A Cliche Christmas by Nicole Deese

• Series: Love in Lenox
• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Waterfall Press (October 7, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1477826173
• ISBN-13: 978-1477826171

About the Book:

Writing happy endings is easy. Living one is the hard part.

Georgia Cole—known in Hollywood as the “Holiday Goddess”—has made a name for herself writing heartwarming screenplays chock-full of Christmas clichés, but she has yet to experience the true magic of the season. So, when her eccentric grandmother volunteers her to direct a pageant at Georgia’s hometown community theater, she is less than thrilled. To make matters worse, she’ll be working alongside Weston James, her childhood crush and the one man she has tried desperately to forget.

Now, facing memories of a lonely childhood and the humiliation of her last onstage performance, seven years earlier, Georgia is on the verge of a complete mistletoe meltdown. As Weston attempts to thaw the frozen walls around her heart, Georgia endeavors to let go of her fears and give love a second chance. If she does, will she finally believe that Christmas can be more than a cliché?

My Thoughts:

I cannot believe I did it.  We're in early October, and I just devoured my first Christmas holiday story.  But I had to have something to get my mind off of everything swirling in the atmosphere we're living in right now.  When I discovered I'd made the list for Nicole's upcoming novel, I realized I've never read any of her work.

So I scrolled through the titles I had stored on my Kindle and found "A Cliche Christmas".  A holiday story was bound to lighten my mood, right?  I settled under my blankets and turned to page one.

Two and a half hours later I flipped the final page, and realized my light bedtime reading had become a marathon session, it was very late, and I was very happy.  Nicole's novel was a fine feast for my mind and healing balm for my weary soul.

I laughed.  I cried.  I snickered.  And then I cried some more.  And I was so very grateful that I had "A Cliche Christmas" loaded on my Kindle for that moment in time, and that God blessed Nicole with such a superb talent for storytelling.

Yes, it's October, but I still believe now is the perfect time to get a copy of "A Cliche Christmas" and to settle in for a long winter's read...in the middle of Fall!  I'm giving this one "Oh, The Feels!" and I'm eager to share my thoughts with you on Nicole's upcoming release!  But, until then...

Mark Your Place,

Deena

Top Ten Tuesday: My Ten Reasons More People Need To Read

In my humble opinion, our world would be a much better place if more people would read.  And here is why I think I'm right:

1) reading is relaxing--if you do it correctly, that is.  Instead of reaching for some substance, reach for a good book.  It stimulates the mind without agitating the senses, and can actually help you sleep better.   Unless you pick up a book by Melissa Tagg, Susan May Warren, Rachel Hauck, Candace Calvert....yeah...let's move on...

2) reading educates.  Too many of our citizens and non-citizens get their information in sound bites, talk radio, and news broadcasts.  All of these entities have been proven to have an agenda, but a book gives far more information, and you can find a book that is merely information with no bent.

3) reading help support authors.  If people don't read, authors don't work.  If people don't buy books, authors don't work.  And if people don't talk about the books they read, no one will know about great books that they should be reading.

4) reading takes you places.  I would love to be able to travel, but alas...I am poor.  However, I've been to Hogwarts, England, Narnia, Scotland, Ireland, Australia...and so many other places both real and imagined (I often prefer the imagined).

5) reading gives you new experiences.  I've been in the military, gone undercover, worked with the U.S. Marshall service, been a chef, made pastries, gone deep sea diving, and been on a treasure hunt.  I've been a superhero, a bad guy, worked in law enforcement, and I've broken the law.  I've been an accidental detective and a victim, a wife, a mom, a daughter, a daughter-in-law, and a sister.  All by reading books.

6) reading teaches you how to think.  Watching television does not.  People who know how to think make informed, better decisions and choices.  People who know how to think enjoy life more and expand their horizons.

7) reading brings families together.  Reading bedtime stories, sharing about what you've read, and talking about ideas you've gleaned from your books will bond you closer together.  Some of my favorite moments have been sharing books with my family.

8) reading exercises your imagination.  While I adore the covers of many of my favorite books, the best are the ones with no people on the cover.  I create them in my mind as I read, which can make book & movie adaptations a real bummer.

9) reading keeps you safe.  No wandering out in the streets looking for trouble, no having to make your own adventures.  You can get into trouble from the safety of your own home within the pages of your favorite read.

10) without books, would you be here, hanging around with me, reading what I've written...really??

So, what do you think?  Why do you believe people should read?  I'd love to know, so tell me in the comments.  See you soon...until next time...

Mark Your Place,

Deena

The Undoing of Saint Silvanus by Beth Moore

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• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (September 20, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1496416473
• ISBN-13: 978-1496416476

About the Book:

Exciting fiction premiere from beloved New York Times bestselling author Beth Moore. 

Only God knew why Jillian Slater agreed to return to New Orleans on the news that her father had finally drunk himself to death. It's not like they were close. She hadn't seen him or her grandmother, the ice queen in almost 20 years. But when Adella Atwater, the manager of her grandmother's apartment house, called and said Jillian's expenses would be paid if she'd fly in for the burial, a free trip to New Orleans was too intriguing to resist. 

What Adella didn't tell her was that the apartment house wasn't a house at all and, whatever it was, bore the dead weight of a long and painful history. As soon as Jillian meets the odd assortment of renters and realizes that her grandmother had no idea she was coming, she hatches a plan to escape. But the investigation into her father's death quickly unfolds and Jillian is drawn into the lives of the colorful collection of saints and sinners who pass through Saint Silvanus. 

She soon discovers there is more at stake than she ever imagined. Who is behind the baffling messages and the strange relics left on the steps? Is it possible that her family is actually cursed? Or is it just this crazy old house that holds them all under its spell? 

Jillian walks into a web of spiritual and personal danger borne out of her family's broken history, and despite Adella's wiliest efforts, only God himself can orchestrate the undoing of all that is going on at Saint Silvanus.

My Thoughts:

When I found out Beth Moore had written a work of fiction, I was intrigued.  I've read many of her non-fiction titles and participated in countless Bible studies using materials she's prepared.  But could she tell a story?

Answer?  Yes, she can.  She can tell a good story.  "The Undoing of Saint Silvanus" would have been a great story had it not been quite so ambitious.  I had moments when I felt I was reading a criminal procedural, only to be reading a contemporary novel, then to believe I was reading theology.

Don't misunderstand me, I enjoyed "Saint Sans".  The characters and lively and quirky, the tension is tight and realistic, and the substory of the murder was excellent.  When all of the elements converged, it was a bit like drinking from a fire hose.  I felt like Beth believed this was her one shot, so I'd better get it all out there in this one book.

Some of the scenes were written to drive the reader to tears--but I didn't cry.  Some were designed to elicit laughter---but I smiled, no chuckles.  While I enjoyed the story, it was kind of like my first date--he tried a little too hard.

I'm hoping we see another novel come from Beth Moore.  I'm curious to see what she creates next, and to see how much her style changes.  For now, "The Undoing of Saint Silvanus" gets my "one to watch" award.  So until the next book...

Mark Your Place,

Deena

Throwback Thursday: Flash by Rachel Anne Ridge

About the Book:

The heartwarming tale of an irrepressible donkey who needed a home—and forever changed a family.

 Rachel Anne Ridge was at the end of her rope. The economy had crashed, taking her formerly thriving business along with it. She had been a successful artist, doing work she loved, but now she felt like a failure. How would her family pay their bills? What would the future hold?

If only God would somehow let them know that everything was going to be all right . . . and then Flash the donkey showed up.

If there is ever a good time to discover a wounded, frightened, bedraggled donkey standing in your driveway, this wasn’t it. The local sheriff dismissed Flash as “worthless.” But Rachel didn’t believe that, and she couldn’t turn him away. She brought Flash into her struggling family during their darkest hour—and he turned out to be the very thing they needed most.

Flash is the true story of their adventures together in learning to love and trust; breaking down whatever fences stood in their way; and finding the strength, confidence, and faith to carry on. Prepare to fall in love with Flash: a quirky, unlikely hero with gigantic ears, a deafening bray, a personality as big as Texas, and a story you’ll never forget.

My Thoughts:

We have a saying around our house, and it's based on a story from the Old Testament in the Bible.  "If God can use a donkey, He can use anybody!"  We also live by the verse that promises us that God is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

Need proof?  Then pick up a copy of a new release from Tyndale Publishers and be prepared to have more than just a nodding acquaintance with the power of God through a four legged animal!

Flash is adorable (how they ever got him to pose for that cover I'll never know!), but he's trouble on four legs.  I mean, c'mon...he's a donkey!  Follow Flash from that fateful night when the Ridge family stumbled onto his path and read along as Rachel shares the profound life lessons God brought into her family life.

From "finding your passion", learned after Flash, ahem, had his way with a neighbor's filly, to cultivating a love for others as Rachel embarks on what should be a hallucinogenic nightmare of a remodel job that ends up turning into so much more (just so you know, the lady she worked for had parrots that watched Barney for days...yeah, weird!).

Rachel is candid, witty and heartwarming as she shares her story and her journey with Flash, the family donkey.  She almost made me want a homeless burro of my very own.  Okay, she didn't really, but she did write a book that is going on my 'keep and read again' shelf!

How did I discover "Flash"?  I myself read a review that stirred my interest, so I ordered a copy.  Yes, reviews do influence people to read books, so go and get your copy of "Flash" and share the love with a review or recommendation.

And if you ever stumble upon a stray donkey...God might be trying to talk to you...you never know!

(See?  I read non-fiction as well!  And you may look forward to more non-fiction reviews, as well as some children's book reviews!  Until then...)

Mark Your Place,

Deena

A Time To Speak by Nadine Brandes

• Series: Out of Time
• Paperback: 472 pages
• Publisher: Gilead Publishing (October 16, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1621840557
• ISBN-13: 978-1621840558

About The Book:

What happens when you live longer than you wanted to?

Parvin Blackwater wanted to die, but now she's being called to be a leader. The only problem is, no one wants to follow.

The Council uses Jude's Clock-matching invention to force "new-and-improved" Clocks on the public. Those who can't afford one are packed into boxcars like cattle and used for the Council's purposes.

Parvin and Hawke find themselves on a cargo ship of Radicals headed out to sea. What will the Council do to them? And why are people suddenly dying before their Clocks have zeroed-out?

My Thoughts:

I've been reading my way through "A Time To Speak" slowly.  I read a few chapters, then I take a break.  I read a little more, take another break.  I can't force myself to read straight through.  I just can't.  Bet you're wondering why...

...because it's so incredibly good!  It's so good, it's real.  And it's intense.  And it's hard to read...

...because I can feel everything I read.  I can believe all of this is really happening.  And it isn't good.  It really isn't good.  It's dark.  It's intense.  It's very realistic.

And it's some of the best dystopian-world writing I've encountered in some time.  In fact, I'm going to take it one step further...Nadine Brandes defines dystopian literature.  I have to warn you: she will take you places you will not want to go.

But you need to go there.  You need to see what life is like when the government gains full control.  You need to understand the power of the people when we come together for shalom, and for what is right.  This could be one of the most important trilogies you might ever read.

Oh, yeah.  A third book is coming. For now, I'm giving "A Time To Speak" my "One For The Ages".  No, scratch that...my "For Such A Time As This" award.  Until the third novel releases...

Mark Your Place,

Deena

Toss-Up Tuesday: My First Poll!!

For today, I'm doing something different.  It's our first ever BOOK POLL!!

To vote, just leave me a comment and tell me what you think.

To make it interesting...I'll draw one name to win a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card!!

You can't win if you don't vote...er...comment...so get to it!

Today's Poll Question:  Which do you prefer--paperback, hardcover, or electronic?

Mark Your Place (and vote!)

Deena

Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon

• Series: Blink
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Blink (September 27, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310751853
• ISBN-13: 978-0310751854

About the Book:

Willow Lamott’s best friend is a convicted killer, and no one in the small town of Gilt Hollow will let her forget it. Over four long years, she’s tried to fade into the background—but none of that matters when Ashton Keller comes striding into school, fresh out of juvie and fueled by revenge. 

The moment their eyes meet, Willow no longer feels invisible. Drawn to the vulnerability behind Ashton’s mask of rage, she sinks deeper into his sinister world and begins to question whether he’s a villain, a savior, or both.

Ashton thought he wanted vengeance, until Willow Lamott stepped back into his life. Now he longs to clear his name and become the person she sees in him. But the closer they get to uncovering the truth, the darker the secrets become, and Ashton wonders if his return to Gilt Hollow will destroy everyone he loves.

My Thoughts:

There has been a LOT of buzz about this book.  A LOT of anticipation.  So I was a bit skeptical at first.  I bought my copy via Amazon, and settled in to explore "Gilt Hollow" for myself.

My one word description:  Outstanding!

My more wordy description:  Lorie has established herself as a must read author in the YA fiction world, co-writing the fabulous "Doon" series.  But that is fantasy..."Gilt Hollow" is harsh reality, and it is rich and deep and...it works.

Accused of a crime he did not commit, Ashton feels pressured to take a plea deal.  He ends up robbed of four years of his youth, and upon his early release he returns to Gilt Hollow to seek the truth...and revenge.  He feels abandoned by everyone in his life--including his best friend from childhood, Willow Lamott.

Willow tried to stay in touch with Ashton.  She was one of the few who always believed in his innocence. But when Ashton refused any contact with her, she was forced to move on with her life.  Just as she is finding herself socially again, he returns and her world is turned upside down.

Filled with rich characters, authentic drama, and a heart-rending ending you won't see coming, "Gilt Hollow" seals Lorie Langdon's position on my must read YA shelf.  "Gilt Hollow" is a thrilling mystery gently wrapped in sweet romance, and one you do not want to miss.

"Gilt Hollow" is available now, and I'm giving it "Oh, The Feels".  Until next time...

Mark Your Place,

Deena