Thanksgiving Greetings!!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Have a safe and happy holiday!

A-Z Wednesday

This really fun book meme is hosted by

Vicki @ Reading at the Beach.

The rules are pretty simple...

1. Visit Vicki to get this week's letter.
2. Browse through your shelves for a book that starts with this week's letter.
3. Post the following info about the book you've chosen on your blog:
~ Photo, synopsis/description, link (Amazon, Christian Books, Borders, etc.)
4. Hurry back to Reading at the Beach and post a comment with a link to your post.






A Passion Most Pure
(Daughters of Boston, Bk 1)
by Julie Lessman

Christian Fiction/Historical/Romance

Revell Publishing
Pages: 480
ISBN:
9780800732110





(from Amazon):

Refusing to settle for anything less than a romantic relationship that pleases God, Faith O'Connor steels her heart against her desire for the roguish Collin McGuire. But when Collin tries to win her sister Charity's hand, Faith isn't sure she can handle the jealousy she feels. To further complicate matters, Faith finds herself the object of Collin's affections, even as he is courting her sister. The Great War is raging overseas, and a smaller war is brewing in the O'Connor household. Full of passion, romance, rivalry, and betrayal, A Passion Most Pure will captivate readers from the first page. Book 1 of the Daughters of Boston series.

(sneak peek at first chapter): Sisters are so overrated, she decided. Not all of them, of course, only the beautiful ones who never let you forget it. Faith O'Connor stood on tiptoe behind the side porch, squinting through her mother's prized lilac bush. The sound of summer locusts vibrated in her ears as she gasped, inches from where her sister, Charity, stood in the arms of-- "Collin, someone might hear us," Charity whispered. "Not if we don't talk." Collin's index finger stroked the cleft of her sister's chin. Faith's body went numb. The locusts crescendoed to a frenzy in her brain. She wanted to sink into the fresh-mown lawn, but her feet rooted to the ground as firmly as the bush that hid her from view. Three years had done nothing to diminish his effect on her. He was grinning, studying her sister through heavy lids, obviously relaxed as he leaned against the wall of their wraparound porch. His serge morning coat was draped casually over the railing. The rolled sleeves of his starched, white shirt displayed muscled arms snug around Charity's waist. Faith knew all too well his clear, gray eyes held a maddening twinkle, and she heard the low rumble of his laughter when he pulled her sister close.

*** I absolutely LOVED this book...the entire trilogy, actually! Click here, to read my review. ***

My Review: Wild West Christmas (4-in-1) by Kathleen Y'Barbo, Lena Nelson Dooley, Darlene Franklin & Vickie McDonough

Wild West Christmas
(4-in-1 Collection)
by Kathleen Y'Barbo, Lena Nelson Dooley,
Darlene Franklin & Vickie McDonough

Christian Fiction/Historical/Romance

Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Copyright 2009
Pages: 364
ISBN: 9781602605664

From back cover:

Christmas Courtships Corral Four Sisters in Texas

Charlsey Ames can ride, rope, and work the ranch with the best of them. But things don't add up when she finds herself attracted to accountant Harold Miller III, a citified tenderfoot. Will he ever see the gentle woman beneath the coating of trail dust.

Sharp-shooting Lucy Ames is thrilled to join Major Paulson's Wild West Show. But is she setting her sights too high when she begins falling for budding evangelist Gordon Paulson? Would she be better off aiming for a stable, widowed rancher?

Although horse-trainer Sarah Ames is stunned when her pa hires the part-Mexican Carson Romero to take over her job at the ranch, she gradually becomes attracted to the drifter. But when cattle go missing, Carson seems the prime suspect Has Carson stolen Sarah's heart as well as some prime longhorns?

An expert tracker, the plain Bessie Mae Ames resolves to spend her life taking care of her widowed father. That is until Texas Ranger Josef Mueller rides back into town, trailing a wanted man. Will the soon-to-be-smitten ranger find both he and his prey sweet on an unsuspecting Bessie Mae?

Will these cowgirls be tamed and live to celebrate Christmas romance?

My thoughts:

Well, I've finally gotten around to starting my annual Christmas read-a-thon...Wild West Christmas was a great choice to start me off! I made sure this book was on my must-read list for this year when I saw that it told the story of the 4 Ames sisters. You see, I'm the oldest of 4 sisters, so I knew I would be able to relate to that aspect of the book. It's set in the Texas Hill Country; involves cowboys, as well as, romance and Christmas...what more could a girl ask for?!?! :)

I hate to choose between them since they were all great stories, but if I HAD to choose just one...it would be the very first story, Charlsey's Accountant. I know, I know...all short-stories have a reputation of not being "fleshed-out" enough, and in some cases that is indeed true, but I didn't feel this way with most of the stories in this Collection. Sure, a couple of them may have seemed a little rushed at the end, but the overall story line was an excellent choice.

I enjoyed spending time with the Ames family, and hated to leave them behind. I would have loved to hang out with them a little longer to find out more about their married lives. *sigh* Oh well, all good things end sometime. I'm not too disappointed though...I have quite a few more Christmas-themed books lined up to read this year! Be sure to watch for more reviews coming soon! :)

If you would like to find out more about these wonderful ladies, please visit them at their websites, or blogs. I've listed the links below.

Kathleen Y'Barbo: website
Lena Nelson Dooley: website or blog
Darlene Franklin: blog
Vickie McDonough: website

* I purchased this book for my collection @ eBay.com *

A-Z Wednesday

This really fun book meme is hosted by
Vicki @ Reading at the Beach.

The rules are pretty simple...

1. Visit Vicki to get this week's letter.
2. Browse through your shelves for a book that starts with this week's letter.
3. Post the following info about the book you've chosen on your blog:
~ Photo, synopsis/description, link (Amazon, Christian Books, Borders, etc.)
4. Hurry back to Reading at the Beach and post a comment with a link to your post.







One Imperfect Christmas
by Myra Johnson

Women's Fiction/
Contemporary/
Christmas

Abingdon Press
Pages: 352
ISBN:
9781426700705






(from CBD):

Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened. Worse, she's allowed the monstrous load of guilt to drive a wedge between her and everyone she loves-most of all her husband Daniel. Her marriage is on the verge of dissolving, her prayer life is suffering, and she's one Christmas away from hitting rock bottom.

Junior-high basketball coach Daniel Pearce is at his wit's end. Nothing he's done has been able to break through the wall Natalie has erected between them. And their daughter Lissa's adolescent rebellion isn't helping matters. As Daniel's hope reaches its lowest ebb, he wonders if this Christmas will spell the end of his marriage and the loss of everything he holds dear.

I haven't read this book yet, but it's definitely on my 2009 Holiday Reading Challenge list!!

Kreativ Blogger Award!!

I just received this Blog Award from
Ashley @ After All...Tomorrow is another day
Thank you so much!!
Isn't it beautiful?? I love it!

Okay...this is what I'm supposed to do:
~ List 7 of My Favorite Things
~ Send this award on to 7 other bloggers

So, here goes...

7 of My Favorite Things:

1. Spending time with my hubby, Deezel (puppy), and my family
2. Books, books, and more books!
3. Blogging with my online friends {{hugs}}
4. Playing game swaps on PBS (PaperBackSwap)
5. SHOPPING!!
6. Cute, Funky Purses
7. Flips Flops and Boots

Since I just passed another award along a few minutes ago,
I'm going to cheat and pass this one along to any/all of
my Followers who may/may not already have this award.
Y'all are the best!!! Congrats to you!!! :)

Honest Scrap Blog Award!!

I would like to thank Vicki @ Reading at the Beach
for presenting me with this awesome award...I am honored!!

Since I've received this award, I have to now tell you 10 honest
things about myself, as well as, pass the award along to
10 more bloggers of my choice.

Here are 10 honest things about me:

1. I have little or no patience for disobedient children...they drive me insane! (guess that's why the Lord chose not to give me any??) :)
2. I would love to open my very own bookstore.
3. Thunderstorms, tornadoes/hurricanes scare me to death!
4. I am a huge procrastinator!
5. I have a bad habit of being late (or almost late)...see #4. LOL
6. My "new" favorite ice cream is Edy's Drumstick...yum! I'm out right now, and craving it something awful! :(
7. I'm very stubborn/hard-headed.
8. I cried when I turned 30.
9. I don't make friends easily...in-person anyway...y'all were easy to become friends with!
10. I love Japanese food!

Now for the 10 bloggers I'm passing this award on to:
(most of y'all have already gotten it, so I'll send it to some who haven't)

1. Praying Mom @ What You Reading Now?
2. Colletta @ Colletta's Kitchen Sink
3. Jennifer @ Crazy-for-Books.com
4. Nely @ All About {n}
5. MJ @ Creative Madness
6. Rae @ Caffeine & Romance
7. Katy @ A Few More Pages
8. Ashley @ After All...Tomorrow is another day
9. Brande @ Book Junkie

10. Sharon @ A Bookworm's Blog

My Review: Love Finds You in Poetry Texas by Janice Hanna

Love Finds You in Poetry Texas
by Janice Hanna
(aka. Janice A. Thompson)

Christian Fiction/Historical/Romance

Copyright 2009
Summerside Press
Pages: 310
ISBN: 9781935416166

From the back cover:

BELINDA BAUER IN HER IVORY TOWER...

In the quaint community of Poetry, Texas, Belinda spies an opportunity. The tiny town is filled with farmers and railroad men in need of wives, so why not set herself up as a marriage broker? Belinda sends little poems to be prospective brides all over the country, and her plan seems to work. One by one, women begin to arrive in Poetry. There's only one problem: Belinda doesn't have a clue what she's doing, and most of the brides marry the wrong men! One client is particularly unhappy. Georg Kaufman, the local barber, has lost more than one prospective wife to Belinda's fumbled attempts. For some reason, she just can't seem to find Georg's perfect match, though it's not for lack of trying. Is there a poetic ending in store for Georg - and for Belinda herself?

My thoughts:

This was my second book in a row by Janice Hanna (aka. Janice A. Thompson), and I really enjoyed it as well. I love the different spin she put on Mail-Order Brides...it was witty, charming, and romantic, all at the same time!! Mail-Order Bride stories are a favorite of mine, so when I saw this book was going to be released, I knew I had to have it. I'm so glad I got the chance to read it, and now share my review with you.

It's 1904 in Poetry, Texas, where Belinda Bauer lives with her family and works in her Aunt Hilde's store, Poetic Notions. (Let me say here that I love how some of the stores/businesses are quaintly named with references to poetry!) Greta is Belinda's cousin, as well as her best friend. She is a little skeptical when she first hears Belinda's idea to become a Marriage Broker.

Greta and Belinda have been friends with Georg Kaufman since grade school, and Belinda feels led to use Georg as her first customer...without his knowledge!

Belinda searches newspapers from places as far away as Boston, Philadelphia, and New York to find the "perfect" wife for the men of Poetry. She believes that her heavenly Father will help her as she searches, but she also claims that finding a perfect match "comes down to science".

When the brides start arriving, not every couple works out as Belinda had planned. This leads to some hilarious, as well as heart-breaking, situations! A few of the couples end up in love "at first sight", for which Belinda is very thankful.

**************

A couple of the store/business names that I mentioned above are: Rhyme and Reason, Limerick's Livery, Sonnets and Bonnets, just to name a few. Don't they pique your interest? Are you intrigued? I hope so! Be sure to pick up your own copy of Love Finds You in Poetry Texas to find out what happens to all of the brides that show up in Poetry, as well as the men they were chosen for. You will not be disappointed! :)

To find out more about Janice Hanna (aka. Janice A. Thompson), or her books, visit her at:
Her website ~ www.janiceathompson.com
Her blog ~ Books by Janice

My very FIRST Reading Challenge

I have been seeing Reading Challenges everywhere, but couldn't decide which one to choose as my very FIRST one to participate in. Well...I just found it while visiting MJ @ Creative Madness! Woo-Hoo!!

Here it is:

Challenge Requirements:

1- Challenge will start Friday, November 20 and will end Thursday, December 31.

2- You can read anywhere from 1 to 5 books for the challenge and, of course, if you're like me, you are more than welcome to surpass that number.

3- And now, here's the clincher... they must be holiday related books. That's right, the holiday doesn't really matter, but it would be more "jolly" if your choices were Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc.

4- The size of the book does not matter, nor does the genre. It is also okay for the book to overlap with other challenges. The only thing I ask is that they are not children's books. YA is okay. And so are re-reads. I for one tend to read the same books every Christmas - they are tradition.

5- To sign up, leave a link back to your post (click link). There will also be a post for review links as well as one for challenge wrap-ups.

6- And.... there will be goodies. That's right, we'll call them presents. At the end of every week that the challenge is running I will choose one winner from the review links and I will allow them to pick a book of their choosing (of course, I will provide a list). Meaning the more books you read, review and link up, the more chances you have at winning a "present".

Here's a tentative list of books I hope to read during the challenge:
(In no particular order ~ I may not read ALL of these,
but this is the list I will be choosing from)
Struckthrough = I've read

* The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson (reviewing for Revell)
(my review)
* The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh (reviewing for Revell)
(my review)
* Santa, Honey by Kate Angell, Sandra Hill & Joy Nash (my review)

* Christmas Homecoming by Debby Mayne, Paige Winship Dooly,
Elizabeth Godard & Elizabeth Ludwig
* The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall
* Wild West Christmas by Kathleen Y'Barbo, Lena Nelson
Dooley, Darlene Franklin & Vickie McDonough (my review)
* One ImPerfect Christmas by Myra Johnson
* It Happened One Night by Lisa Dale (ARC version)
* A Cowboy Christmas by Janette Kenny

I'm so excited...I can't wait to get started! I've already noted the starting date on my calendar, so I won't forget (like that's possible!). If you enjoy reading Holiday-themed books, be sure to sign up to join in the fun. I hope to be reading your reviews soon! :)

My Review: Fools Rush In (Weddings by Bella, Bk 1) by Janice Thompson

Fools Rush In
(Weddings by Bella, Bk 1)
by Janice Thompson

Christian Fiction/Contemporary Romance

Copyright 2009
Revell Publishing
Pages: 330
ISBN: 9780800733421

***WARNING!***
This is not going to be my normal "serious" review
(it's also quite a bit longer than usual!).
There is no way I can review this book without just
letting my own "country" self show through!! This is going to
be a FUN review...at least I hope you think so! :o)

From the back cover:

EVER WONDER HOW ITALIAN SOUNDS
with a SOUTHERN DRAWL?

Bella Rossi's life is just starting to get interesting. When her Italian-turned Texan parents hand over the family wedding planning business. Bella quickly books a Boot-Scootin' wedding that would make any Texan proud. There's only one catch ~ she doesn't know a thing about country music. Where will she find a deejay on such short notice who knows his Alan Jackson from his George Strait? And will Bella ever get to plan her own wedding?

Fun, fresh, and full of surprised, this flavorful combination of Italian and Tex-Mex highlights the hilarity that ensues when cultures clash.


My thoughts:

This was my very first glimpse of Janice Thompson's work as a writer, but it will definitely not be my last! I absolutely adored Fools Rush In!! It is my new favorite Christian Fiction Contemporary Romance for 2009. If you haven't given Janice's books a try...please grab your own copy of Fools Rush In...that's right, I'll be putting MY copy on my Keeper Shelf, to read again and again! :o)

Get ready for some side-splitting fun when you meet the Rossi's and the Neeley's!!! They are a GREAT bunch of people! I'm having a hard time deciding who is my favorite...I don't think I can have just one. I'll be doing this review a little differently ~ instead of just highlighting the main characters ~ I'm going to tell you a little bit about some of the quirky folks in this book, so hang on to your seat, it's gonna be loads of fun!

The story is mainly about Bella Rossi and Duh-wayne Neeley (you will get this when you read the book!!), but I can't tell you much about the Neeley's without giving away some key parts of the story, so I'll tell you a little about the Rossi's.

Bella has recently taken over the family wedding-planning business from her parents, and is in the process of planning her very first wedding, on her own. She lives at home with her parents (Cosmo and Imelda), her younger siblings: Joey and Sophia, her Uncle Lazarro (Laz), and her Aunt Rosa. Needless to say, there is always something happening in the Rossi household! Bella has two older brothers: Nick, who is married to Marcella, they have 2 sons, Deany-boy and Frankie; and Armando, who lives at home, "when he isn't in love."

Now a little about some of the family members...and a few friends... Uncle Laz...hmmm...where to start??? Okay, he is the owner/manager of Parma John's; he is a HUGE Dean Martin fan...he only plays Dean Martin music in his restaurant; he even names the daily specials after Dean Martin song titles! He and Aunt Rosa have a long-standing argument over who is the better singer, Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin, but they also fight about who is the better cook...which makes for some really funny events throughout the story! Oh, I've got to mention that Uncle Laz was once "affiliated" with the mob, which is how he ends up "baby-sitting" Guido...and more hilarity ensues! :o)

Aunt Rosa is Imelda's older sister. She is the designated cook at the Rossi home. She loves playing Frank Sinatra songs while she's in the kitchen, cooking or cleaning. She has a very short Italian temper, and tries her best the keep the family straight. She is always muttering Italian sayings under her breath...which Bella translates for those of us who can't speak Italian. LOL She had me laughing so hard at times, I couldn't read for the tears in my eyes!

Sophia is mostly responsible for watching after Deany-boy and Frankie during their summer vacation, but they quickly drive her insane with their annoying antics. She has to think fast to stay ahead of them. She's also having boyfriend issues, such as, will she ever find a "real" boyfriend? Sophia has a major crush on someone, but is sure he doesn't return her feelings.

Jenna works at Parma John's and is Bella's very best friend in the world. She is famous for spouting off the daily specials, with her Texas-twang. She's practically engaged to her long-time boyfriend, David. There's also Patti-Lou...she's the best florist in town and one of Bella's friends. They both seem destined to end up single, since there are no men in their lives at the moment. There are so many other quirky people who contribute to making this story a huge success, but I'm not going to be able to tell you about them all without going on and on for another couple of hours! You're just going to have to get your own copy of Fools Rush In and meet all these crazy folks for yourself! :o)

If you'd like a chance to see this book from a different perspective, please visit my friend, Rae!!

To find out more about Janice Thompson and/or her books, please visit her at:
Website: www.janiceathompson.com

I hope you've enjoyed reading my review of Fools Rush In as much as I've enjoyed writing it! I'm so looking forward to reading all of your reviews, once you've had a chance to read this book for yourself!

Be sure to add it to your Christmas Wish List, since Christmas
is right around the corner. *wink*

** I won my autographed copy of Fools Rush In
@ Tiffany's blog: A Fiction-Filled Life **

A-Z Wednesday

This really fun book meme is hosted by
Vicki @ Reading at the Beach.

The rules are pretty simple...

1. Visit Vicki to get this week's letter.
2. Browse through your shelves for a book that starts with this week's letter.
3. Post the following info about the book you've chosen on your blog:
~ Photo, synopsis/description, link (Amazon, Christian Books, Borders, etc.)
4. Hurry back to Reading at the Beach and post a comment with a link to your post.




Never the Bride
by Cheryl McKay
& Rene Gutteridge

Christian Fiction/
Contemporary
Romance/
Inspirational

Waterbrook Press
Pages: 320
ISBN:
9780307444981







(from Fantastic Fiction):

Eleven Bridesmaid Dresses Don't Lie

Since she was just a little girl, Jessie Stone dreamed up hundreds of marriage proposals, doodled the romantic ideas in her journal with her treasured purple pen, and fantasized about wedding dresses and falling in love. She's been a bridesmaid nearly a dozen times, waved numerous couples off to sunny honeymoons, and shopped in more department stores for half-price fondue pots than she cares to remember.

But shopping for one key component of these countless proposals hasn't been quite as productive-a future husband. The man she thought she would marry cheated on her. The crush she has on her best friend Blake is at very best.well, crushing. And speed dating has only churned out memorable horror stories.

So when God shows up one day, in the flesh, and becomes a walking, talking part of her life, Jessie is skeptical. What will it take to convince her that the Almighty has a better plan than one she's already cooked up in her journals? Can she turn over her pen and trust someone else to craft a love story beyond her wildest dreams?

This is an excellent book! I can't wait for the screenplay to
be available for viewing/purchasing! :)

My Favorite Cover

This is a meme that I post every Friday over on my original blog, Some of My Favorite Things, but I've decided to also post it here, too. I have different followers on each blog, so I'd hate for anyone to miss out on adding even more books to their wishlists! LOL

Here is my choice for this week:

A Tailor-Made Bride
by Karen Witemeyer

Release date:
June 1, 2010

Bethany House
Publishers
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780764207556

Christian Fiction/
Historical/Romance






(from PBS):

Book Description:

Jericho "J.T." Tucker wants nothing to do with Coventry, Texas's new dressmaker. He's all too familiar with her kind -- shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothing, this seamstress is not at all what he expected.

Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man?

When Hannah decides to help Jericho's sister catch a beau -- leading to uproarious consequences for the whole town -- will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?

Isn't this cover beautiful? Even though it would be nice to see their heads/faces! Karen Witemeyer is a new author for me, so I'm excited to give her book a try. It sounds like a great story! :)

A-Z Wednesday

This really fun book meme is hosted by
Vicki @ Reading at the Beach.

The rules are pretty simple...

1. Visit Vicki to get this week's letter.
2. Browse through your shelves for a book that starts with this week's letter.
3. Post the following info about the book you've chosen on your blog:
~ Photo, synopsis/description, link (Amazon, Christian Books, Borders, etc.)
4. Hurry back to Reading at the Beach and post a comment with a link to your post.





Menu for Romance
(Brides of Bonneterre, #2)
by Kaye Dacus

Christian Fiction/
Contemporary Romance/
Inspirational

Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Pages: 320
ISBN:
9781602604551




(from Amazon):

Review

What an enjoyable contemporary romance read! This is a sequel, but easily could be read and loved alone, but if you skip to this one it will make you eager to go back and read the first novel as well. The characters are real and fast to fill into your heart and bring you along on their journey. The story is told from the point of view of two separate characters that each have a bit of personal and spiritual growth that they must go through before they are ready to know what is capable of coming next in life. I strongly recommend this read for the romantic at heart, whether single or not it is an enjoyable and strengthening read. (Margaret Chind Novel Reviews )

Product Description

Cater to your craving for fabulous fictional fare with Menu for Romance, where a party planner finds herself torn between the contractor and the cook. After eight years of unrequited love, Meredith Guidry makes a New Year's resolution to find someone new and end her single status before the year's over. And when she meets a handsome contractor on New Year's Day, it seems like her prayers have been answered. Executive Chef Major O'Hara has forsworn relationships, knowing he could never saddle the woman he loves with a family situation like his. But when it seems he's about to lose Meredith Guidry to another man, he realizes he must concoct a menu for romance to win her back.