Island Inferno~ by Chuck Holton

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden"
~Matthew 5:14

May I start out saying this book was great! It has mystery, intrigue, and is filled with action. The story is about two people, Fernanda and Rip, whose lives intersect because of a dangerous explosive on the black market called ITEB. Both characters are dealing with the dangerous situation they find themselves in and I especially identified with one of the internal struggles that Fernanda had in the book with sharing her faith. This book was like a great action movie I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by Holton.

Here is a description of the book and some information about the author.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

As the global war on terror heats up, the U.S. deploys a team of highly trained special operators overseas to locate and neutralize threats, bringing EOD expertise to dangerous missions that have no room for error.

A DEADLY EXPLOSION

A new specialty explosive is on the black market: ITEB looks like water, but when it's exposed to air, the effects are lethal! The United States government is frantic to keep it from our shores. Staff Sergeant Euripides "Rip" Rubio knows how destructive ITEB can be. He has already risked his life to thwart a horrific terrorist plot involving the chemical. Now Task Force Valor heads to Panama, on the trail of an arms dealer who plans to use ITEB to make a killing...literally.

AN ADVENTURE ABROAD

Fernanda Lerida is a University of Florida grad student who jumps at the chance to join a biological expedition to a mysterious former prison island. But the snakes, bugs, and crocodiles are soon the least of her worries as the group stumbles upon something they were not meant to see. To Make matters worse, Fernanda soon finds herself alone and being pursued by an unseen foe.
A RISKY RESCUE

When Rip's path collides with Fernanda's, they find themselves caught in the midst of a brutal turf war. Can they use the chaos to their advantage, or will one false step set the entire island ablaze?

"Island Inferno is a boy-meets-girl story. But in Chuck Holton's world, boy meets girl in the middle of a jungle at 25mph. hanging under a parachute with an assault rifle strapped across his chest. You'd better plan on reading this in one sitting. And once you're done, you'd better give yourself time for your pulse to calm down."----TOM MORRISEY, Author of Deep Blue, and Dark Fathom


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Chuck served four years in the Elite 75th Ranger Regiment–the same unit profiled in the movie “Black Hawk Down.” Chuck saw combat in Panama in 1989. After leaving active duty, Chuck flew helicopters in the Wisconsin National Guard while attending the University of Wisconsin.In 2004, after ten years as a stockbroker, Chuck left that profession to pursue full-time writing. At the same time, he began working as the "Adventure Correspondent" for CBN.He is the author of five books, including A More Elite Soldier, Bulletproof, andAllah's Fire, the first of three books in the Task Force Valor series.Today, Chuck, Connie, and their five children live on a farm in Appalachia, where Chuck now pursues his varied interests of farming, writing, adventure travel and public speaking, among other things.

White Chocolate Moments~ by Lori Wick

"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented."

~Luke 16:22-25

You may be wondering why I chose this verse to go along with White Chocolate moments. In the story the main character Arcineh has to deal with the loss of her parents and the fact that they were not saved when they died. The referred to this verse about Lazarus and the rich man. I really enjoyed this book not just because it was a entertaining read, but because it really made me think of all of the loved ones and friends that are not saved. I had to ask myself am I doing all I can to let the light of Christ shine through me? Am I continually lifting them up in prayer? No one is guaranteed a certain amount of days on this earth and when we die that is it we are going one of two places heaven or hell. The only way to go to heaven is if you now commit your life to Jesus and ask him to forgive you for your sins. Accepting God's gift of grace is such a simple task, but God won't force you he wants us all to come willingly.

Before reading this book I had heard some different reviews that made me question whether I wanted to read it, but I saw a copy in the library and couldn't resist. The story is about a girl named Arcineh who loses both of her parents in a car accident. After the accident she goes to live with her grandfather. When Arcineh is seventeen the issues she had growing up with her grandfather finally come to a head so she moves out as soon as she turns eighteen. The story deals with forgiveness, love, and finding a peace that surpasses all understanding. So go pick up this book I really think you will enjoy it :)

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