Books, Movies, and Chinese Food

Congrats to the winners of I HEART NEW YORK! Anita Y. Kathy R. from Bermudaonion's Weblog Megan C. I'll be sending your info the publisher. Congrats again!

In the dramatic conclusion to Her Mother's Hope, the Cold War has begun and Carolyn is struggling to navigate her shifting family landscape and the changing times. With her mother, Hildemara, away in a tuberculosis sanatorium, Carolyn develops a special bond with her Oma Marta. But when Hildie returns, tensions between she and Marta escalate, and Carolyn feels she is to blame. College offers the chance to find herself, but a family tragedy shatters her independence. Rather than return home, she cuts all ties and disappears into the heady culture of San Francisco. When she reemerges two years later, more lost than ever, only her family can help rebuild a life for her and her daughter, May Flower Dawn. Just like Carolyn, May Flower Dawn develops a closer bond with her grandmother, Hildie, than with her mother, causing yet another rift between generations. But as Dawn struggles to avoid the mistakes of those who went before her, she vows that somehow, she will be a bridge...

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing More than Words Bethany House; Original edition (September 1, 2010) by Judith Miller ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Most readers want to know how authors 'got started' writing. My first novel, Threads of Love , was conceived when I was commuting sixty miles to work each day. I wanted to tell the story of a pioneer girl coming to Kansas and the faith that sustained her as she adjusted to a new life. When the book was completed, I tucked it away. I had absolutely no idea how publication of a book occurred and had given no thought to the concept. However, through a co-worker, I was directed to Tracie Peterson who, at that time, worked down the hall from me. Having never met Tracie, I was totally unaware of her writing career, but God intervened. The rest is, as they say, history.... With a graciousness that continues to amaze me, Tracie agreed to read my story, directed me to a publisher, and gave me information on a Ch...

When spunky Marguerite Westing discovers that her family will summer at Lake Manawa in 1895, she couldn't be more thrilled. It is the perfect way to escape her agonizingly boring suitor, Roger Gordon. It's also where she stumbles upon two new loves: sailing, and sailing instructor Trip Andrews. But this summer of fun turns to turmoil as her father's gambling problems threaten to ruin the family forever. Will free-spirited Marguerite marry Roger to save her father's name and fortune? Or will she follow her heart--even if it means abandoning the family she loves? Oh those rich folks and their summer resort stories. How I wish I could have lived back in the day and be able to experience life like that. One would go away from city or manor life out to the lake or seaside where you get to experience nature and can pretend that you are roughing it. In reality you're just as pampered and privileged as you are in the city. What a vacation that must have been. ...

Today's meme focuses on forgotten treasures, books that we wished would get more attention from other book bloggers. Well since I review a lot of Christian fiction on my blog as well as YA, I'm going to focus today on......Christian YA! Do you know that when you go to a bookstore like Barnes and Nobles or Booksamillion, Christian YA is NOT shelved with general market YA? Nope, it's shoved in the back corner, either at the very end of the Teen non fiction in B&N or stuffed with Teen Religious Non Fiction in Booksamillion. I mean, how in the world are teen readers supposed to find these books if they are not specifically searching for them? I read A LOT of YA book blogs, and it's VERY rare that I see any Christian YA books reviewed on them. I don't know if the publishers or authors are not approaching these bloggers or if the bloggers themselves don't want to review them because they are Christian. Either way, I really wish they would because the books ar...

This has been one of the best days ever. Wow, I'm still in shock. I would like to thank the Academy....oh wait wrong event. J/k. Seriously though, thank you to everyone who voted for me. Thank you so much for reading my blog and supporting me. I would not be still blogging if it wasn't for you guys. This is really really awesome to have gotten this. I've worked hard on my blog for the past four years and even though I've expanded into other genres, my first and main goal has always been to promote and support quality faith driven fiction. And also how to let you know how Jesus would enter a blog giveaway. I'd like to also congratulate my fellow nominees who were shortlisted. They both have awesome blogs and you should step by and check them out. Edgy Inspirational Romance Quotidian Grace I'm really glad to be a part of the book blogging community as I've discovered many new friends and of course, wonderful books. Thank you again! PS It's a good ...

This story is for everyone--but not everyone is for this story. It is a dangerous tale of times past. A torrid love story full of deep seduction. A story of terrible longing and bold sacrifice. Then as now, evil begins its courtship cloaked in light. And the heart embraces what it should flee. Forgetting it once had a truer lover. With a kiss, evil will ravage body, soul, and mind. Yet there remains hope, because the heart knows no bounds. Love will prove greater than lust. Sacrifice will overcome seduction. And blood will flow. Because the battle for the heart is always violently opposed. For those desperate to drink deep from this fountain of life, enter. But remember, not everyone is for this story. I'm really not quite sure what to say about this book. I liked it. I liked it a lot. It was a very interesting and engrossing read. It was what I expected from Dekker. I just am not quite sure how to fully convey my feelings about the story. Well let's put it this way, if you are...

Today's meme question deals with trying out a new book or series based on the influence of another blogger. Last year, I wrote about how I discovered THE HUNGER GAMES thanks to the recommendations of TONS of bloggers and tweets. It was a book I would have never had even gone near yet thanks to all the praise I kept hearing from actual readers (and not just professional reviewers), I read it and loved it. This year, thanks to reading other blogs, I discovered my newest obsession: Cozy Mysteries. What is a cozy mystery you ask? Well, think of Murder She Wrote, as a book. Yes, there actually are Murder She Wrote Books written by Jessica Fletcher herself (with a little help from Donald Bain) For a more formal and in depth definition, read here . From, reading reviews from S.Krishna's Books and Booking Mama , from the oh so informative and incredibly in depth website Cozy-Mystery.com , and then being able to participate in the Cozy Mystery Challenge , it was a combination o...

When Erin Channing’s favorite aunt dies, Erin is bequeathed a pink crystal ball and a set of weird instructions. Granted, Aunt Kiki (aka Aunt Kooky) always lived “outside the box.” But now Erin and her two best friends are convinced that the pink crystal ball holds the key to their future—or at least the key to getting dates… Ever wish that your life was more exciting? Think that nothing exciting ever happens to you? That's what is going on in Erin's life. She's interested in a study abroad trip to Italy but in her application she's required to write an essay about her life. She feels that she can't write an essay that will make her application stand out because there's nothing that goes on her in her life. Then the news comes that her favorite but eccentric aunt has died. Erin is left with a pink crystal ball. The ball seems normal, like a Magic 8 ball. However, this isn't just a toy to play with. This is something else that changes Erin...

Today is the second day of Book Blogger Appreciation Week and it's been a blast already. Today is Interview Day with Another Book Blogger! I know all of you remember my totally awesome interview with My Friend Amy from last year. Well this year I decided to branch out and meet a new book blogger and I did! Today I am please to introduce to you to Sya from The Mountains of Instead . She's a YA blogger from Scotland (which already makes her cool in my book). She's actually eaten REAL Chinese food because she used to live in China but unfortunately the stuff in Scotland doesn't even come close. So without further adieu, here is an Books, Movies and Chinese interview with Sya from The Mountains Instead. 1. Describe yourself using only ice cream flavors. Gak. I hate ice cream (yes, yes, I know) but here goes: Mint chocolate chip, because it seems straightforward but then surprises you. Pistachio because it's a little odd. Rocky Road, because it sums up my li...

After living in twelve places in eight years, Calle Smith finds herself in Andreas Bay, California, at the start of ninth grade. Another new home, another new school…Calle knows better than to put down roots. Her song journal keeps her moving to her own soundtrack, bouncing through a world best kept at a distance. Yet before she knows it, friends creep in—as does an unlikely boy with a secret. Calle is torn over what may be her first chance at love. With all that she’s hiding and all that she wants, can she find something lasting beyond music? And will she ever discover why she and her mother have been running in the first place? This book was absolutely beautiful to read. I found myself completely engrossed in Calle's story as soon as I started reading. It was like discovering a new song and you can't stop listening to it for several days because you feel as if it is perfect for you. Calle's story was just that. I could not stop reading as I wanted to find out more and mor...

Today marks the first full day of Book Blogger Appreciation Week. It's going to be an exciting time where we recognize and honor our fellow book bloggers! Today's meme question focuses on what new book blogs we've discovered since BBAW last year. There have been a TON of blogs that I've discovered since last year especially after being able to go to BEA and meeting lots of other bloggers. I can't chose them all (also mainly because I didn't label what date I discovered them in my Google Reader so I'm not quite sure where the cutoff date is) so I'm going to pick this one: The Zen Leaf I'm not quite sure how I hadn't heard of this blog before BEA but I'm glad now that I do. I met Amanda at Book Blogger Con. She was on the panel for writing and building content. To be honest, even though the other panelists gave out informative answers, Amanda stood out the most because she talked about Harry Potter and how she finds discrepancies betw...

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Bridge of Peace WaterBrook Press; Original edition (August 31, 2010) by Cindy Woodsmall ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times best-selling author whose connection with the Amish community has been featured on ABC Nightline and on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. She was also a homeschool mom. As her children progressed in age, her desire to write grew stronger. After working through reservations whether this desire was something she should pursue, she began her writing journey. Her husband was her staunchest supporter. Her first novel released in 2006 to much acclaim and became a best seller. Cindy was a 2007 ECPA award finalist, along with Karen Kingsbury, Angela Hunt, and Charles Martin. Her second book, When the Morning Comes, hit numerous best-sellers lists across the US, including edging into the extended list of the New York Times, coming in at number thirty-four. Her third bo...

When Angela catches her boyfriend with another woman at her best friend’s wedding, she’s heartbroken and desperate to run away. (Especially once she’s confronted the bride and inadvertently broken the groom’s hand, in front of the entire reception!) Fleeing the messy situation and clutching little more than a crumpled bridesmaid dress, a pair of Louboutins, and her passport, Angela jumps on a plane, destination—NYC. Holed up in a cute hotel room, Angela makes friends with a benevolent concierge, Jenny, a chatterbox Oprah wannabe with room for a new best friend. After a New York makeover, some serious retail therapy, and a whirlwind tour of the city, before she knows it, Angela is dating two sexy guys. And, best of all, she’s gotten her big break as a writer—blogging about her New York escapades for a real fashion magazine. But while it’s one thing telling readers about your romantic dilemmas, it’s another figuring them out for yourself! Angela has fallen head over heels for the Big App...

Using the same humor and honesty that galvanized 450,000 online readers from 199 countries, blogger Jonathan Acuff brings his insightful take on Christianity to the book world with Stuff Christians Like. From prayer shot blocks to Metro Worship Leaders, no stone is left unturned in this hilarious look at faith. This has got to be THE funniest book I have read all year. Seriously, it took me about two hours to read this book and I was dying with laughter through out the entire read. This book is based on the website, Stuff Christians Like , which is like Stuff White People like, but about Christians. If you ever thought that Christians are serious all the time and cannot make fun of themselves with actual humor, then you need to either go to the website or read this book. While I will admit that there are certain essays that probably only Christians will get, it's a hilarious look into how there are so many things that we take seriously. If you are a Christian you will mo...

Former lawyer Melanie Hoffman lost half her body weight and opened a gourmet take-out café specializing in healthy and delicious food. Then her husband left her-for a woman twice her size. Immediately afterwards, she's blindsided by a financial crisis. Melanie reaches out to a quirky roommate with a ton of baggage and becomes involved in a budding romance with a local documentary filmmaker. In this warm and often laugh-out-loud novel, Melanie discovers that she still has a lot to learn about her friends, her relationships with men, and herself-and that her weight loss was just the beginning of an amazing journey that will transform her life from the inside out.. I'm sure there are many women out there who feel that they have to lose weight in order to either attract a guy or keep a guy's interest. So imagine the shock if you do happen to lose weight and your guy dumps you because he liked you better when you were bigger. It's not something someone would normally...

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Love Me Tender Summerside Press (September 1, 2010) by Janice Hanna ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Award-winning author Janice Thompson also writes under the pseudonym Janice Hanna, She got her start in the industry writing screenplays and musical comedies for the stage. Janice has published over fifty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, childrens books and more. In addition, she enjoys editing, ghost-writing, public speaking, and mentoring young writers. Janice currently serves as Vice-President of CAN (Christian Authors Network) and was named the 2008 Mentor of the year for ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She was thrilled to be named the 2010 Barbour/Heartsong Author of the Year with three books on the top ten list for that house. Janice is active in her local writing group, where she regularly teaches on the craft ...

Elizabeth Persons’ blinding headache while on board the Sea Venture is an ominous sign, one she knows well as a warning of danger. The young servant girl is one of 150 passengers on the ill-fated ship, her worst fears are soon realized as they are tossed mercilessly in a hurricane on the final leg of their journey to the Americas. As the storm calms, the passengers can hardly believe they have survived, and that the Bermudas, rumored home to evil spirits and dangerous natives, may be their only chance of salvation. Despairing of rescue, Elizabeth and the others struggle to make the uninhabited island their home for nine long months while they build a new ship to complete their voyage to Jamestown, Virginia. As the months pass, friendships form, crew members revolt and love blossoms between Elizabeth and the ship’s young cook. Elizabeth forms a fast bond with the ship’s historian, a man she comes to know as William Strachey. But Will is not the man he portrays—he is in fac...