, regular people can rise to the occasion in amazing ways, as do the citizens of Daily in the book.

Some members of the Wingate family might also claim to recognize themselves among the citizens of Daily, Texas. I would offer the disclaimer that any resemblances are completely unintentional, but that would be a bald-faced lie. When you come from a family of great storytellers and colorful characters, there’s nothing to do but make use of what you’ve got.

3. Did you encounter any interesting challenges while writing/researching for this book? Please explain if so.

The most difficult part of working on Never Say Never was researching and reliving the devastation left behind on the Texas gulf coast last year after Hurricane Ike. While interviewing family members about their experiences during the evacuation and return, we shared laughter and quite a few tears. For those who have lived in southeast Texas all their lives, talking about familiar landmarks, heirlooms, and old family places that were washed away forever, knowing some things will never be the same, is both difficult and devastating. For those of us who have so many memories of family gatherings and vacations there, it’s hard to believe we’ll never visit the old places again.

4. Why is this book/story relevant today?

Despite our best-laid plans, we all experience storms in life—whether those storms be of a weather-related nature, or due to an illness, death, or in recent months, job loss and financial misfortune. When the parameters of life and our ability to control fate suddenly change, we’re confronted with our own helplessness and need to rely on other people and God. In a culture that values independence and self-sufficiency, it’s important to remember that we all have a common need and a common responsibility for each other and that without faith we really are alone in the storm.

Michelle’s Review of Never Say Never:

Have you ever crossed paths with a stranger more than once in a day? Perhaps you noted someone at the gas station and later saw the same person at the grocery store. Never Say Never is a sweet story of two paths that crossed in the most delightful way despite the chaos and calamity of a hurricane. Every other chapter of the book is written from the first-person perspective of either 20-something Kai Miller or 70-something Donetta Bradford and author Lisa Wingate does a fabulous job of voicing each of these characters. I could almost hear the drawl in Donetta’s voice as she dripped southern charm and hospitality. She was so real that she reminded me of someone I once met.

I received this book compliments of Lisa’s publicist, and I enjoyed it very much. The plot was interesting enough to keep me reading, yet the story was light enough for a relaxing recreational read. I hope you’ll put Never Say Never on your wish list. I know I’m looking forward to reading more books by Lisa Wingate.

Grand Prize Drawing - One reader from my blog will be entered!

Donetta and Imagene's Texas Road Trip Basket (approximate total value over $150). Take a Texas road trip, without ever leaving home! Featuring all of these goodies:

The Daily Texas Series by Lisa Wingate:

• Talk Of the Town
• Word Gets Around
• Never Say Never

The Blue Sky Hills Series by Lisa Wingate:

• A Month of Summer
• The Summer
• Kitchen
• Beyond Summer (a special advance copy not available in stores until July 2010)

Road Trip Snacks (Straight from Texas, of course!)

Wrap it all up with a fuzzy, fleecy Texas throw blanket for those cold nights on the road (or curled up with your books!)

The name from my blog readers entered into the drawing on Feb. 19 was Reborn Butterfly. Good luck in the final drawing.

Thin Places

February Book Review Blitz #2

Have you ever been in the midst of a terribly difficult situation, yet you could see God at work? You’ve experienced a thin place.

In her book, Thin Places,  Mary DeMuth describes a thin place as a place where heaven and the physical world collide, a place where everyday life meets eternity. It’s about finding a glimpse of eternity amid the messiness of life and feeling God draw near. 

In this moving memoir, Mary presents a story that would seem devoid of God’s presence, of an existence where He has abandoned and turned His face. Yet, as Mary spills her tragedies on the page, bleeds them as she describes the process, the reader can see that she has found hope. She has discovered that God did not abandon her. She has gone back to places most would bury forever, and she’s found God, right there in the middle of the pain of abuse and emotional abandonment. Her story gives hope. It gives those who have lived through similar pain a reason to go back and look for their own thin places, those places where God really was there. 

More than anything, this is a story of how God can take a tattered life and turn it into something so beautiful. In order to help others turn their trials into triumphs, Mary has had to be vulnerable. It’s her gift to the reader. 

I received a complimentary review copy of the book from the publisher, but this has no bearing on the impartiality of my review. I truly loved this book.

Third Time’s A Charm

Have you ever experienced something that was painful to go through, but you discovered healing and liberation in the process? I read a book last week that displayed this so well. In the first of my February Book Review Blitz, Third Time’s a Charm Author Virginia Smith walks the reader through the process of letting go and finding healing. Let me tell you a little about the author and the book. Be sure to check below for how you might eligible to be entered into a drawing for a very nice gift of ten books from the author.

Virginia’s publicist says:
Virginia Smith recently contracted her twelfth book in four years. Previous books in the Sister-to-Sister series include: Stuck in the Middle and Age before Beauty. In 2008 she was named Writer-of-the-Year at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Stuck in the Middle was a finalist for American Christian Fiction Writers’ 2009 Book of the Year Award. A Taste of Murder was a finalist for the 2009 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. Ginny and husband, Ted, divide their time between Lexington, Kentucky, and Salt Lake City, Utah, escaping as often as possible for diving trips to the Caribbean. Admittedly, her adventurous outings are often as much fun as they are “book research.”

The Inspiration Behind the Main Characters:
I was watching a DVD when I first envisioned Tori Sanderson. In Sweet Home Alabama, Reese Witherspoon is chic, petite, and more than a little headstrong. Plus, she’s ashamed of her upbringing, and therefore insecure even though she enjoys a successful career. That’s exactly how I pictured Tori as I wrote the first two books in the Sister-to-Sister Series. But Tori is several years younger than Reese, so as I wrote the opening chapter of Third Time’s a Charm, I was struggling to come up with the perfect visual image. One evening I saw an advertisement for “Samantha Who,” starring Christina Applegate. I jumped out of my chair and shouted, “That’s her! That’s Tori!” So I gave my character a curly perm to match Christina’s. I Googled the show’s cast and found Barry Watson, who became my model for the handsome handyman, Ryan Adams. And Mitch Jackson is modeled after Michael Weatherly, the gorgeous but suggestively inappropriate Tony DinNozzo on “NCIS.” Sounds like I’m a television junkie, doesn’t it? Not really, but I do like to have a visual image for characters as I write. It helps them come alive in my mind, and hopefully in the minds of my readers, too. 

About the Book:
(Dual Residency: UT & KY) – There’s not too much in this world that a little retail therapy can’t fix—except maybe the empty hole in your heart from lost and undiscovered love. Tori Sanderson is no exception. Facing abandonment issues with her father, Tori sets out to find the real reason he left her. Along the way she discovers even deeper truths. Add in two matchmaking sisters plus a couple of attractive men vying for Tori’s attention, as well as a tempting job promotion possibility, and you’ve got one confused sister. Through it all, Tori searches for the love she’s been missing all these years.
Author Virginia Smith, presents Third Time’s a Charm, the third installment of the Sister-to-Sister Series. Page-turning humor surrounding the lives of three sisters will once again engage readers, while somber self-discovery will unveil Tori’s struggles, and perhaps a few of your own. In a world with more than a few dysfunctional families, this story will ring true for many.


Interview With the Author:
1. This book is the third and final book in your Sister-to-Sister Series. How did you feel when you completed this last book?
I felt a little sad, because I have lived with the characters for three years, and they’re very real to me. I’ll miss them. Plus, I wanted to leave readers with a good impression, so I was anxious for the last scene to be strong. I prayed over that last line for a long time, and when the words finally came, I got chills. They were absolutely the perfect wrap-up for the whole series. I still get tears whenever I read them.

2. Which of the sisters in this trilogy do you relate to the most? Why?
That’s a hard question to answer, because there is a piece of me in each of the Sanderson sisters. But I’d have to say I relate most closely with Tori, because she is professionally ambitious, and she struggles to balance her career and her personal life. I did that for over twenty years, so much of her conflict comes from my experiences.

3. You've been contracted to write 12 times in the last 4 years. To what do you attribute this success and how would you encourage others who are doing everything possible to get published?
Perseverance. I wrote for over twenty years before my first book, Just As I Am, was published. But I believed that the Lord gave me the desire to write, and even when my pile of rejections was growing (to an astounding 143 before my first publication!), I knew if He wanted me to write, I was going to keep writing. Even now – or maybe especially now – I trust Him for every story, every contract. Sometimes I still receive rejections, but I keep writing because He keeps giving me stories.

4. How is your relationship with your own sisters similar to Tori and her sisters? Did you pull from these sibling experiences when writing Third Time's a Charm? How?
I sure did! Actually, my sisters were the inspiration behind the whole Sister-to-Sister Series. They are the most incredible women in the world, and I wanted readers to glimpse the relationship we have. And they were excited to have starring roles in my stories. It was funny watching them try to identify themselves in the books, because I took characteristics from each of us and mixed them up to create each of the Sanderson sisters. Tori, for instance, is a career-minded person, like me. She’s creative, like one of my sisters. And she’s a big flirt, like the other sister. Uh… I’d better not identify who that is, or I’ll start a family feud!

5. What's next for Virginia Smith?
In May of this year I have a new book coming out from Steeple Hill. Researching A Daughter’s Legacy was a lot of fun, because it is set in a zoo! It’s my first straight romance, and was something of an experiment for me to see if I liked writing the genre. I loved it, and have a few ideas germinating in my mind for future romance novels.
Then later in the year, Into the Deep will hit bookstores. That’s a romantic suspense novel with a scuba diving theme. It takes place partly in Key West, and partly in Cozumel, Mexico. Can you tell I have a lot of fun researching my books?

For a more in-depth look into the life of Virginia Smith visit the KCWC blog.

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Michelle’s Review of the Book:
This was a delightful read. One thing I loved was that it’s the 3^rd book in a series, yet I hadn’t read the other books and felt right at home in this one. The author does a nice job of creating a series of books that can also stand alone.

Although in everyday life, I’d never related to glamorous main character Tori, her upscale lifestyle, or her prestigious career, I felt as though I was living vicariously through her in the book. I love a book that carries me away from my own life into a world I’d never experience otherwise. This book did that for me.

Ginny Smith has a way of weaving the lighthearted and the serious together seamlessly. At the heart of this story is a girl who longs for a daddy. Smith has tackled something that plagues so many young women today and affects them so deeply.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Virginia Smith’s publicist and I know I’ll be looking for more books by this author. I’d say third time isn’t just a charm, it’s a winner.

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The Grand Prize will be awarded to one fortunate person who leaves a comment at one of the blog tours participating in the KCWC Third Time's a Charm blog tour. The prize includes:
The complete collection of Virginia Smith books, TEN in all (listed below), with a personal behind-the-scenes commentary written by the author - especially for this tour!

• Sister-to-Sister Series, including: Stuck in the Middle, Age Before Beauty, and Third Time's A Charm.
• Unforgettable Mayla Strong Books: Just As I Am and Sincerely Mayla.
• Classical Trio Series from Love Inspired Suspense: A Taste of Murder, Murder at Eagle Summit, and Scent of Murder.
• Murder By Mushroom
• Bluegrass Peril

On Feb. 11, Michelle drew the name of one person who commented on this post and sent it to Virginia’s publicist to be entered into the grand prize drawing. Congrats to Edna for having her name entered!

January Book Winner

Using www.random.org, I entered the number of comments on my book drawing post and generated a winning number. Congratulations to Angie on winning 2 months in a row! It pays to be a faithful reader. :-)

Angie gets to choose her free book from those listed on the book drawing post. Fun!

Tomorrow begins my February Book Review Blitz. I've got some great titles to review!