Split Ends~ Kristen Billerbeck

"Teach me O Lord the way of your statutes and I shall keep it to the end"

~Psalms 119:33

As you probably know from my previous posts I am a Kristen Billerbeck fan. So when she came out with another book of course I was excited. This book tells the story of a small town hair stylist who follows her dream by leaving her small town life and moving to Hollywood. With the help of her cousin she secures a position sweeping hair at a famous salon where she hopes to prove herself and begin the illustrious career she has always dreamed of. But she didn't count on the drama that would follow her there or the tall, dark, and handsome stranger that would capture her heart.

Diva NashVegas~ by Rachel Hauck


Diva NashVegas is a continuation of the story of Aubrey James introduced in the first novel Lost in NashVegas. After 10 years of success in the music business, privacy is one thing that Aubrey values and fights hard to keep. Aubrey's hard earned privacy is compromised when her so-called "friend" tells stories about her to a tabloid. Now determined to tell her side she agrees to an exclusive interview with Inside NashVegas, an interview that will change her life in more ways than one.

I did not read the first book of this series (I know I committed a severe book crime, one I myself attempt to enforce, but hey we all mess up once in a while :) but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a different read than my usual, but I think this book translates even if you aren't a big country music fan. The characters were all interesting and I liked the change in point of view throughout the book which allowed you to get in the heads of more than just the main character. So if you want to get an inside look on the life of a country music diva you definitely should pick this up.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rachel is the author of many books. Her current release, Diva NashVegas is the second in a series which began with Lost in NashVegas. She is also a Blogger and a CFBA member! She lives in Florida with her husband. Visit her great profile and learn more.

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1595541918

These Boots Weren't Made For Walking~ by Melody Carlson



Willing to make the necessary sacrifices–even skipping the occasional latte–to ensure career success, 31-year-old Cassidy Cantrell "invests" in a chic pair of boots, certain they’ll make a spectacular impression and help seal the deal on a long-anticipated promotion from her Seattle employer.But reality tromps all over her expectations. Cassie’s job is abruptly eliminated–and her love life obliterated, when her longtime boyfriend dumps her for a "friend." Her self-esteem in tatters, Cassie limps home to the resort town she once so eagerly fled–only to find her recently divorced mother transformed into a gorgeous fifty-something babe with a thriving social life. Cassie wrestles with envy and apathy as she considers the dismal shape of her own physique and romantic prospects. What will it take for her to jump back into life and regain her stride?This sassy and hilarious novel leads readers on a romp through the wilds of relationships, romance, career, and spirituality, revealing that, while God’s plans may look drastically different than our own, it’ll always be a perfect fit.

I just have to say that I loved this book! It was a hilarious, and unexpected story about a woman who struggles to put herself back together after dealing with some devastating disappointments. Cassie is a character who is easy to identify with and I loved how normal she was. Some of the scenes in the book had me laughing out loud especially Cassie's trip to the local gym. When we have great disappointments we often can't see what good could come of those things but God always has a plan. The story was a nice reminder that even though things may not work out the way we want them to God is always in control.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melody Carlson has published over 100 books for adults, children, and teens, including On This Day, Finding Alice, the Notes from a Spinning Planet series, and Homeward, which won the Rita Award from Romance Writers of America. She and her husband, the parents of two grown sons, make their home near the Cascade Mountains in Central Oregon. Melody is a full-time writer as well as an avid gardener, biker, skier, and hiker.

Snitch

Snitch~ by Rene Gutteridge

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Old School meets New School meets Homeschool
Just shy of retirement and a well-earned pension, Las Vegas Police Department Sergeant Ron Yeager's definition of "active duty" involves shifting his bad leg into a more comfortable position. But when he's requested from his mind-numbing desk job to head an undercover auto theft task force, the former narcotics officer determines to prove he's still got the right stuff.That is...until he meets his unlikely team of officers.As Yeager soon finds out, not all the crazies are on the street. An undercover rookie, the audaciously honest Mackenzie "Mack" Hazard sends Yeager's blood pressure skyrocketing by wearing her faith like an ever-present badge. Then there's Jesse Lunden, a maverick undercover officer who refuses to learn anything from an old guy with a cane. Can this tangle of egos and eccentrics be trained into a lean, mean, crime-fighting machine...even while they are being drawn into something much bigger and more dangerous than anyone imagined?In her trademark style, Rene Gutteridge blends zany, original characters, sincere faith, and surprising plot twists into one hilariously addictive read.
"Snitch is an engaging crime novel, balanced between sheer whimsy and genuine human drama."
....CHRIS WELL, author of Tribulation House
"A wonderful, fully developed ensemble cast makes Snitch an entertaining, engaging read. Rene's flair for a comedic, well-turned phrase shines here. Snitch is worth snatching."
...SUSAN MEISSNER, author of Widows and Orphans

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rene Gutteridge is the author of several novels, including Ghost Writer (Bethany House Publishers) The Boo Series (WaterBrook Press) and the Storm Series, (Tyndale House Publishers. She will release three novels in 2006: Storm Surge (Tyndale) My Life as a Doormat (WestBow Press, Women of Faith)Occupational Hazards Book #1: Scoop (WaterBrook Press).
She has also been published over thirty times as a playwright, best known for her Christian comedy sketches. She studied screenwriting under a Mass Communications degree, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Oklahoma City University, and earned the "Excellence in Mass Communication" award. She served as the full-time Director of Drama for First United Methodist Church for five years before leaving to stay home and write. She enjoys instructing at writer's conferences and in college classrooms. She lives with her husband, Sean, a musician, and their children in Oklahoma City.

Orchard of Hope~ by Ann H. Gabhart

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nothing will be the same after the summer of 1964.Drought has gripped the quiet Kentucky town of Hollyhill, and the town seems as if it is holding its breath--waiting. Jocie Brooke is nervous about starting high school. Her sister Tabitha is experiencing the weariness of waiting for a new baby. Her father David is feeling the timidity of those first steps toward true love. All of these pivotal steps in life are awaiting the Brooke family.Into this cloud of tense anticipation, a black family from Chicago, the Hearndons move here to plant an orchard outside of town. Fresh off the Freedom Train, Myra Hearndon is sensitive to what the color of her skin may mean in a Southern town. Her family will have to contend with more than the dry ground and blazing sun as they try to create their ORCHARD OF HOPE.Jocie finds herself befrending a boy that some townspeople shun. Due to unspoken racial lines in this southern town, the presence of these newcomers sparks a smoldering fire of unrest that will change Hollyhill..and Jocie...forever.In this close-knit community, everything is about to change.Let this riveting novel take you along to experience unexpected love, new life, and renewed faith amid life's trials.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ann H. Gabhart has published a number of adult and young adult novels with several different publishers. The author of The Scent of Lilacs, Ann and her husband live a mile from where she was born in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky. She is active in her country church, and her husband sings bass in a southern gospel quartet.

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0800731697

Ransomed Dreams~ by Amy Wallace

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amy Wallace is a member of the CFBA and an avid Blogger. A self-confessed chocoholic, this freelance writer is a graduate of the Gwinnett County Citizens Police Academy and serves as the liaison for the training division of the county police department. Amy is a contributing author of God Answers Moms' Prayers, God Allows U-Turns for Teens, Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living Series: Diabetes, and A Cup of Comfort for Expectant Mothers. She lives in Georgia with her husband and three daughters.

This book was Fantastic! Ransomed Dreams has all of my favorite elements for a good book suspense, romance, and drama. The story grips you from its opening and takes you on a intense journey that will make the book hard to put down.

Gracie Lang had all of her dreams shattered in one night. Now racked with grief Gracie has one goal that keeps her going, justice. Two years into her quest for justice Gracie path crosses with FBI agent Steven Kessler who works in the Crimes Against Children Unit. All of the pain of his job combined with the pain caused by his ex-wife turned him against God. Driven by their painful pasts they had no idea where their journeys would take them or the danger that would give them no where to look but up.

I highly recommend this book. But you don't have to take my word for it here is what some author have to say about the book.

Steeped in police intrigue and rich characters, Ransomed Dreams entertains, educates, and captivates. Amy Wallace is a fresh, vibrant voice in the Christian market

~Mark Mynheir, Homicide Detective and Author of The Void

Ransomed Dreams had me hooked from the start and didn't let go until the deeply satisfying ending.

~Kristin Billerbeck, Author of What a Girl Wants

The book link is: a http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/159052747X

Tribulation House~ Chris Well

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chris Well is a fellow member of the CFBA and founder of its sister organization, FIRST. He is an acclaimed novelist and award–winning magazine editor and has previously written the “laugh–out–loud Christian thrillers” Deliver Us from Evelyn and Forgiving Solomon Long(one of Booklist’s Top 10 Christian Novels of 2005). He has also contributed to 7ball, Infuze, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Chris and his wife live in Tennessee, where he is hard at work on his next novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD—WHICH COULD BE A PROBLEM...Mark Hogan has it all. The job. The family. A position on the board at church. All he’s missing is a boat. Not just any boat—a 2008 Bayliner 192.When Reverend Daniel Glory announces that the Rapture is taking place on October 17 at 5:51am, Hogan realizes his boat–buying days are numbered. So he does what any man in his situation would do—he borrows a load of money from the mob.Not that there’s any risk involved: After all, when the Rapture comes, Hogan will be long gone. The mob will never find him.But when Jesus fails to come back on schedule, Mark Hogan finds the mob is in no mood to discuss the finer points of end–times theology...Chris Well’s laugh–out–loud Christian thrillers appeal to the millions of readers who gobble up the rollicking crime fiction of Janet Evanovich and Elmore Leonard. TRIBULATION HOUSE does not disappoint!

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0736917411