"the wonder of your love" by beth wiseman

Still reeling from her husband's betrayal and unexpected death, Katie Ann Stoltzfus focuses all her energy on her newborn son. When widower Eli Detweiler arrives at Katie Ann's Amish community in Caanan, Colorado, Katie Ann is drawn to him. But he has just finished raising his family, while she is experiencing motherhood for the first time at age 40. Their lives are in different places; can they surmount their differences to find love again?

My take: After reading scads of Amish fiction recently, I'm getting a bit tired of the genre. So I was pleased to discover that The Wonder of Your Love didn't really even focus on the Amish lifestyle. Katie Ann and Eli were Amish, but they had friends who weren't, and they even used cell phones. Really, Katie Ann and Eli could have been Englisch and the story would have remained similar—only a few of the Amish details would have needed to be changed.

That said, as a romance, I didn't really enjoy The Wonder of Your Love. I liked Katie Ann and Eli, and I enjoyed getting to know Katie Ann's friends—especially Martha, a Christian Englisch woman. Author Beth Wiseman did a good job of building chemistry between Katie Ann and Eli, and their attraction to one another was believable. However, I did not enjoy the way their romance played out. Perhaps it's all the reading about relationships I've done on Boundless, but I couldn't get over just how poorly both Katie Ann and Eli handled their relationship! They were attracted to one another immediately, but they quickly acknowledged they could not have a relationship because they were at different places in their lives. Then their relationship became physical. (I'm talking kissing and holding hands here—nothing beyond that!) Then they talked again about how they could be nothing more than friends. This went on for quite a while, with their words saying one thing and their actions another. Basically, I wanted to knock some sense into them, and I got fed up with their backing-and-forthing.

I give The Wonder of Your Love 3 out of 5 stars. You can buy the book here and see what other reviewers are saying here.

About the author: Beth Wiseman is hailed as a top voice in Amish fiction. She is a Carol-award winner and author of numerous bestsellers including the Daughters of the Promise series and the Land of Canaan series. She and her family live in Texas. www.bethwiseman.com, Twitter @bethwiseman, www.facebook.com/pages/Fans-of-Beth-Wiseman/47576397539

About the giveaway: Beth is celebrating the release of Book 2 in the Land of Canaan series with a Fabulous Facebook party on November 1st. She'll be giving away one of her OWN paintings, several mini prize packs and a sneak peak at the next book in this heartwarming series. CLICK the button (below) to RSVP for the party - then join us on November 1st for a book chat, Amish themed trivia contest, and more! The Wonder of Your Love Facebook Party on 11/1!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"the opposite of art" by athol dickson

About the book: When artist Sheridan Ridler disappears into the Harlem River, the victim of a hit-and-run, his heart stops, and he sees something beyond description, something he comes to call "Glory." He doesn't know what "Glory" is; he only knows he must paint it. His quest for "Glory" takes him all over the world as he tries to find it in various religions.

The world believes Ridler committed suicide, and for 25 years, Ridler does nothing to contradict that belief. But when he comes to realize he needs to apologize for his past, those in the art world are tipped off to his existence. Two people become desperate to find him--the daughter he never knew he had and the hit-and-run driver.

My take: The Opposite of Art is unlike much of today's Christian fiction. A far cry from the fluffy fiction I normally read, The Opposite of Art is, for lack of a better word, literary. Dickson is a master of magical realism, and I found myself swept into his world. And when the story ended, I sighed in supreme satisfaction. The ending is perfect, and Dickson so beautifully led up to it, though I had no idea that was where he was taking me. The Opposite of Art is truly art in words.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars. If you like reading "real" literature, you'll enjoy this book!

About the author: Athol Dickson is the publisher of the popular news website, DailyCristo.com, and the author of seven novels and the bestselling memoir, The Gospel according to Moses. His novels of suspense and magical realism have been honored with three Christy Awards and an Audie Award, and compared to the work of Octavia Butler (by Publisher's Weekly) and Flannery O'Connor (by The New York Times). He and his wife live in Southern California.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Glass Road Public Relations. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"refuge on crescent hill" by melanie dobson

When Camden Bristow's freelance photography work dries up and she can no longer pay her bills, she decides it's time to visit her grandmother in Ohio. When she arrives in town, however, she discovers her grandmother has passed away, and the house—a 150-year-old mansion known as Crescent Hill—has been left to her. Camden moves into the house while she decides what to do with it, and strange things begin happening. Items disappear from the house, and Camden hears footsteps upstairs. What if the rumors of ghosts of runaway slaves haunting the mansion are true?

My take: Refuge on Crescent Hill is really fun to read! It's a suspense novel that's not too suspenseful. (You can safely read this at night.) I enjoyed the twists and turns, and I appreciated the Underground Railroad connection. And while Dobson chooses to let the reader in on a villain or two at the beginning, other characters' motivations did not become clear until much later in the book, which kept me guessing. My one criticism is that some of the connections between characters seemed a little too convenient. However, that was only a minor detraction from the enjoyment I experienced while reading Refuge on Crescent Hill.

I give Refuge on Crescent Hill 4 out of 5 stars. You can read an excerpt of the book here.

About the Author: Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of The Black Cloister; Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana; and Together for Good. A former corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family, Melanie has worked in the fields of journalism and publicity for more than eighteen years. She and her family live in Oregon.

Special Note: The Kindle version of Refuge on Crescent Hill will be available FREE for one week starting October 31—be sure to get your copy!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Kregel Publications.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

i am not a crafty person

In either sense of the word.

I have fond memories of doing crafting projects with my grandma when I was a child. Nearly every time we visited, she would have a craft of some sort for us to do, and I still have some of those projects today. (She was good at finding things that would be useful later, like the tea towels she had us paint.) Without Grandma, though, crafting never appealed to me. I think it's because coming up with a project, collecting the supplies, and then actually figuring out how to do things just seemed so daunting.

My sister Blendy, though, got Grandma's crafting gene. And for a few years, she's been asking me to do a craft with her. I always declined. Recently, however, I had a mental leave of absence and actually suggested we do a craft. I'm so glad I did.

I left the planning and implementation up to Blendy. She decided we would make coasters. She bought cheap (33¢) tiles from Home Depot, scrapbooking paper, Mod Podge, felt, and clear spray paint—and with those items, we created some really cool coasters! Our friend Joanna came over to craft with us, and we all three took the craft in different directions, but I think the results fit each of us.

All our supplies laid out and ready to go.

Blendy and Jo work on laying out their patterns.

Jo ended up with coasters that looked like quilt blocks. And yes, she does quilt!

My finished product. I'm going to do four more so I have enough for Bible Study nights!

I'd say my first foray into crafting in the last ten or so years was a success! Blendy and I are already talking about doing another craft with leaves we collect when we're in Indiana next week. She also wants to help me make a Christmas wreath ... it sounds daunting, but I'm sure she'll figure it out!

Are you "crafty"? Do you have any simple-yet-classy crafts I should try? If so, tell me about it in the comments!

"baby, it's cold outside" by susan may warren

Dottie Morgan is preparing for another Christmas alone. Since her son Nelson's death during World War II, Dottie has kept everyone at arm's length. When a blizzard hits, four others find refuge at Dottie's house. As they weather the storm, past hurts will resurface, secrets will come to light, and love just may find its way back to Dottie's life.

My take: Baby, It's Cold Outside may take place during the Christmas season, but its message—of honesty, forgiveness, and surrender to God—is applicable year round. And the characters, oh the characters! Susan May Warren is a master of character development. Wounded and bitter Dottie, stubborn and faithful Gordy, lonely and vulnerable Violet, kind and resourceful Jake, and imaginative and energetic Artie all jump off the page. When I finished the book, I felt like I knew these characters, and I was sorry to be leaving them behind.

Baby, It's Cold Outside is a heartwarming, enjoyable book, and I give it five out of five stars.

Learn the story behind the novel, read an excerpt, buy it, and see what others are saying.

About the author: Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church. Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice. Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!) A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at www.susanmaywarren.com.

About the giveaway: Warm up to Chrismtas early this year with Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside! To celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press, she and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting an early Christmas Party on Facebook!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

One festive winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire
• Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/26!

But, wait there’s more! Join Susan May Warren on 10/27 for merriment and a few early Christmas presents at her Baby, It's Cold Outside Christmas party! Grab your Christmas sweaters, socks and pj’s and join Susan and a few friends for a fireside chat about her recent books (Heiress and Baby, It’s Cold Outside), holiday traditions, favorite Christmas recipes, a trivia contest and more! Invite your friends and don’t miss the fun!

RSVP here and we'll see you on October 27th at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

35 before 35: #35

Go to a Nebraska-Ohio State football game

When I woke up last Saturday morning, I had no idea I was about to fulfill one of the items on my 35 before 35 list. But at 3:30 p.m., I found out my parents had turned down tickets to the Nebraska-Ohio State football game in Lincoln and those tickets were still up for grabs. I pounced, and soon a friend and I were careening toward Lincoln to join 85,424 other people cheering for the Huskers.

There's nothing quite like the atmosphere at Memorial Stadium on game day. The people. The red. The cheering. The tunnel walk. It's pretty incredible! Our seats were in North Stadium, top row—which meant we had a back rest! Rumor had it legendary quarterback Tommie Frazier was in one of the club boxes behind us, though I never saw him myself. And Ndamukong Suh was in the house, as evidenced by the crowd's cries of "SUUUUUHHHHHHHH" every so often. (If you didn't know better, you'd think the crowd was booing the action on the field—which it did a few times, especially in the first half.)

By halftime, we were trailing 20-6, and I was fairly soaked, thanks to the rain. Fortunately, the temperature was in the upper 60's or lower 70's, so it was bearable. I turned to my friend and said that if I'd been watching at my parents' house (since I don't have TV), I would have quit watching and gone home already.

The second half was absolutely amazing. With nearly 11 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, we were down by 21 ... and then the tide began to turn. Lavonte David "recovered a fumble" but basically ripped the ball out of the Ohio State quarterback's hands. And then a different Taylor Martinez showed up on the field. He and Rex Burkhead (whom the guy in the row ahead of me repeatedly called a stud) worked together to put the game away. It was the biggest comback in Husker football history! (Let me give some credit where credit is due, though—perhaps I'm being pessimistic, but I don't think the Huskers would have pulled it off had the Ohio State quarterback not gone out with an injury. The backup just couldn't make anything happen for the Buckeyes.)

And on a sad note, I witnessed defensive tackle Jared Crick's last game as a Husker. Coach Pelini announced this week that he's out for the rest of the season with an injury ... methinks this does not bode well for the defense!

So, why was this one of my 35 before 35 wishes? For the answer to that question, we have to go back about 10 years to my arrival on the Grace College campus. Tons of people from Ohio attended Grace, and they were pretty passionate about their Buckeyes. (And also their state. If I have to hear Ohio referred to as "God's Country" one more time, I may lose my lunch.) Soon, I began to dislike Ohio State football—even though my beloved Huskers never played them. I wanted them to lose—especially when they had that run where they were incredibly good. I fully understand that it's petty and probably even "unChristian," but I'm being honest here. That dislike never really wore off, and when the rumors of a Nebraska move to the Big Ten started swirling, my first thought was, "Good. Now we can beat the pants off of Ohio State." And thus, my desire to attend a Nebraska-Ohio State football game was born.

new and upcoming fiction

Believe it or not, I do occasionally read books I haven't agreed to review, and I have an extensive list of books I want to read when I'm not facing a review deadline. Here are a few books that either recently released or will soon release that I'm anticipating reading—whether I get to read them for "free" or not.

Longing by Karen Kingsbury. (Releases 11-22-11.) Longing continues the story of Bailey, Brandon, and Cody. (If you don't know who these people are, go back to the book that started it all—Redemption—and enjoy the ride!) I still haven't read Learning, the previous book in the Bailey Flanigan series, but my goal is to have it read before Longing arrives on my doorstep—which will be Nov. 22, thanks to Amazon's release-day delivery service. My friend Holly at The Bookshelf was able to read an advance copy, and you can see her review here. On a fun note—the people who play Bailey and Brandon in the book trailers recently got engaged in real life! If the pretend Bailey and Brandon can get married, can't the "real" ones? (Alas, I'm afraid Kingsbury isn't going to bend to my wishes on this one!)

Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii by Robin Jones Gunn. (Released 10-1-11.) This is for all the Christy Miller/Sierra Jensen fans out there—and I count myself among them! I never actually read all of the Sierra Jensen books, but I did skim the last one ... I wanted to know if Sierra ended up with Paul, the "Todd" of her series. (If you're lost, it's okay, just indulge me!) I don't remember how the book ended, but I do remember being disappointed. Well, now Gunn is giving all of the Sierra fans the resolution they wanted way back when, as Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii is all about love finding Sierra! Here's hoping some characters from Gunn's other books make cameo appearances ... and even if they don't, I'm sure it will be a satisfying read.

The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter. (Releases 1-3-12.) I am a big fan of Denise Hunter's books—I've reviewed one, and several others made my list of recommended books. The Accidental Bride is book two in Hunter's Big Sky series. It appears to be a twist on the "marriage of convenience" plot device, which is a favorite of mine. I'm hoping to get it free from Booksneeze, but if I don't, I'll definitely be buying it. 

Turnabout's Fair Play by Kaye Dacus. (Releases 11-1-11.) I have to give a big shout-out to Peter at christian-fantasy.com on this one. Had he not blogged about meeting Dacus, I wouldn't have known she existed—and I would have been missing out. I found The Art of Romance, book two in her Matchmakers series, for review on NetGalley, and I read it in just a few hours; I currently have book one, Love Remains, waiting on my shelf of "read when I don't have a deadline" books, and Turnabout's Fair Play is on my Kindle awaiting my attention. I love that Dacus's heroines—at least the ones in the Matchmakers series—aren't the normal young, thin, gorgeous women with multiple suitors found in so many modern romances. (Sometimes I feel like if I read about one more 22-year-old falling in love, I'm going to throw up.) I know these characters are fictional, but they give me hope—hope that someday, some man will see me for who I am and will love me for me. (I feel like I should instruct my mother to stop crying now. Mom, stop it.)

Beyond Hope's Valley by Tricia Goyer. (Releases 4-1-12.) This release is a bit farther out than the rest, but I'm eagerly anticipating it, so I wanted to mention it. Beyond Hope's Valley is book three in Goyer's Big Sky series. I sometimes read Amish fiction because it's offered to me for review, but I wouldn't normally seek it out. This series, however, is worth looking—and paying—for. I've said it before, but it bears repeating: Goyer doesn't idealize the Amish lifestyle. She clearly shows its positive and negative sides—and I think that's because some of the characters in this book are based on friends of hers. Their journey to a real, living faith took them out of the Amish church. She interviewed these friends on her radio show a few months ago, and I just listened to the podcast.  If you're interested, you can listen here (scroll down to Thursday, 14th of April, 2011).

So there you have it: my top five "can't wait to read them" books. What books are you looking forward to?

"reclaiming lily" by patti lacy

Andrew & Gloria Powell adopted their daughter Joy from China. Several years later, Joy is an out of control teenager, and Gloria doesn't know how to handle her. When Kai, Joy's biological sister, appears with information about a hereditary, life-threatening illness, Gloria struggles to welcome Kai into their lives. But Kai may be the key to reconnecting Joy and her parents—and they may be the key to helping Kai connect with God.

My take: Reclaiming Lily is a fascinating book that takes the reader on unexpected twists and turns all while tugging at the heart. This story—of love, forgiveness, heartache, and redemption—is one I will not soon forget. Kai, a woman who would do anything for her sister, is such a strong character. She's someone I would like to know in real life, and I ended up incredibly invested in her story.

The one aspect of the book I didn't fully enjoy was Gloria's character. She really seemed ... unhinged (at times). Perhaps it's because I'm not a mother, but I just could not understand her. I did appreciate the growth she experienced throughout the story, but I think I would have understood her better had her background been explored, rather than hinted at.

It's hard to say much more without giving too much away—and this is a story you'll want to savor and experience for yourself! But I have to say that, as I read the final pages and learned how Kai's story wrapped up, I actually did a fist pump—I was that happy for her! (And then I looked around to make sure my roommate hadn't seen me. She hadn't.)

This is the second Patti Lacy book I've read (I reviewed the first here), and both books were slow in the beginning but quickly became completely captivating. This is a great book to read if you're not looking for a romance (and let's face it, sometimes we all need a break from the mushy stuff). I give it four out of five stars.

About the author: Patti Lacy graduated from Baylor University with a BS in education and completed master's-level courses in English at Indiana State University. She taught at Heartland Community College until May 2006, when she resigned to pursue her passion of writing. The author of three previous novels, Patti is the mother of two grown children and lives with her husband in Normal, Illinois. For more about Patti and her other books, visit her website at www.pattilacy.com.

About the giveaway: Win a KindleTouch from Patti Lacy!
Patti Lacy is celebrating the release of her latest book, Reclaiming Lily,  with a KindleTouch Giveaway, blog tour and FB Book Chat Party!

Follow the blog tour and read the reviews!

Patti and her publisher, Bethany House, are giving away a Reclaiming Lily prize package worth over $150 to one lucky winner!!!!

Enter the Reclaiming Lily Giveaway and you could win:

• A brand new just released KindleTouch with Wi-Fi
• $25 gift cetificate to Amazon.com

But, wait there’s more!


Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/19! Patti will be announcing the winner of the Reclaiming Lily Giveaway at her Party on Facebook October 20th! She’ll be hosting a book club chat of Reclaiming Lily (it's okay if you haven't read it - you could win a copy!) and giving away other fun prizes! (signed copies of her books and gift certificates to Amazon.com, Starbucks, & iTunes!) Don’t miss the fun at Patti’s FB Author Page on 10/20/11 at 5pm PST (6 pm MST, 7 pm CST, & 8 pm EST)! RSVP today!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"along wooded paths" by tricia goyer

Along Wooded Paths is book two in author Tricia Goyer’s Big Sky series. In book one, Beside Still Waters, Marianna Sommer and her family moved to West Kootenai, Montana, to get away from the pain—pain of losing two children before Marianna’s birth, and pain of losing another child to Englisch ways. In West Kootenai, Marianna was surprised to find Englisch and Amish living in the same community … as friends. As the Sommer family settled into their new life, Marianna began to find a real, living faith. She also found friendship—and maybe more—with Englischer Ben. In Along Wooded Paths, Marianna’s faith continues to grow, as does her relationship with Ben. But when her Amish friend Aaron arrives at her house, Marianna is conflicted. Loving Ben would mean abandoning the Amish way of life, while Aaron represents stability and familiarity. Marianna’s heart is torn between her love for Ben and her desire to respect her family. No matter her decision, she’s sure to hurt someone—can she trust God to show her the path to take?

My take: About five pages into this book, I got mad—mad because I knew Marianna would not make the choices I wanted her to make. And I was right. Along Wooded Paths does not end where I wanted it to end, but that’s okay—because that means Goyer has another book to write in the series! In all my Amish fiction reading (and it’s been a lot recently), I’ve never encountered a series I enjoyed so much. I loved Beside Still Waters (see my review here), and Along Wooded Paths is equally compelling. Marianna’s journey of faith—as she realizes she can have a personal relationship with God, learns to care for others (even the Englischers who live in her town), and begins to understand that you don’t have to be Amish to be saved—is one not often represented in Amish fiction. While I didn’t always agree with Marianna’s decisions, I understood why she made them; at the same time, I hope things come to a satisfying resolution in the third book—not only for Marianna and Ben, but also for Marianna’s parents (her father seems to be inching away from the Amish way of life while her mother believes it is the only “true” way) and her Uncle Ike, who clearly is in love with Englischer Annie.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough (just keep in mind, you really do need to read Beside Still Waters first), and I await the next book’s release with baited breath! Along Wooded Paths is definitely a 5-star read! Even if you’re skeptical of Amish fiction, you should give Goyer’s series a chance!

You can read an excerpt here, buy the book here, and see what other bloggers are saying here.

About the author:Tricia Goyer is the author of thirty books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. For more about Tricia and her other books visit www.triciagoyer.com.

About the giveaway: Come to a Facebook Party and Live Author Chat! Tricia is celebrating the release of Along Wooded Paths with a fabulous Facebook party on October 18th. She'll be giving away prizes and a sneak peak at the next book in the Big Sky series. Then during the second half of the party she'll be hosting a LIVE AUTHOR CHAT on her website and announcing something BIG! Click the button (below) to RSVP for the party - then go here to sign up for the Live Author Chat.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"there you'll find me" by jenny b. jones

In the two years since her brother Will's death, Finley Sinclair has been reeling. When she gets accepted into a study abroad program in Ireland—the same program Will participated in—Finley hopes to use Will's journal to find peace. On the flight to Ireland, she meets teen heartthrob Beckett Rush. After dismissing him as a wild playboy—just the kind of guy she doesn't need—Finley discovers that Beckett is staying at her host family's bed-and-breakfast while he films his latest movie. Though she'd rather avoid him, he can help her find all the places in her brother's journal—and maybe in the process of connecting with her brother, she'll also connect with God.

There You'll Find Me is a great teen novel that you don't need to be a teen to enjoy. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Finley is the little sister of Alex Sinclair, whose story author Jenny B. Jones told in Save the Date (a book I absolutely loved). Though this book stands alone, I gasped in surprised delight when I made the connection between the books. While There You'll Find Me is about finding love and finding God, it's also about bullying and eating disorders—two themes prevalent in today's high schools. Jones handled both with aplomb, especially the eating disorder thread. I'm sure many girls will be able to see at least a fraction of themselves—or their friends—in Finley, and I hope that reading about her journey will cause them to recognize when they need help.

There You'll Find Me is a solid, entertaining read, and I give it 4-1/2 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"dot.com dating" giveaway

A few months ago, I reviewed Les & Leslie Parrott's book dot.com dating. Shortly thereafter, I decided to sign up for their dating service, My Right Someone. Well, I haven't yet found "my right someone," and I'm rather unimpressed with the site ... but that's beside the point!

I have two copies of dot.com dating to give away. If you're wondering if it's a book you should read, here's a portion of what I said in my review:

I don't think someone who has experience in the world of online dating needs to read this book. However, I would recommend it for the person who wants to try online dating but is hesitant, or for the friends and family members of people who are trying online dating--because in my experience, those are the people who still question the validity of looking for love online.

If you're an experienced online dater, you still may enjoy reading it, but I think it's perfect for the skeptics out there.

I'm not going to make this complicated--if you'd like to win a copy of the book, just leave a comment on this post. The giveaway closes next Thursday, October 13, at 11:59 p.m. Central. I'll announce the winners on Friday or Saturday, so be sure to check back!

why i'm still (mostly) happy with netflix

By now, I feel like the whole world knows about Netflix's recent questionable moves, but in case you've been living under a rock, here they are: first the price hike, then the decision to split into two services--Netflix for streaming and Qwikster for DVD rentals, which was announced in CEO Reed Hastings' "apology" letter to members.

Both moves, I believe, were dumb and handled poorly. Do I understand a price hike? Yes. For the amount of streaming I do, I know I'm getting a bargain. Do I understand a price hike of 60%, sprung out of the blue on customers? No.

I've seen it over and over again in news articles and other blog posts: Netflix's lack of quality movies in its streaming catalog greatly diminishes its value. And it's true that recent hit movies are sorely lacking on Netflix, and it's just going to get worse when the Starz catalog disappears next year.

Yet I'm still content. While my queue is populated with movies no one has ever heard of--many of which, quite frankly, will be nearly unwatchable--I also have a wealth of TV shows at my disposal. Probably 90% of my streaming activity is TV shows, and I'm not alone. I found this article today, which states:

"50% and sometimes 60% of viewing is TV episodes now," said Netflix's chief content officer Ted Sarandos, during a joint keynote at the MIPCOM conference in Cannes with Miramax CEO Mike Lang.

TV is what I want, and TV is what Netflix is giving me. Without Netflix, I wouldn't have discovered Jericho, Prison Break, Veronica Mars, Monarch of the Glen, Dollhouse, or Felicity. I wouldn't have been able to catch up on Parks & Recreation in time for the premiere of Season 3 last spring. And I wouldn't have become downright giddy recently when My Boys, Melissa & Joey, and Upstairs, Downstairs showed up in the "new TV" section.

I did dump my DVD rentals before the price hike went into effect, and I expect to use Redbox when I just "have" to see a movie. But in the month since I went to streaming only, I haven't missed the DVDs at all.

Perhaps Netflix will soon make another lame-brained move that will drive me away. But for now, I'm happy to say that I'm still a Netflix subscriber.

How do you feel about Netflix? Are you checking out Hulu or Amazon Prime? And what's your greatest Netflix "find"?

If you're looking for a laugh, check out this SNL sketch. Just a warning: it gets a little risqué near the end. But if you're a Netflix subscriber, it's pretty hilarious.

"a most unsuitable match" by stephanie grace whitson

Fannie Rousseau is still reeling from her mother's death when she discovers letters hidden among her mother's things—letters from her mother's twin sister, a woman Fannie didn't know existed. Once she reads the letters, Fannie longs to know her Aunt Edith, who lives in the Montana Territory. On the spur of the moment, Fannie and her maid, Hannah, board a steamboat bound for Montana.

Sam Beck is desperate to find his sister. The last anyone heard of her, she was headed north in the company of an Army man. Sam gets a job on a steamboat in exchange for passage to Fort Rice, his sister's rumored destination. As Sam gets to know Fannie on and off the steamboat, he finds himself attracted to her, but how could he ever be a husband to such a refined lady?

My take: I really wanted to like this book. The author lives in Nebraska, and I like supporting my fellow Nebraskans whenever I can. But I just didn't enjoy reading it. The book is written well—I have no complaints there—but I could not understand why Fannie and Sam fell for each other. Their attraction didn't leap off the page, and while I knew they would end up together, I didn't care. Late in the book, Fannie met a widower and his son while Sam was off searching for his sister and Fannie's aunt. The relationship between Fannie and the widower I understood—even rooted for—but, alas, that wasn't the relationship that was meant to be! (And I kind of felt like it was a cop out to tack on a few paragraphs in the epilogue to let the reader know the widower did end up happy. I cared more about him as a character than I did about Sam, so I would have appreciated reading about how his happy ending came to be.)

While the main romantic relationship in the book fell flat for me, I did enjoy Fannie's journey from helpless rich girl to competent, confident woman. Around page 200, the story really picked up, and I started reading with much more interest. There was even a fabulous plot twist near the end of the story that I didn't see coming (though in retrospect, I really should have).

Fans of historical fiction (admittedly, I'm more of a contemporary girl with a few exceptions) will probably appreciate this book more than I did.

I give A Most Unsuitable Match 3 out of 5 stars.

You can read an excerpt below:A Most Unsuitable Match
About the author: Stephanie Grace Whitson, bestselling author and two time Christy Award finalist, pursues a full-time writing and speaking career from her home studio in Lincoln, Nebraska. Her husband and blended family, her church, quilting, and Kitty--her motorcycle--all rank high on her list of "favorite things." Visit www.stephaniegracewhitson.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Bethany House Publishers through their book reviewer program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"heiress" by susan may warren

As the daughters of newspaper publisher August Worth, Esme and Jinx are born to privilege. Yet Esme longs to escape the trappings of society to follow in her father's journalistic footsteps. Her quest for purpose sends her to the wilds of Montana – where she still finds herself seeking her father's approval and love.

Jinx understands all too well the cost of society's acceptance. After marrying a wealthy businessman for position, she discovers what it means to be loved – but that love must be denied.

As the sisters search for meaning and belonging, will they ever find what their hearts truly desire?

My take: I simply could not put this book down. And when I had to (you know, for things like work), I found myself thinking about it. Susan May Warren has long been one of my favorite authors, and I especially love her historical fiction. I thought it couldn't get any better than Sons of Thunder (which just won a Carol Award), but she really outdid herself with Heiress. You know what I love most about it? The characters are real – human. Their humanity, in all its messy imperfection, jumps off the pages. They lie, have affairs, run away from responsibility, and treat each other horribly – just like real people do. And when the book wraps up, not everyone is living out their "happily ever after" – again, just like in real life!

Esme's journey especially resonated with me. Of the two sisters, she was the one who began the story with a semblance of faith. But when life got hard, she adopted the notion that God had taken away the good things in her life in order to punish her, and she became bitter. How often do we do the same? (I'm not denying that God disciplines his children, but to assume that all the bad things in our lives are due to God being angry with us is an unhealthy – and faithless – way to live.) Esme finally meets a man who not only shows her real love but also helps her reconnect to a God who loves her more than any man ever could. This is my favorite relationship in the book.

This book is a must read – 5 out of 5 stars!

You can read an excerpt here and see what other bloggers are saying here.

About the author: Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you! She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

About the giveaway: Win an opulent Gilded Age Prize Pack fit for an Heiress from Susan May Warren!

Susan May Warren is thrilled to announce the release of her latest historical book, Heiress!

Find out what the reviewers are saying here!

Heiress, a richly complex historical romance, is the first in Susan's three book Daughters of Fortune series. In honor of Heiress’ debut, Susan is hosting a FABULOUS Gilded Age Giveaway and giving away an opulent prize pack fit for an heiress!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A $100 gift certificate to ModCloth.com
• A sleek silver iPod™ Shuffle
• A beautiful strand of Pearls
• Titanic DVD
• Speakeasy Compilation Music CD from Starbucks™
• Heiress by Susan May Warren

Click one of the icons below to enter. But do so soon - this giveaway ends 10/5/11. The winner will be announced Thursday, October 6, on Susan’s blog.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

software giveaway winner!

Thanks to Random.org, we have a winner in the My Memories Suite v2 digital scrapbooking software giveaway: Blendy! I'll be contacting you with information on how to download your software. Thanks to all (two of you) who entered!

And here's what I've learned from this endeavor ... those of you who read this blog are not too interested in digital scrapbooking! Okay, I could have guessed that before, but now I know for sure. And for those of you who are more into reading than scrapbooking, I have a book giveaway coming up next week—so stay tuned!

35 before 35: #20

#20: Go back to school

Ever since I graduated from college (seven years ago--how is that possible?), I've been thinking about going back to school. I thought about getting a master's in library science, a master's in creative writing, even a master's in accounting. But I never pursued anything—I just did a lot of thinking.

This summer, my responsibilities at work changed, and I started working on the financial side of things. Because I have no experience in accounting, I thought about taking a class. Then I thought about getting a master's in accounting. Then I realized how insane that was, and I went back to thinking about taking a class. At the end of July, I decided it was time to stop thinking and time to take action, so I got on our local community college's website to see what kind of accounting courses they offered. In the midst of my search, I noticed a blurb about a library certificate. Within minutes, I was taking steps to sign up for the library program, and all thoughts of accounting fell by the wayside.

My program is a certificate in Library and Information Services. It's only 18 credits, but because of the way classes are set up, it will take two full years to complete ... if I decide to stay with it. I'm taking one class this semester, and it's online. In the beginning, I hated the class; I felt like it was a lot of busy work. Now, the class is getting better, but I wish I could just go sit in a classroom for three hours one night a week and be done with it. This is the first online class I've ever taken, and I think I'm more of a traditional classroom kind of girl. (Unfortunately, this entire program is online, so I don't have the classroom option.)

When I'm finished, I'll have completed the requirements to be a certified public librarian in Nebraska. (Many libraries require their librarians to have a Master's in Library Science, but that's not a state requirement.) I figure if I completely fall in love with it, I can go on to a Master's program. If not, I should be able to get a job in a public library—which is something I've always wanted to do.

The reason I'm not sure if I'll complete the program is because of the time factor. I already feel like I have no free time (which isn't true; I'm just not managing my time well at this point)—I shudder to think what this spring will be like with speech season, a full-time job, and another class! But I also know that this is the perfect time for me to be in school. At this point in my life, I'm responsible for myself ... and that's it! If I need to stay up until 2 a.m. working on a paper, I can. If I want to grab a bowl of cereal for supper while reading, I can. And I can fairly completely recuperate each weekend (at least until speech starts). So I'm tentatively planning to sign up for the next course in the spring.

I'll keep you posted.

Have you thought about going back to school years after leaving college? If you did it, what was your experience?