About the book!

Joan Sanderson's life is stuck. Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is living at home with Mom and looking after her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement-or romance.

That is, until a hunky young doctor moves in next door. Suddenly Joan has a goal--to catch his eye and get a date. But it won't be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentlessly with him and Joan is sure that she can't compete. But with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous mutt with bad manners, maybe Joan can find her way out of this rut and into the life she's been hiding from.

Book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister series, Stuck in the Middle combines budding romance, spiritual searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry that is sure to make you smile.




My review:

This story was fabulous! It wasn't edgy, IMHO, but it was still very intriguing and incredibly romantic, not to mention downright hilarious at times. For me, Stuck in the Middle was the perfect example of the best of the best Christian fiction. Not too much angst and drama, but just enough tension and issues to keep you turning the pages. The internal dialogue was so well done I felt like I was the main character dealing with the spiritual struggles and the sister issues. Such honest and fresh fiction is not common. The spiritual struggles were realistic, and yet there was depth to the lessons that really cut to the heart of the issues. But it was such a seamless part of the story it seemed natural, like the point about being equally yolked with your partner and not being ashamed of your faith.

Stuck in the Middle was so heartwarming and deep, yet fun and light at the same time. How did the author do that??? I totally loved the hero, too. He was delectable. Those "almost kisses" were making me nuts. I loved the misunderstandings, too. This story was also a great example of what not to do to win a man's heart. The flirting lessons were hilarious, especially when Joan tossed her hair and noted each time he moved inside her hula hoop. To find out what that means you have to read the book. I loved it. Highly recommended.

Stuck in the Middle was published by Revell and released in February 2008!

Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_stuck_in_the_middle_by_virginia_smith.html

Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_stuck_in_the_middle_by_virginia_smith.trackback

About the book:

He died once to stop the killer...now he's dying again to save his wife.

FBI behavioral psychologist Daniel Clark has become famous for his well-articulated arguments that religion is one of society’s greatest antagonists. What Daniel doesn’t know is that his obsessive pursuit of a serial killer known only as “Eve” is about to end abruptly with an unexpected death-his own.

Twenty minutes later Daniel is resuscitated, only to be haunted by the loss of memory of the events immediately preceding his death.

Daniel becomes convinced that the only way to stop Eve is to recover those missing minutes during which he alone saw the killer’s face. And the only way to access them is to trigger his brain’s memory dump that occurs at the time of death by simulating his death again…and again. So begins a carefully researched psychological thriller which delves deep into the haunting realities of near-death experiences, demon possession, and the human psyche.


My review:

This story is compelling, gripping, fascinating and amazing. It's clear to me that the author spent countless hours on research. I was at the hospital the other day and recommended it to a doctor who saw me reading it. I told him it had a gross autopsy scene with plenty of details and a mysterious illness they were trying to understand. I think he wrote the title down. Anyway, the natural realm and the supernatural converge in this impressive tale about good and evil. Who better to tell this frightening story than Ted Dekker?

Dekker has an impressive imagination, is incredibly intelligent, and writes in terrifying detail. I think this is the scariest Christian fiction story I've ever read. But it's not mere horror for entertainment's sake. There is a pretty profound message in this story that I believe is well worth reading. I don't recommend reading it at night, though. It would give you creepy dreams and you'd be digging in your drawer for duct tape. Trust me on that one. Read the book and you'll see why. However, if the power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (Romans 8:11) you have nothing to fear by reading this story. Some of the theology is "iffy," but hey, this is fiction! This page turner comes highly recommended. Enjoy!


Adam was published by Thomas Nelson and is scheduled to be released in April 2008.

Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_adam_by_ted_dekker.html

Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_adam_by_ted_dekker.trackback

About the book:

I marry a gorgeous executive, have a baby, lose all the weight (most of it)?and move to a fine house in the suburbs with a welcoming new church. Wait?did I say welcoming? One teeny waaah! and new mothers and their crying babies are exiled to a separate room. At least there's some enlightening conversation. Like about my husband and issues I didn't even know about! And then there's my aptly named mother-in-law,

Queen Elizabeth, who can't stand me.

I'm about to lose my mind! So it's high time for a visit to the Sassy Sistahood for some much-needed advice about men, marriage and motherhood!

My review:

Great mom lit! Marilynn knows how to keep a story moving. I loved this sassy tale of friendship and church ladies, love and despair, hope and frailty, forgiveness and commitment. Great stuff! I felt so bad for Tracey for the first two thirds of the book. I truly felt her pain. But I also enjoyed the drama and the tension between her and her man over his mother. Great stuff. Wait - I already said that. Anyway, this book is engrossing and entertaining and has enough twists to crimp your hair, but not your style. Okay, so that was a bit corny. Seriously, if you love sassy sistah lit with a smattering of spiritual nourishment, this book is one you'll enjoy. And the humor about her weight was pretty hilarious and realistic, too. Did I mention the romantic element was divine? I loved it!

Happily Ever After was published by Steeple Hill Cafe and released in January 2008.

Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_happily_ever_after_by_marilynn_griffith.html

Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_happily_ever_after_by_marilynn_griffith.trackback

ABOUT THE BOOK

With one flash of a camera, Demi's private life becomes public news. She doesn't know it yet, but her healing has just begun.

Christian college professor Demitria Costanas had vowed to end her affair with a colleague. But she gives into temptation one last time...and a lurking photographer captures her weakness for all to see. Quite literally, she's the woman caught in adultery. And almost everyone--herself included--has a stone to throw.

Enter Sullivan Crisp, a decidedly unorthodox psychologist with his own baggage. He's well-known for his quirky sense of humor and incorporation of "game show" theology into his counseling sessions. And yet there's something more he offers...hope for a fresh start.

Reluctantly the two of them begin an uplifting, uneven journey filled with healing and grace. By turns funny and touching, this story explores the ways humans hurt each other and deceive themselves. And it shows the endlessly creative means God uses to turn stones of accusation and shame into works of beauty that lead us onto the path of healing.

An auspicious debut for a candid yet tender series about pain, healing, and God's invitation for second chances.

My review:

I'd never heard of this book before it landed in my mailbox, but I've loved every book I've read that was written by Nancy Rue because she usually writes pretty edgy stuff. I started reading this novel for the blog tour and I was not disappointed. I literally couldn't put it down. It captivated me from the first page! I stayed up late at night reading it and took it with me to read every chance I got. The characters were rich and the emotions were real. The story within the story, about the therapist Dr. Sullivan Crisp, was impressively heartbreaking and emotionally moving. I was totally caught up in the emotion and the trauma in the characters' lives. I cried several times. And the ending was so powerful it left me speechless.

The authors did a fantastic job at torturing their characters, but better than that, they did an incredible job of showing you the healing that took place in their lives. That is not easy to do, not like creating the pain is, anyway. You--the reader--see the benefits of not running from the pain and of learning to understand yourself and your own heart so you can truly be vulnerable and love others. Forgiveness is a strong theme in this book. So is spiritual pharisee-ism and judgmental attitudes and the pain they cause. I gained so much insight into my own life through the spiritual struggles of the characters that I can't recommend this novel highly enough. I loved it!

Healing Stones was published by Thomas Nelson and was released January 1, 2008.

Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_healing_stones_by_nancy_rue_and_stephen_arterbu.html

Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_healing_stones_by_nancy_rue_and_stephen_arterbu.trackback

About the book:

1803, the colony of Texas, Marianne Phillips, the daughter of a wealthy rancher, has never agreed with her father's harsh treatment of the poor mestizos who first inhabited the colony of Texas. When rebels kidnap Marianne, in hopes her father will trade back their land for her freedom, she realizes her loyalty lies with her abductors, not her father, who plans to marry her off to the don of a nearby estate.

Armando Garcia is the locals' reluctant leader, but his people revere and depend on him. Knowing that without his leadership they'd be forced from their land, Armando accepts his role, but does not approve of the latest attempt to manipulate their enemy. When he learns that Marianne actually speaks his language, of her loyalty to his people, and of the faith that keeps her strong, Armando is faced with a difficult decision. Will his newfound love keep him from letting her go? Or will he set her free and risk losing their land forever?

My review:

I've read many books written by Diann Mills, and this story is my favorite. It's definitely the most romantic book, in my opinion, that she has ever penned. Life in 1800s Texas was portrayed in such a way that I got a strong sense of the culture during those hard times. Marianne had some difficult choices to make and she had to choose wisely. Several gritty and edgy topics arose in this adventurous tale and I applaud the author for her excellent portrayal of the destructiveness of domestic violence, alcoholism, and greed. Her clear portrayal of true faith is also to be commended. The author contrasted traditional religion with a relationship the believer has with the Living God, and the hope and true peace such faith produces.

Armando was the ultimate hero. He was strong, yet compassionate, dedicated, yet torn because of his past. The author's description of him made me think of Antonio Banderas. Zorro here I come! Ah, what a tale of love! It was so passionate and felt so real it swept me off my feet. I loved every yummy kiss and the emotion I experienced as the hero and heroine dealt with all of the things separating them, along with all of the things drawing them together. Fabulous romance. Great historical fiction. This story gets my highest rating. It's a real page turner! The Avon Inspire line has some of the best, most inspirational and romantic historical fiction I've read to date!

Awaken My Heart was published by Avon Inspire (Harper Collins) and released in February 2008!

Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_awaken_my_heart_by_diann_mills.html

Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_awaken_my_heart_by_diann_mills.trackback

 The title of my video (and novel) is It's Not About Me

 

Video for INAM

Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/video_trailer_for_my_book_coming_out_in_sept_2008.html

Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/video_trailer_for_my_book_coming_out_in_sept_2008.trackback