Three Novellas Celebrating the Warmth of the Season
by Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, Kate Lloyd
As the weather grows cold and the nights grow long, the cheer and warmth of the Christmas season is one thing all readers can find comfort in. This collection from bestselling Amish fiction novelists Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, and Kate Lloyd finds the beating heart at the center of the holiday and offers three novellas that celebrate family, faith, and especially the sights and smells of a bustling holiday kitchen.
Leslie Gould tells the story of how, in the wake of a heartbreaking loss, a young Amish woman finds unexpected comfort and hope in a yearly baking tradition surrounding the local Lancaster Christmas market. Jan Drexler offers a sweet tale of a shy Amish woman who decides to use her gift for sweets to woo a local Amish boy with her beloved Christmas cookies. And Kate Lloyd offers a heartwarming tale of a woman's unexpected discovery about the truth of her past, and the warm and welcoming Amish family table she finds herself invited to on Christmas.
My Review:
This book contains three stand alone Amish fiction novellas that tell stories of faith, family, and love at Christmastime.
An Amish Family Christmas by Leslie Gould tells the story of Noelle, a young Amish woman who recently lost her mother. She's busy taking care of her father and working in the family's baked goods business when an old love that Noelle had never gotten over comes back to Lancaster County.
An Amish Christmas Recipe Box by Jan Drexler tells the story of Ada, a shy young Amish woman who is having trouble gaining the attention her crush. She decides to use her baking skills to get him to notice her.
An Unexpected Christmas Gift by Kate Lloyd tells the story of Maria, a young English woman searching for answers about her past. In her quest she meets an Amish family that will change her life.
This book is filled with faith, family, love, and the joy of Christmas. The authors all did a wonderful job of telling these women's stories in ways that drew me in. I joined their families for Christmas even though I read it at the end of summer. I ached for their losses and their heartaches, rejoiced in their happiness, and didn't want to put the book down. I look forward to reading more from all three of these authors.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher, Bethany Housefor review. I was not asked to give a favorable review, just an honest one.
Julane is first of all a child of God. She is also a wife to Bob, mother to two living sons,Kip and Rob, two daughters in heaven, two wonderful daughters-in-law, Becky and Tami, and grandmother to six perfectly wonderful grands, as well as an additional three ‘other grands’. She lives with her husband in a wee cottage by a small lake nestled in the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas.
Though encouraged by many to pen the story of raising two daughters with an incurable disease, she has chosen to incorporate the lessons learned into the lives of her not-too-perfect characters. Her passion is to present the promises and hope found in God’s Word in down-to-earth, everyday experiences through her stories.
Julane loves reading, decorating, junking, antiques, and chocolate! No particular order, but one would be safe to insert chocolate between all other interests.
ABOUT THE BOOK
In 1877 the Wenghold sisters inherited an overwhelming debt with their father’s passing. An uncle they’ve never met offers a solution—come help on his Kansas cattle ranch. The oldest sister, Robin, agrees to go.
Ty Morgan has suffered through a year of misery after being jilted by the town beauty a few months before their wedding. But a tornado whirls an unexpected breath of hope into his heart when he rescues Robin, his neighbor’s newly arrived niece, and a small boy who was orphaned by the storm.
Robin’s crippled leg prevents her from being a real help to Uncle John, but she seems to be exactly who Ty needs to heal his broken heart. Until his former fiancée returns and a mysterious, elusive stranger casts worry over the entire community.
A woman determined to honor her obligations, a man entangled in a long ago-made commitment, an orphaned child in need of security . . . Can God guide these three souls to peace and fulfillment together?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Robin, go HERE.
My Review:
I have had an unexpectedly busy week and haven't had a chance to finish reading this book yet. However, this is a refreshingly sweet love story and I anticipate that the ending will be just as good as the beginning. I also look forward to reading more from this author and in this series.
Mesu Andrews’ deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for her readers. She and her husband, Roy, enjoyed fourteen years of pastoral ministry before moving to the Pacific Northwest, where Roy now serves as Academic Dean at Multnomah Biblical Seminary. Mesu writes full-time, snuggled in her recliner beside a cozy fire on rainy Northwest days. The Andrews’ enjoy visiting their two married daughters and a growing tribe of grandkids. Mesu loves movies, football, waterfalls, and travel.
Biblical fiction is her favorite genre to read and write. Her first novel, Love Amid the Ashes (Revell, 2011), tells the story of Job and won the 2012 ECPA Book of the Year for a Debut Author.
ABOUT THE BOOK
“Fear is the most fertile ground for faith.”“You will be called Anippe, daughter of the Nile. Do you like it?” Without waiting for a reply, she pulls me into her squishy, round tummy for a hug.
I’m trying not to cry. Pharaoh’s daughters don’t cry.
When we make our way down the tiled hall, I try to stop at ummi Kiya’s chamber. I know her spirit has flown yet I long for one more moment. Amenia pushes me past so I keep walking and don’t look back.
Like the waters of the Nile, I will flow.
Anippe has grown up in the shadows of Egypt’s good god Pharaoh, aware that Anubis, god of the afterlife, may take her or her siblings at any moment. She watched him snatch her mother and infant brother during childbirth, a moment which awakens in her a terrible dread of ever bearing a child. Now she is to be become the bride of Sebak, a kind but quick-tempered Captain of Pharaoh Tut’s army. In order to provide Sebak the heir he deserves and yet protect herself from the underworld gods, Anippe must launch a series of deceptions, even involving the Hebrew midwives—women ordered by Tut to drown the sons of their own people in the Nile.
When she finds a baby floating in a basket on the great river, Anippe believes Egypt’s gods have answered her pleas, entrenching her more deeply in deception and placing her and her son Mehy, whom handmaiden Miriam calls Moses, in mortal danger.
As bloodshed and savage politics shift the balance of power in Egypt, the gods reveal their fickle natures and Anippe wonders if her son, a boy of Hebrew blood, could one day become king. Or does the god of her Hebrew servants, the one they call El Shaddai, have a different plan—for them all?
I have always loved the story of Moses. It's the perfect example that God always has a plan and though we can't always see how everything is working towards His plan, it is. He had a plan for Moses to lead His people out of Egypt and long before the Exodus, He chose to use the daughter of Israel's oppressor to help implement it.
Sooo, I was a little torn before starting this book. I was so excited to read it and I really wanted to like it, but I was afraid that I wouldn't. I was afraid that this tale, based on what might have happened, would not be what I wanted it to be. There were aspects of it that were nothing like I would've imagined it myself but Oh My Goodness, it was so much better!
Mesu Andrews made these historical figures come alive for me and it made me love the story of Moses even more.
A Word from the Author:I never planned to be a writer.
In fact, it took me a while to finish college. But I did, and here I am. And I now I can’t imagine not being a writer.
By day, I am an English Instructor for a local college, mother to four amazing children, and wife to an eternally patient and supportive husband.
In the evening, when I can squirrel away some quiet time, I read and write historical fiction.
I have a B.A. in English Lit. from UW Whitewater and an M.F.A in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ.
If you have a question for me, or if you are local and would like me to stop by your book club or writer’s group, please drop me a line via the “Ask the Author” tab. I always love the opportunity to meet with others who share my love of books.
ABOUT THE BOOK
She'll fight for her future...but can she escape her past? Chicago, Winter, 1891
Rachel is in danger. She s seen too much.
She creeps along the cement walls through the dank underbelly of the asylum. She d never planned to leave her quiet farm life, never thought she d find a place in the city, never imagined she d be in the kind of danger that would have her cowering in Dunning s cold, labyrinthine basement.
Jenny has finally found her place. After a childhood of abuse, she has friends, a real job, and her only wish is to give her adopted son the kind of life she never had.
A life of stability, without the risk and uncertainty of a father.
But when Jeremy, Rachel s brother, stumbles into their warehouse, asking for help to find his missing sister, Jenny s carefully constructed life begins to crumble.
My Thoughts:
This book is the second in the Portraits of Grace series and I have to admit that I was a little lost at first because I haven't read the first book, but I soon caught up with who was who and then everything seemed to make more sense. So, you could read this book as a stand alone but I'd really recommend reading the first one before you read this one.
This book is full of intrigue with a touch of romance woven throughout the story. It has a darker, almost Gothic, tone that really works. The author did such an amazing job describing everything that I could almost feel the cold and the fear down in that basement with Rachel. Definitely a page turner.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
When she’s not writing about her imaginary friends, Carol Moncado is hanging out with her husband, four kids, and a dog who weighs less than most hard cover books. She prefers watching NCIS to just about anything, except maybe watching Castle, or Girl Meets World with her kids. She believes peanut butter M&Ms are the perfect food and Dr. Pepper should come in an IV. When not watching her kids – and the dog – race around her big backyard in Southwest Missouri, she’s teaching American Government at a local community college. She’s a founding member and President of MozArks ACFW, category coordinator for First Impressions, blogger at InspyRomance, and represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Prince Malachi Van Renssalaer of Mevendia is getting married. The problem? He’s never even met his bride. His father arranged everything, right down to the marriage contract. Malachi swears to himself that he will be nothing like his father in the ways that count - including his fidelity to his wife.
Jessabelle Keller would happily spend her entire life in obscurity, but her father once saved the life of a future king. Before he dies, her father is committed to seeing that king make good on his promise to have one of his sons marry her so she would be taken care of for life.
No sooner than Prince Malachi and Jessabelle return from their honeymoon, they find themselves dealing with both private trauma and the very public drama of groundless accusations from the press. Just as they begin to weave their fragile trust back together, a ghost from the king’s past arrives and threatens everything they’ve ever held dear.
Secrets have a funny way of coming out and this one could rip the faith of the country in their leaders to shreds. Malachi is determined to protect Jessabelle no matter what it takes, but will it ever be enough for her to not feel like a Hand-Me-Down Princess?
A Word from the Author: To steal a line from Donny and Marie, I’m a little bit country, a little bit rock-n-roll. I’m trapped in the city, but prefer the country or the mountains.
I love Jesus, my family, and just about anything sweet.
I believe Jesus died for my sins, rose three days later, and will one day return. He has carried me through some of my darkest hours. Without faith in Him, I would be nowhere.
I have a penchant for chocolate, clothes, and shoes. When I’m not penning romance novels, I enjoy cooking, decorating and shopping.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Businesswoman Celeste Thompson has one goal: to make her restaurant and hotel a success. She doesn't need any distractions, even from handsome contractor Gage Purcell and his two adorable little girls. Besides, single dad Gage is just biding his time before a big job at the mines comes through. But as Celeste's project springs to life, their arguments transform into attraction. Gage isn't looking for romance, especially not with another career-driven woman like his ex-wife. But openhearted Celeste is more than just another work-consumed client. She might just be his happily-ever-after.
My Thoughts:
This is a well written novel with lovable characters, a relatable story, and a great setting. I love to read sweet romances so, of course, I loved everything about it!.
Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of 5 great kids, speech-pathologist to about fifty more, lover of chocolate, jazz, and Jesus, and proud AlleyCat over at a group writing blog, The Writer’s Alley. Her debut historical romance novel, The Thorn Bearer, released in May 2015, and has already garnered its first award with Readers’ Favorites International Awards. Pepper’s second and third books in the series arrive in February 2016. Her first contemporary romance debuts in April.
ABOUT THE BOOK
From the decks of the ill-fated Lusitania to the smoke-filled trenches of France, Ashleigh must choose between the forgiveness of her past, life in the present, and a Savior who can rescue her from them all. When her fiancé leaves her eight months before their wedding, the unexpected blow ignites a battalion of insecurities stemming from her father's intimate betrayal. Her worst fears are confirmed - who could ever love a soiled woman? In an attempt to escape the shame and disappointment of her past, Ashleigh boards the ill-fated Lusitania to cross the war-torn waters of Europe. Much to her dismay, she isn't traveling alone. Sam Miller is always making up for his best friend's mistakes. Determined to help Ashleigh, he offers his compassion and protection as she ventures across a perilous sea. With the faint hope of renewing his lost love for Ashleigh's sister, Sam never expects to find the woman of his dreams in his best friend's former fiancé and his own childhood companion. As they travel across the Atlantic, neither is prepared for the life-altering and heart-breaking journey of their friendship. When the truth of Ashleigh's past explodes in the middle of war and Sam rejects her, Ashleigh must decide if God is enough - or if the double weight of her betrayal and past will crush her life forever.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Thornbearer, go HERE.
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling
author who believes her readers
should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with
unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.
Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two
Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier,
Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library
Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction
award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction
Writers; the 2015 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith,
Hope, & Love chapter; a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers
Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various
groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She and her
husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn is very active online and
would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms
listed at her website.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Two murders have rocked the city of Houston. Are they the work of a serial killer, or is a copycat trying to get away with murder?
That is the question facing Special Agent Bethany Sanchez, who is eager for her new assignment in violent crimes but anxious about meeting her new partner. Special Agent Thatcher Graves once arrested her brother, and he has a reputation for being a maverick. Plus, their investigative styles couldn’t be more opposite: he operates on instinct, while she goes by the book.
When hot leads soon fizzle out, their differences threaten to leave them deadlocked. But an attempt on their lives turns up the heat and brings them closer together, and a third victim might yield the clue that will help them zero in on a killer. This could be the case of their careers . . . if they can survive long enough to solve it.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Deadlock, go HERE.
Watch the video:
Interview with Diann Mills
How did you become interested in writing?
I
can’t
remember when I wasn’t
in fiction mode. Before I could hold a pencil, I created stories.
After I could hold a pencil, I wrote stories. The power of the
written word intrigued me then as now—the
sound of words, the look of them on the written page, the ways words
are used to entertain, inspire, and encourage others.
What can you tell us about the setting of this novel?
Deadlock,
a
romantic suspense, is set in Houston, Texas. My city. My home.
Familiar landscapes add more authenticity.
Who are the main characters?
Special
Agent Bethany Sanchez steps into the violent crime division of
Houston’s
FBI. She’s
a bit of a perfectionist, and her own worst critic. However, she has
reservations about her new partner, the same man who put her brother
in jail. To make matters worse, he has a reputation of getting the
job done, no nonsense, and a womanizer. Are the rumors true?
Special Agent Thatcher Graves is ready to work with his new partner,
but she’s
hard to get to know. He’s
uncertain if he can trust her, and he has to know she has his back.
Recently he made a decision to become a Christian, but his past
party-image stops him from revealing the changes in his life.
Which of the characters surprised you the most in this story, and how
so?
Bethany
refused to give up on her relationship with her family, even though
they chose her felon brother over her.
How did the writing of this story impact you as a person or as an
author?
Definitely
the family dynamics. We all have family members who don’t
share our beliefs or values. This deepened my awareness of
unconditional love woven with obedience to God’s
principles.
Why is this story important to you?
Three
reasons:
The
complexities of dealing with a depraved mind.
Showing
the cultural differences between Bethany and Thatcher and their
friendship resulting in love.
Creating
an action-packed story about Houston’s
FBI, their dedication and commitment to keeping people safe.
What would you like your readers to take away from this story?
God’s
sovereignty in all situations of life—family,
career, friendships, love, and obeying laws that correspond with
God’s
principles.
Are there some specific lessons you hope readers will learn and apply
to their lives after reading your book?
God
is bigger than our problems - whether that be career, spiritual, or
personal. In Deadlock,
not only did professional problems attack my hero and heroine, but
family dynamics.
When you are not writing, what do you like to do? Do you have any
hobbies?
I
enjoy reading, cooking, gardening, and grandkids! I’m
very much into good health and exercise to keep my body and mind in
the best shape possible.
What can you tell us about Deadlock?
Two
murders have rocked the city of Houston. Are they the work of a
serial killer, or is a copycat trying to get away with murder?
That
is the question facing Special Agent Bethany Sanchez, who is eager
for her new assignment in violent crimes but anxious about meeting
her new partner. Special Agent Thatcher Graves once arrested her
brother, and he has a reputation for being a maverick. Plus, their
investigative styles couldn’t
be more opposite: he operates on instinct, while she goes by the
book.
When
hot leads soon fizzle out, their differences threaten to leave them
deadlocked. But an attempt on their lives turns up the heat and
brings them closer together, and a third victim might yield the clue
that will help them zero in on a killer. This could be the case of
their careers . . . if they can survive long enough to solve it.
Sign
up for my blog on my website! I love to hear from readers!
My Thoughts:
The plot is full of twists and turns and will have you trying to guess who the culprit is right from the first. I found both of the main characters to be relatable and I was rooting for them to fall in love from the very beginning. This is a great story and if you enjoy suspense and "crime" novels then you'll love this one!
I’m Elizabeth, a blessed child of The King. I’m a middle-born daughter, military officer’s wife, homeschooling mama, writer, closet DIYer, and, dare I say it, Downton Abbey addict. May I also mention that I love both my history and my coffee rich.
I am formerly Amish and my heritage is very dear to me and thankful to be so accepted among my still Amish family. I can still speak PA Dutch, too! You can learn more about my Amish family in my first book Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl.
My three book series with Howard Books (a division of Simon & Schuster) is a dream come true. The series is titled The Promise of Sunrise. In this series you will live through World War 2 from an Amish perspective and experience their unique struggles as conscientious objectors during wartime. What happened if one of their members enlisted? What was it like to serve at the Civilian Public Service Camps for years with almost no compensation? How did Amish women and families cope when a son or father was drafted? I look forward to taking you back into the richness of these years of Amish history through fiction.
ABOUT THE BOOK
World War II Marine Joe Garrison returns home from war longing to be a father to his deaf daughter, Daisy, only to find that she is attached to Esther Detweiler, the Amish woman who has raised her since his wife’s death in this touching historical romance.
Orphaned as a child, Esther Detweiler is used to caring for herself and her ailing grandmother. They made the best out of a hard life and poverty without asking for help. They even take in her shunned cousin’s deaf daughter, Daisy, when her mother dies and her father goes off to war. When Esther’s grandmother dies, Daisy is all she has.
When war veteran Joe Garrison returns, all he can think about is recovering from the horrors of war and building a relationship with his seven-year-old daughter. Daisy, however, is unwilling to leave Esther, whom she loves. Joe and Daisy get to know each other again, but Joe struggles with nightmares and fatherhood is proving to be more difficult than he imagined. Esther loves Daisy and despite her Amish ways, Joe finds himself drawn to her as a woman and not just a caregiver.
As their love blossoms, Joe decides to send Daisy away to a school for the deaf which propels their lives into turmoil and a battle for love and family.
Bonnie S. Calhoun is Owner/Director of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, owner/publisher of Christian Fiction Online Magazine, Northeast Zone Director for American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and the ACFW ‘2011 Mentor of the Year.”
She loves to write with body count, blood, or blowing things up. She also has mad skills at coding HTML, and website design. And she lives in a log cabin in the woods with fifteen acres and a pond full of bass, though she'd rather buy fish at the grocery store. Bonnie shares her domain with a husband and two cats, all of whom think she’s waitstaff!
Her latest series is a YA dystopian with Revell titled Stone Braide Chronicles. The first book Thunder published in 2014. The second book Lightning published Oct 2015. There are also two FREE e-book short stories. Tremors is the prequel to Thunder, and Aftershock (short story) comes before Lightning.
ABOUT THE BOOK
After she found her real father, life for Selah should have felt settled. But the horrors have just begun. In her broken world of toxic earth and tribal clashes, Selah must battle the forces of nature alongside those in the Mountain who are calling for her blood. Haunted by the pain of mounting losses, she forges on, seeking her lost family and
uncovering new mysteries. But the ultimate betrayal of her own body may soon make her quest impossible as it becomes apparent that what has made her new could also drive her to a life of madness.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Lightning, go HERE.
My Thoughts:
I had never read any of the Stone Braide Chronicles before receiving this book for review. I did have the other books on my Kindle, so once I finished the previous book I had for review I started this series. I've read the whole series within the last week and now I'm wishing the next one was already out. Seriously, it's that good.
If you haven't read the previous book and e-books in this series then you might want to do that before reading Lightning because this book wouldn't really do well as a stand-alone. You could probably just read Thunder and Lightning and know what's going on but since the e-book shorts are free on Amazon and they really do help with some understanding, I'd recommend reading those as well.
The series is based in a post-apocalyptic America, 150 years after the Time of Sorrows, and is about Selah, a young woman who started out trying to prove herself as just as good as her brothers in order to gain her stepfather's affection. Selah's entire life changed when she hunted and caught a Lander in Thunder. With the beginning of this book, Lightning, it seems like she's settled into a new life in TicCity and everything is going fairly well. Until she can't find the family she had to leave behind, her boyfriend tells her that he doesn't want to be with her, her father won't explain her role as the novarium, and she starts having "lightning" flashes in her mind.
Literally, the only complaint I had with this book was Selah's attitude while in the Mountain. She would go from being a strong, resourceful woman in one scene to being weak and needy in the next. I think that maybe this was to show how stressed and overwhelmed she was because of all that she was having to face but I just don't like it when the strong heroine gets whiny in a story. However, that's just me, and it didn't detract from the story at all.
Overall, I was completely drawn into this series/this book and really enjoyed them and am looking forward to the next one.
RITA and Carol award nominee Kathleen Y’Barbo is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than forty novels, novellas, and young adult books. In all, more than one million copies of her books are currently in print in the US and abroad, and her books have been translated into Dutch, German, and Spanish, to name a few.
Kathleen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. She holds a BBA from Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School and a certification in Paralegal Studies, and is a former member of the Texas Bar Association’s Paralegal Division.
A tenth-generation Texan, Kathleen Y’Barbo has four children of her own as well as seven bonus kids she gladly inherited when she married her own hero in combat boots (read about their real-life romance here!). Kathleen is proud to be a military wife, even if it did mean giving up her Texas drivers license.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A new cowboy romance from award-winning author Kathleen Y'Barbo.
Artist Sessa Chambers may never recover from losing her prodigal son. Even as she grieves the tragic decisions that led to his death, and left her with a toddler to raise, she’s asked to work on her dream project—restoring carousel horses for the Smithsonian. But she can’t do it on her own…
Dr. Trey Brown can’t pick up a scalpel again. Yes, he acted in self-defense, but the events of that awful night haunt him. He was trained to save lives, not take them. When he goes to the young man’s widowed mother to apologize, she’s not at all what he expected. For one thing, she’s not as alone as he thought—not with the fearsome ladies of the Pies, Books, and Jesus Book Club in her corner. For another, she’s beautiful, and being in her presence is more jolting than any eight-second bronco ride from his former rodeo days. Before he knows it, she’s captured his heart as easily as they capture the fireflies gracing Sessa’s Texas ranch.
How can they overcome their past to embrace a future together?
My Thoughts:
I've read a few books by Kathleen Y'Barbo and loved each one of them and Firefly Summer is no exception. This is a romance novel but it's not the typical "boy meets girl, they have a little conflict, then they fall in love" scenario and I definitely liked that about it. There's a lot of emotion in this book and I found myself sympathizing with and rooting for both the hero and the heroine.
Carrie Stuart Parks is an award-winning fine artist and internationally known forensic artist. Along with her husband, Rick, she travels across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law enforcement as well as civilian participants. She has won numerous awards for career excellence. Carrie is a popular platform speaker, presenting a variety of topics from crime to creativity.
Animals have always been a large part of her life. Her parents, Ned and Evelyn Stuart, started Skeel Kennel Great Pyrenees in 1960. Carrie inherited the kennel and continues with her beloved dogs as both an AKC judge and former president of the Great Pyrenees Club of America. She lives on the same ranch she grew up on in Northern Idaho.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A killer with a penchant for torture has taken notice of forensic expert Gwen Marcey . . . and her daughter.
When Gwen Marcey’s dog comes home with a human skull and then leads her to a cabin in the woods near her Montana home, she realizes there’s a serial killer in her community. And when she finds a tortured young girl clinging to life on the cabin floor, she knows this killer is a lunatic.
Yet what unsettles Gwen most is that the victim looks uncannily like her daughter.
The search for the torturer leads back in time to a neo-Nazi bombing in Washington state—a bombing with only one connection to Montana: Gwen. The group has a race-not-grace model of salvation . . . and they’ve marked Gwen as a race traitor.
When it becomes clear that the killer has a score to settle, Gwen finds herself in a battle against time. She will have to use all of her forensic skills to find the killer before he can carry out his threat to destroy her—and the only family she has left.
My Thoughts:
If you're anything like me, when you read a book like this, you usually have the "who done it?" figured out pretty early on in the book. Not with this one. Let me tell you, I suspected EVERYBODY.
This book is well written; making it easy to get drawn into the story. The characters are well developed and the author does a great job of sneaking enough info in there to make you suspicious of more than just the culprit. So if you like a good "Who Done It?" then I highly recommend The Bones Will Speak by Carrie Stuart Parks..
Mark won’t claim he has done it all in the world of publishing, but he has packed boxes, edited manuscripts, made sales calls, created marketing plans, directed design and illustration, started companies, consulted, agented the works of others, and written advertising and catalog copy. He’s authored, compiled, and ghost written books that have landed on an array of bestsellers lists and sold millions of copies. His first ghost writing project, The Wal-Mart Way, was done for Don Soderquist, Sam Walton’s longtime right-hand man.
In early 2012 he put on a new hat as a fiction author. His debut novel, Cuts Like a Knife, was released in April 2012 and was met with rave reviews from USA Today, Fresh Fiction, Publishers Weekly, and other leading national reviewers. His second novel, Every Breath You Take, second in the Kristen Conner Mystery Series, released in Fall 2012 to similar acclaim. Kristen Conner returns in Cold As Ice, which releases in Fall 2014.
Gilroy has extensive writing credits. He scripted and served as creative consultant for a two-hour training video that was honored with the Award of Excellence by the International Television Association. He has compiled and written close to fifty books and penned hundreds articles and curriculum pieces for a variety of periodicals and publishers.
Gilroy and his wife Amy reside in Brentwood, Tennessee. Their six children are Lindsey, Merrick, Ashley, Caroline, Bo, and Zachary—the youngest has now headed off for college, so he and Amy are officially empty nesters.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Detective Kristen Conner is back on a new murder case. She’s still fighting with her sister—and no surprise, someone new wants to kill her!
He was a pillar in his Chicago neighborhood: popular school teacher, devoted father and husband, political activist on behalf of underprivileged children—and a master gardener who liked to plant flowers in his neighbor’s yards. What wasn’t to love about him? Who would want him dead?
When Detective Kristen Conner lands the case she knows from day one who the key suspect is. That’s simple. The person most likely to kill you is someone close that you know and love. But the wife? She was always at her husband’s side and just as passionate about his causes as he was. No way could this loving wife and mother of three be a killer. Right?
Mix in her on-again, off-again relationship with FBI Agent Austin Reynolds, a quick trip to New York City where Kristen helps her media-star sister for a new apartment—only to discover the body of a man who appears to have been executed by a professional killer on a run through Central Park—and Kristen Conner is once again swept into a world of danger, intrigue, and a confusing love life.
What she doesn’t know just might kill her.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Cold as Ice, go HERE.
My Thoughts:
I have to be honest and tell you that this book was really hard for me to get into. It was told from multiple characters' points of view and it also bounced from first person to third with the different characters. I almost stopped reading it but I didn't. And, I'm glad that I didn't, because this was a good, suspenseful story once I got past those issues. I haven't read any of the other books in the series but this one worked for me as a stand alone.
My husband Chris and I live in a cabin-style home next to the National Forest in the beautiful Cascade Mountain area of the Pacific Northwest. Our two grown sons and granddaughter live nearby and we try to see them as often as we can. We also have two 're-homed' pets to make life more interesting-our yellow Labrador retriever Audrey and a Maine coon cat named Harry.
My writing studio is in a separate building next to our courtyard (a garden area that's off limits to the voracious deer). The window behind my desk looks out into the Ponderosa pine forest, where I see deer, squirrels, rabbits, and an occasional raccoon. The other windows in my office overlook the courtyard which is frequented by numerous hummingbirds in the summertime-one August evening we counted nearly fifty of the little hummers.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Managing the Value Lodge in her hometown was not what Anna Gordon had in mind when she set out in the hospitality industry. But it's a safe choice for a woman whose childhood was anything but stable. Out of the blue, she gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reinvent herself by moving to New York City, where she hopes for a management position at a stylish new boutique hotel. The big city is full of surprises--not the least of which is Sean O'Neil. Her childhood crush has applied for the very same position!
Sweet, romantic, and endlessly entertaining, this romp through the storied streets of New York City will enchant readers. Melody Carlson has created characters so charming that readers will long to meet them in the lobby of the stunning Rothsberg Hotel.
Have you ever felt the need to bite your tongue or grit your teeth? With humor and candor, popular women’s speaker Kathy Carlton Willis explores ways to smile in the face of adversity and challenging circumstances. Her go-to phrase Grin with Grace is the title of her latest book. She explores the word “grace” in Scripture, revealing how God’s grace blesses us and how it impacts our relationship with Him and with others.
Grin with Grace is part of the Grin With…Bible Study Series. This line of books is designed to help women on the run focus on a central theme. The “study, story and steps” formula helps readers assimilate new traits in small sections, all the while anticipating the next insight.
“You can never have too much of God’s grace,” says Kathy. “While writing this series, I dealt with multiple health issues, surgeries, cancer, and hospitalizations. At the same time, I moved to a different town, diving in to a new church ministry with my husband. Very little in life seemed familiar or comfortable. But God infused grace into each challenge and turned them into opportunities.” Kathy learned anew what the Bible means when it says:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV)
Quote from Chapter 7, Grin with Grace:
God’s grace strengthens us to live the lives He directs us to live. When we’re weak, grace makes us strong through Christ. His grace is not frail; it’s power-packed.
– Kathy Carlton Willis
There’s an important element about grace. It’s not meant to be hoarded, regardless of its wonderful value. Once God blesses us with grace, we are then recruited to His team to be instruments of His grace to others. Grin with Grace tells stories of real-life grace and gives suggestions for creating new grace moments for others. Every Bible passage is contained in the text, accommodating ease of reading anytime, anywhere. Read it straight through as a book, use it as a personal study, or join with a group to discuss the material together. The chapters are short enough to combine—resulting in a seven-week group study.
More about Grin with Grace
Each chapter features five sections:
Grin with Grace contains real-life stories and observations. You’ll laugh at the humorous confessions and wacky insights, and relate to Kathy’s transparent honesty. Be inspired to see grace in your everyday life.
Grow with Grace features a grace word study. Kathy examines Bible verses and personalizes the meaning to your situation. Workbook prompts allows you to write down your thoughts as you read along.
Go with Grace offers life application. Pick one action step and make it work for you, or pick all of them—but do something to live out your grace-walk.
Give with Grace advances life application further, equipping you to become an instrument of God’s grace to others. You’ll be inspired to take what you’ve learned and give it away to others. This is when faith becomes ministry—when your focus expands to see the needs of others.
Your Grin with Grace Challenge describes a grace-challenging scenario to give you an opportunity to exercise your newfound grace. It allows for speculation and judgment calls, to prepare you for the what-ifs that happen in life.
My Thoughts: I'll be the first to admit that I need help in this area and this 7-week Bible Study by Kathy Carlton Willis is just what I needed! It's definitely challenging me to let God's Grace see me through those not so lovely situations we all find ourselves in from time to time.
I also have to admit that I don't finish a lot of Bible studies because they lose me after the first couple of weeks. Not this one. I'm still working through it, but I look forward to each week's story and challenge. It's funny and insightful and I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever found themselves in a situation where they need to just bite their tongue and Grin With Grace!
