A Valley of Betrayal~ by Tricia Goyer

"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, [be] unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

~ Revelations 5:13

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tricia is a members of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. She also has a blog, It's Real Life and a parenting blog Generation NeXt.TRICIA GOYER is the author of five novels, two nonfiction books and one children's book. She also was named Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference Writer of the Year in 2003. In 2005, her novel Night Song, the second title in Tricia’s World War II series, won ACFW's Book of the Year for Best Long Historical Romance. In 2006, her novel Dawn of A Thousand Nights also won book of the Year for Long Historical Romance. Tricia and her husband, John, live with their family in northwestern Montana.


ABOUT THE BOOK

We are pleased to be able to review her exciting Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War, A Valley Of BetrayalFor reasons beyond her control, Sophie finds herself alone in the war-torn Spanish countryside, searching for her beloved Michael. His work as a news photographer has taken him deep into the country wracked by civil war. What was once a thriving paradise has become a battleground for Nazi-backed Franco fascist soldiers and Spanish patriots. She is caught up in the escalating events when the route to safety is blocked and fighting surrounds her.Secrets abound in the ruined Spain. Michael is loving but elusive, especially about beautiful maria. The American who helped Sophie sneak into Spain turns up in odd places. Michael's friend Jose knows more than he tells. When reports of Michael's dissappearance reach her, Sophie is devastaed. What are her feelings for Philip, an American soldier who comes to her rescue?Sophie must sift truth from lies as she becomes more embroiled in the war that threatens her life and breaks her heart. On her darkest night, Sophie takes refuge with a brigade of international compatriots. Among these volunteers, she pledges to make the plight of the Spanish people known around the world through the power of art.Acclaimed author Tricia Goyer creates a riviting cast of characters against the backdrop of pre-WWII spain. Love, loss, pain, and beauty abound in A Valley Of Betrayal, the first book in her new series, Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War.

Tricia's blog is: http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0802467679

Earth to Betsy~by Beth Pattillo

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."

~Psalms 27:14

Do you know how many times the bible tells you to wait on the Lord? ......Well it is in the bible a lot, and I have always been taught that when something is repeated in the bible that perhaps it is important :) Why then do people have such problems with waiting? Well, I don't know about you but I need reminders to wait on the Lord. I sometimes get so crazy trying juggle my hectic schedule that waiting seems to become an afterthought, but when you do it is amazing how thing fall in to place. So why am I talking about this? Well, I just finished reading Earth to Betsy and that was one lesson that I got from it. Earth to Betsy is the sequel to Heavens to Betsy. Now Betsy Blessing interim senior pastor at the Church of the Shepherd is faced with a lot of life changing decisions and in her effort to do what she thinks is right she leaves out one important thing waiting on the Lord.

This book was funny and entertaining and Betsy constantly had me laughing and cringing through the entire book. Some of the things she goes through are so crazy and yet so relatable you can't help but see yourself in the book.

~Next on my reading agenda~The Novelist~by Angela Hunt.....I think :)

Arabian Winds~ by Linda Chaikin



"Then I called upon the way of the Lord, O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul."

~Psalms 116:4

Set during the prelude to WWI this book tells the story of missionary nurse Alison Wescott. During her vacation to Cairo she becomes involved in a dangerous situation in which many lives are at stake. Her adventure causes her to cross paths with a handsome officer that makes her question the feelings she has for the minister she is close to being engaged to. This book was a non-stop adventure. The characters were interesting and since this was only book 1 I was sucked into yet another great series by Chaikin.



Next on my reading agenda~ Several selections that I will just list since I am not sure which I will post first.

In High Places~ by Tom Morrisey

The Novelist~ by Angela Hunt

Earth to Betsy~ by Beth Patillo

Wedgewood Grey~ by John Aubrey Anderson

"While I live I will praise the LORD;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being."

~Psalms 146:2

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Aubrey Anderson


John was born five miles north of the setting for Abiding Darkness, a cotton country town within a rifle shot of two rivers, a bayou, a double handful of lakes, and endless acres of woods.
After graduating from Mississippi State, he flew six years in the Air Force then twenty-nine years for a major airline. And now he gets to write.
He and his wife have been married for forty some-odd years and live in Texas—about twenty miles south of the Red River. He spends the biggest part of his time writing; she’s immersed in leading a comprehensive, women’s Bible study.
They like greasy hamburgers and Dr. Peppers, most species of warm-blooded creatures (the kind that don’t normally bite), and spending July in the mountains.


ABOUT THE BOOK:


Wedgewood Grey is the second book in the Black and White Chronicles. The first was Abiding Darkness (August, 2006).Mississippi cotton country . . . in the spring of 1960.
The War At Cat Lake is fifteen years in the fading past . . . but the demonic beings who launched that first battle, are alive and well at Cat Lake. Waiting.
Late on a Friday night, on a muddy little road a mile east of Cat Lake, a ten-year-old black child is forced to watch while a gang of white men beat his mother to death. Aided by Mose Washington, an old black man, the boy exacts a measure of his own revenge. When the sun comes up on Saturday morning, Mose and the boy are fugitives.
Missy Parker Patterson, who as a child stood at the epicenter of the first war, is married and living in Texas. In the aftermath that follows Mose Washington’s disappearance, she goes back to Cat Lake to discover that the demonic beings have been anticipating her return . . . and so begins the second battle of The War At Cat Lake.
In 1962, an old black man and his grandson move into the country near Pilot Hill, Texas. The people in the local area are told that the old gentleman’s name is Mose Mann—his grandson introduces himself as Bill.
However, the lives of the new arrivals are not as peaceful as they seem. The unassuming old black man and his grandson are being pursued by a triad of formidable and unrelenting adversaries . . . a ruthless political leader, an enduring lie, and an invisible army allied beneath the banner of a hatred for God.
Wedgewood Grey is a story about the impact of choices that real people—people like you and me—are sometimes forced to make.


The Author's Website: http://www.johnaubreyanderson.com/
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0446579505

Amanda~ by Debra White Smith

"I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."

~ Ecclesiastes 3:17

I loved this story. This is another book in Smith's Jane Austen series and this book is based on Emma. For those who don't know Emma is the story of a matchmaker gone wrong. Emma tries to distract her friend Harriet Smith from marrying farmer Robert Martin. Emma thinks that her friend can do better and so she proceeds to fix her up with someone who....well I won't tell you, I don't want to spoil it. I also really like the movie as well. My mom finds Emma frustrating, but I find her endearing. I think she, while a little misguided always means well and the story is romantic.

Well, back to the book. I enjoyed this modern day take on Emma. I liked how she developed the characters and it was neat to be able to get the point of view of all of the characters as opposed to just seeing what happened mostly from the main character's (in this case Amanda's) point of view.

~Next on my reading agenda~ Arabian Winds~ by Linda Chaikin

Christian Writers' Market Guide 2007~ by Sally E. Stuart

"And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see [it] together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it]."

~ Isaiah 40:5

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sally E. Stuart is the author of thirty-four books and has sold more than one thousand articles and columns. Her long-term involvement with the Christian Writers' Market Guide as well as her marketing columns for the Christian Communicator, Oregon Christian Writers, and The Advanced Christian Writer, make her a sought-after speaker and a leading authority on Christian markets and the business of writing. Stuart is the mother of three and grandmother of eight.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

For more than twenty years, the Christian Writers’ Market Guide has offered indispensable help to Christian writers. This year, for the first time, this valuable resource comes with a CD-ROM of the full text, so you can search with ease for topics, publishers, and other specific names.The 2007 edition also includes up-to-date listings of more than 1,200 markets for books, articles, stories, poetry, and greeting cards, including information on forty new book publishers, eighty-three new periodicals, and thirty-four new literary agents. Perfect for writers in every phase, this is the resource to get noticed–and get published.It contains listings for: 695 periodicals, 228 poetry markets, 355 book publishers, 133 online publications, 29 print-on-demand publishers, 1185 markets for the written word, 321 photography markets, 31 e-book publishers, 122 foriegn markets, 112 literary agents,and 59 newspapers.It also gives you comprehensive lists of contests, writers groups and conferences, search engines, pay rates and submission guidelines, editorial services and websites.Christian Writers’ Market Guide is a "must have' for any serious Christian writer that is looking to get published!

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400071259

Sally's website is: http://www.stuartmarket.com/

Daughter of Silk~ by Linda Lee Chaikin

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen."

~ Matthew 28:19-20

In a country where being a protestant (Huguenot) was considered heresy, Rachelle Dushane-Macquinet, a member of a family renowned for producing fine silk and a Huguenot, works with her famous grandmother producing gowns for Princess Marguerite of France. As Rachelle finds herself serving within the royal court she comes to discover that there are rumors of a plot forming against the Huguenots headed by Catherine de Medici the queen mother and regent. Desiring to protect her family and those who share her faith Rachelle finds an ally in the handsome Marquis Fabian de Vendome. Will Rachelle be able to save herself and those she loves from death, or will she too fall victim to the Catherine de Medici's schemes?

Prior to reading this book I did not know much about what protestant Christians suffered in France. This book not only explains that but also speaks of the cruel mother Catherine de Medici and the things that she did to gain power. This book was very good and kept me on the edge of my seat while I was reading it. The sequel to this book is Written on Silk and will be going on my to be ordered list.

Next on my reading agenda~ Amanda~by Debra White Smith

Recipes and Wooden Spoons (Tales from the Grace Chapel Inn)~ by Judy Baer

"And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

~ Matthew 25:40

After going through a bad divorce Judy decides to come back to her home town, Acorn Hill, to open an inn with her two older sisters in their childhood home. Since Judy's mother died giving birth to her, Judy has always been eager to find out details of the mother she never knew. One day while sifting through things in the basement she comes across one of her mother's cookbooks. In the pages of this book Judy starts to learn more about her mother's personality, but with the stress of running the inn and being back in the small town Jane begins to question if moving back was such a good idea after all.

This book was great, and it made me hungry. The book not only had a great storyline with interesting characters, but it also had some neat recipes as well. There are a few parts in the book that will make you laugh out loud and other parts that cause you to think about the impact we can have in other people's lives if we listen God's leading.

Next on my reading agenda~ Daughter of Silk~ by Linda Lee Chaikin

The Longing Season~ by Christine Schaub

"I once was lost, but now I'm found was blind but now I see."
~from Amazing Grace by John Newton


I am excited to say that I have joined the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance! The book tour for this week is The Longing Season by Christine Schaub. This book tells the story of John Newton the man who wrote Amazing Grace. I have not had the opportunity to read it yet, so for now I am going to post the review by CFBA.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Christine Schaub is the author of the MUSIC OF THE HEART series, including Finding Anna, the “rest of the story” behind the writing of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul” (October 2005) and The Longing Season, the story behind “Amazing Grace” (July 2006) with Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Books.In 2003, Christine won the “On the Page” screenwriting contest at Screenwriting Expo 2 in Los Angeles. Her one-page story, written on-site in 24 hours for Jacqueline Bisset, was selected by the actress as the best Oscar Wilde-type comedy for her persona.While working in freelance corporate communications, Christine completed three feature-length screenplays, including a drama/comedy, romantic comedy, and sci-fi action/drama; developed four biopic teleplays for the stories behind the hymns; and published an online column for the MethodX website (Upper Room Ministries).Christine honed her writing skills after more than 15 years in corporate communications for healthcare, pharmaceutical, and entertainment companies. She has also been a featured conference speaker on working with at-risk youth and changed lives in the classrooms with her creative presentation style.Christine's love for the arts and creativity have taken her from church platforms to civic and professional stages, performing classics and dramas from her own pen.Christine graduated from Anderson University with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications. She has served on numerous boards and committees, usually as Communications Chair, and has received both regional and national awards in writing and design.

ABOUT THE BOOK All of the books in the MUSIC OF THE HEART series are based on a hymns and their histories. The Longing Season is about one of the greatest redemption stories of all time: John Newton and his song, Amazing Grace.
Nature conspires against him, tossing the ship like a toy. Directionless--just like his life.
It seems his odyssey will end here, in the cold Atlantic.
Grief and terror grip his heart, but he will not surrender...not yet.
She reads the sentence again and again.

The first day I saw you I began to love you.

He'd written the words, sealed and posted them, then vanished.
She has a choice--turn toward the future, or wait, wating and hoping.
And so begins her season of longing.

http://www.christineschaub.typepad.com/

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764200607

Tangerine~by Marilynn Griffith

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

~ John 14:3

Okay, I know I said that I was going to read Recipes and Wooden Spoons next, and I am reading it now, but the day after I posted my last entry Tangerine came in the mail. I was so excited to read this last book in the Shades of Style series that I dove right in.

This book is about Jean Guerra another designer at the Garments of Praise fashion house. She is the one that always seems together, so when she gets the opportunity to work on a line of men's suits with a designer from Reebok it is nothing she can't handle, or is it? When the designer walks through her door Jean is speechless. Her husband, which no one at Garments of Praise knows about, walks back into her life. Will they be able to come together and be a family once again, or will the past prove insurmountable?

This book was great. If you haven't read two other books in the Shades of Style series, Pink and Jade, you definitely should check them out too. After reading the stories of the other designers I was so curious to find out what Jean's story was and this did not disappoint. I love Marilynn story telling. I got so caught up in the book that I have been seriously putting of my midterm paper which I need to write, so I am off to do that.

Next on my reading agenda~ finishing Recipes and Wooden Spoons~ by Judy Baer