Books, Movies, and Chinese Food

I kissed dating goodbye Isn't it ironic? Just when Kara decides she's not going to date, the perfect guy comes along and wants to date her! Gabe is everything she wants in a guy: nice, kind, sweet, gorgeous and a Christian. Unfortunately she's not looking to date anyone at the moment. That doesn't stop Gabe from wanting to hang out with her all the time, even to the point of being on a road trip with her from Virginia to Florida. Packed with lots of supporting characters that bring oomph to the story, this take of a non-dater is sure to please the chick lit fan in you. I have mentioned before how much I love chick lit right? There's just something about reading women my age, going through the same situations I'm in, that makes for a great read. This book fits all those expectations and more. I admired Kara for her no dating policy. It's a different approach for a chick lit book as opposed to all the other stories where the girl tries to get the guy. It was...

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing AURALIA'S COLORS ( WaterBrook Press September 4, 2007) by Jeffrey Overstreet ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jeffrey Overstreet lives in two worlds. By day, he writes about movies at LookingCloser .org and in notable publications like Christianity Today , Paste , and Image . His adventures in cinema are chronicled in his book Through a Screen Darkly . By night, he composes new stories found in fictional worlds of his own. Living in Shoreline, Washington, with his wife, Anne, a poet, he is a senior staff writer for Response Magazine at Seattle Pacific University. Auralia ’s Colors is his first novel. He is now hard at work on many new stories, including three more strands of The Auralia Thread . ABOUT THE BOOK: As a baby, she was found in a footprint. As a girl, she was raised by thieves in a wilderness where savages lurk. As a young woman, she will risk her life to save the world with the only secret she knows. When thieves find...

Take a Thrill Ride A woman is running away from a serial killer. She has no memory of who she is or who the young girl is beside her. All she knows is that she's escaping a man set on killing her. This is a serial killer, known as Gideon, who's determined to rid the world of abominations. He's killed several woman already, in gory ways as he tries to get his message across. Meanwhile a police captain is trying to find his wife who went missing and may be the next target of this deranged killer. This was one of the best mystery thrillers I have ever read secular or Christian. The story is extremely well written, with edge on your seat suspense throughout. You have no idea who the killer is until the last few chapters and even then it's a shock to find out the identity. This book is not for the faint-heartened. If you don't like reading about subject matter that will make your stomach churn, stay away. I personally loved being creeped out silly by the story. ...

I 'm giving away 2 bran d new copies of today's book! Leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you if you win. I'll pick 2 names and announce the winners on Monday, December 3. Good luck! Shaunti Feldhahn is known for unlocking the mysteries of relationships for men and women. Now she turns to a parent’s relationship with a child, particularly a child of the opposite sex. Drawing on the results of a nationwide survey of kids and teenagers, she explores questions such as: What do moms need to understand about the “tough and tender” boy who values respect over love? What do dads need to understand about their daughter’s need for affirmation? What are the six biggest pet peeves teens have about their parents? Understanding the answers to these and other important questions can help parents make the holidays a time of celebration and unity, not strife and friction. For Parents Only offers a unique look into a child...

True to Life Historical Fiction Sophie discovers that nothing is as she first imagined. When Walt, the reporter who helped her over the border, shows up again after Guernica is bombed, Sophie is given an impossible mission. She must leave behind the man she's fallen in love with and return to the perso n who betrayed her. Another layer of the war in Spain is revealed as Sophie is drawn into the international espionage schemes that could turn the tide of the war and help protect the soldiers from the International Brigade ... she must find a way to get a critical piece of information to Walt in time Once again I was transported back into history with another book by Tricia Goyer. I love the research that was done for this novel. It is obvious that the author actually went out and did her homework when writing this book. I hate historical fiction novels that just write about events that everyone knows about. Tricia Goyer's books, however, focus on historical events that the av...

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing THE YADA YADA PRAYER GROUP GETS DECKED OUT Thomas Nelson (October 2, 2007) by Neta Jackson ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Neta Jackson Neta Jackson's award-winning Yada books have sold more than 350,000 copies and are spawning prayer groups across the country. She and her husband, Dave, are also an award-winning husband/wife writing team, best known for the Trailblazer Books--a 40-volume series of historical fiction about great Christian heroes with 1.8 million in sales--and Hero Tales: A Family Treasury of True Stories from the Lives of Christian Heroes (vols 1-4). Dave and Neta live in Evanston, Illinois, where for twenty-seven years they were part of Reba Place Church, a Christian church community. They are now members of the Chicago Tabernacle, a multi-racial congregation that is a daughter church of the well-known Brooklyn Tabernacle. ABOUT THE BOOK: Turkey dinners, tree trimming, and decking the halls--it's that time of yea...

I nearly cried from laughing! Adda Sinclair is a best selling romance novelist who's hit a stumbling block. She's due to publish a new novel but she can't come up with anything new to write. Her lack of inspiration may be due to her writing nemesis "Stick Woman" stealing her husband away from her. She does however manage to catch the eye of a new publisher who may have more than just a novel interest in her. With a new potential boyfriend and a new contract in the works, Adda seems to be able to start writing again. But then Stick Woman accuses her of plagiarizing her works (when really it's the other way around) and Adda is forced to lay low. Will this be the end of her writing career and her new relationship? This was one of the funniest chick lit books I've read. Tamara Leigh has definitely made her mark in the Christian chick lit scene and she's become one of my new favorite authors. The story is wonderfully written, fresh, hip and inform...

I 'm giving away a bran d new copy of today's book! Leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you if you win. I'll pick a name and announce the winner on Monday, November 26. Good luck! When the Morning Comes is the sequel and continuation of the best-selling novel When the Heart Cries . Her relationship with fiancé Paul Waddell in tatters, Hannah Lapp has fled her secluded Old Order Amish community in hopes of finding a new home in Ohio with her shunned aunt. Hampered by limited education and hiding her true identity, Hannah struggles to navigate the confusing world of the Englischers. Back in Owl's Perch, Pennsylvania, Paul is wracked with regret over his treatment of Hannah. Fearing for her safety, he tries to convince Hannah's remaining allies—brother Luke, best friend Mary, and loyal Matthew Esh—to help search for his love. Hannah's father, however, remains steadfastly convinced of her sinful behavior. His blindness to his family's pain ...

Wishing for the days when you used to stuff your bra Natalie has never really paid much attention to boobs before until she finds out that she may lose her own. Only 27 years old, she hears the dreaded words from her doctor that she has breast cancer. Determined to not let this get the best of her, Natalie prepares for what will be a life changing journey. Along with the support of her friends and family, she goes through the process of having to adapt to a world where survival means everything. I have been extremely fortunate that I have not lost anyone close to me to breast cancer. However I know that there are thousands of people in the world who are affected by this and are suffering. This book perfectly balances the seriousness of the issue with lightheartedness to not make the story a downer. The writing is fun with lots of pop trivia sprinkled in, and is written in a chick lit tone of voice. I loved Natalie as a character. I admired her strength and her courage to be able t...

I 'm giving away a bran d new copy of today's book! Leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you if you win. I'll pick a name and announce the winner on Wednesday, November 21. Good luck! This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing TRY DYING (Center Street October 24, 2007) by James Scott Bell ABOUT THE AUTHOR: James Scott Bell is a former trial lawyer who now writes full time. He is also the fiction columnist for Writers Digest magazine and adjunct professor of writing at Pepperdine University. His book on writing, Plot and Structure is one of the most popular writing books available today. The national bestselling author of several novels of suspense, he grew up and still lives in Los Angeles, where he is at work on his next Buchanan thriller. ABOUT THE BOOK: On a wet Tuesday morning in December, Ernesto Bonilla, twenty-eight, shot his twenty-three-year-old wife, Alejandra, in the backyard of their West 45th Street home in South Los Ang...

Great fantasy for non fantasy readers Susan and Mark thought that life could go back to normal after they returned through the portal back to their own world. But then they realized that their son Jake has now gone into the world of the Lyric and they have to go back to get him. Now the role of the Restorer has been bestowed upon Kieran, who's not too please with his new responsibilities. It takes a personal battle with the One before he realizes the job he must do in order to save his people. Will he be able to protect the People of the Verses and help Susan and Mark find their son? Like I've said before, fantasy is a genre I don't normally read. I have a great imagination but outside of Star Wars, Narnia, or LOTR I'm not too good with imaginary worlds. However, this series has totally bridged the gap between women's fiction and fantasy allowing the two audiences to enjoy the story. With a modern female lead character, the audience is able to relate to both the ...

I 'm giving away a bran d new copy of today's book! Leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you if you win. I'll pick a name and announce the winner on Monday, November 19. Good luck! PK does not mean Perfect Kid Harriet was a rebel. She's done everything that Pastor's Kids AREN'T supposed to do. But now she's repented of her ways and is the women's director of her church. To make sure she doesn't fall back to her old ways, she lives in a trailer park surrounded by elderly folks, doesn't hang out with anyone her age, and reads a different version of a Bible every year. With Jelly Bellys to keep her company, her dream is to own the cafe near the church after the owner retires. She's got her life planned out. But all that changes when Maddox, a church consultant, comes roaring into town on his motorcycle with plans to disrupt all of Harriet's neat plans. What will she do when the church stops being a safe haven and Madd...

Ok, I know this is a movie that many readers of this blog will never see. And I will be honest with you, you probably shouldn't. I'm sorry I caved in but I'm not going to lie. I actually enjoyed watching this movie. Judd Apatow has been making movies lately that have been while crude, surprisingly moralistic. I was pleasantly surprised that in "The 40 year Old Virgin" he actually stayed a virgin for the whole movie until the very end AFTER he got married. Even with all the ribbing his friends gave him, he didn't cave in. Now really, when was the last time Hollywood gave that ending? With this movie I wasn't expecting it to be surprisingly sweet. Not once from the previews did I expect Ben and Allison to actually stay together in the end after having the baby (oh you know you weren't going to see anyways). This may be one of those few times in Hollywood that a pro life message is actually shown. Am I the only person that thinks that Seth Rogen is cu...

Why Me???? Jane had it all. Great job, wonderful boyfriend, good apartment. Everything was going well for her. But then it all comes crashing down. Her boyfriend dumps her. She loses her job. Her apartment gets halfway destroyed. Rumors are spread about her. And she has this weird rash on her face that won't go away. It's enough to make anyway jump off the deep end. But thanks to her faith in God and a cute guy who seems to pop up at the right moments, Jane learns how to get through it all. Christian chick lit just keeps getting better and better these days. It's great to read about stories about young women who are Christians with strong faith yet still like to shop for shoes and hunt for guys. Dayton and Vanderbilt's characters live like real people do without being all high and mighty or overly trying to witness to others. They show their faith by their actions, not trying to convert everyone they see. This book was tons of fun to read. Jane is a great character,...

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing DEADFALL (Thomas Nelson November 6, 2007) by Robert Liparulo ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Robert is an award-winning author of over a thousand published articles and short stories. He is currently a contributing editor for New Man magazine. His work has appeared in Reader's Digest, Travel & Leisure, Modern Bride, Consumers Digest, Chief Executive, and The Arizona Daily Star, among other publications. In addition, he previously worked as a celebrity journalist, interviewing Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Charlton Heston, and others for magazines such as Rocky Road, Preview, and L.A. Weekly. Robert is an avid scuba diver, swimmer, reader, traveler, and a law enforcement and military enthusiast. He lives in Colorado with his wife and four children. Robert's first novel painted a scenario so frighteningly real that six Hollywood producers were bidding on movie rights before the novel was completed. His acclaimed debut novel, Comes A...

They say that all good things must end someday The thousand year reign where Jesus sets up his kingdom on earth has begun. However all is not well in paradise. There is still one more battle to be fought, when Satan still tries one last time to take control of those who still not believe. As recent believers and those from biblical times mingle, plans are being made to undergo the last battle that Earth will ever see. I had mixed feelings while reading this book. I was excited to read it since it would be the end of the series and all loose ends would be tied up. Also it was nice to see Buck and Chloe and the others again alive and well. It was cool to see David and Noah meeting with the kids to tell them first hand all the stories you knew while growing up. The end battle was pretty awesome too. However, there were several things I just didn't understand about the book. Why did only certain Bible characters show up to make cameos? If I were up in heaven I'd like to meet every...

Independent Women Part 1 To the public eye Heather, Lorna and Brittan are three bored rich girls who have plenty of time on their hands. Little do most people know that these 3 women are really secret crime fighting agents who fight for justice and what's right. In the first book in the Debutantes series, we meet Heather who's trying to keep her identity secret from the man she's interested in. However Duke seems to be falling in love with her secret identity. Will she be able to keep her love life and her crime fighting identity separate? The three girls reminded me of Charlie's Angels. Crime fighting girls who keep their identities secret from boyfriends and other family members. I love reading stories about women who can kick butt, are smart, and be pretty all at the same time. Their adventures were exciting, suspenseful and funny. I'm glad to read that not all rich people are stuck up snobs (although some people could interpret what they do as rich girls bei...

Finding light in the darkness The Brannings are now into their eight month living in a world without the comforts of electricity, mass communication or technology. After watching how the family tries to adapt to their new way of life, the story now turns towards the ugly side of this new society. What happens to the criminals and prisoners? With the jails full of those who've committed petty crimes to mass murderers, it's getting harder and harder to find those who will watch over these lowlifes. What will happen when the police stop watching and the criminals are allowed to roam around freely with no one to stop them? This was my favorite book out of the series so far. I think the characters have become more well developed. The Brannings aren't as shallow as they were in the beginning of the series. They finally act as if they want to get along well in this new society they are living in. The scenes in the jail were surprisingly realistic and difficult to read. You re...

I 'm giving away a bran d new copy of today's book! Leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you if you win. I'll pick a name and announce the winner on Thursday, November 8. Good luck! It is November 1st , time for the FIRST Day Blog Tour! (Join our alliance! Click the button!) The FIRST day of every month we will feature an author and his/her latest book's FIRST chapter! This month's feature author is: LISA SAMSON and her book: Hollywood Nobody Th1nk Books (August 30, 2007) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lisa Samson is the author of twenty books, including the Christy Award-winning Songbird . Apples of Gold was her first novel for teens. Visit Lisa at http://www.lisasamson.com/ These days, she's working on Quaker Summer , volunteering at Kentucky Refugee Ministries, raising children and trying to be supportive of a husband in seminary. (Trying . . . some days she's downright awful. It's a good thing he's such a fabulous cook!) She can tell ...