november - december

a note from me:
merry christmas, dear reading friend!!!

a few weeks ago, we flew out on a spur-of-the-moment trip to london and then to barcelona! at the time, there was a global security alert issued for all travelers and we had the option of canceling the trip, but decided against it. 

in times like these, i'd rather be all together as a family then separated by time zones, wouldn't you?!? plus, we know that our lives are in the hands of God and we can be at peace knowing he is in control.

i don't know your story but i want to encourage you that this time in your life is just for a season. trust God. know that he is always with you (psalm 139:1-12). he is Jehovah-Jireh meaning the Lord who provides. check out philippians 4:19 in your bible. it's a promise to you.

jeremiah 29:11 is the verse that i live by. read it! embrace it. share it!

have a blessed christmas season sharing his love!!! happy reading, dear friend!!!

blessings & love!!!

susan, your reading mom :o)
jer. 29:11


fiction

bride at last, a by melissa jagears is the grand finale in her mail order bride stories. kate dawson is about to risk everything she knows for a promise because of a nine-year-old boy she loves. but when the truth comes out about her past, kate's future takes a turn for the worst. this story will take you on a journey of faith, love and redemption

captured by love by jody headlined is set in 1814. two brothers, jean and pierre make the ultimate sacrifice for love. you'll find danger, betrayal and espionage in this historical fiction. angelique labelle, the object of both brother's affections, will learn an important lesson about hope and contentment in the end.

come to the garden by jennifer wilder morgan is inspired by organ's ministry at the methodist hospital in houston. jennifer's intriguing story with her encounter with an angel sent from God named margaret helps her see that God has been very present in her life. this is an inspiring story of faith and how God works in everyday life through different circumstances and people!

cup of dast, a: a novel of the dust bowl by susie finkbeiner stars ten-year-old pearl spence. pearl's daddy is the town's hero and sheriff and her adoration for him is evident! pearl is the keeper of her older sister, beanie and she always knows how to find her sister when she wanders off around town. you'll love pearl! she's spunky, responsible and charismatic! when a hobo gets off the train and seems to know her name, pearl's secure world begins to turn upside down.

fire & ice by mary connealy is the third book in the series, wild at heart. bailey wilde is one of the best new ranchers in the west. bailey has a secret and fellow rancher, gage coulter is shocked when he uncovers it. connealy will have you cracking up as you go back in time to 1866! i love the way she writes!

love's fortune by laura frantz is book 3 in the ballantyne legacy series. rowen "wren" ballantyne was born and reared in her kentucky home where she knows everyone and every hill. she loves her home, making music and the close-knit community she's grown up in. but one letter will change everything and wren is thrust into a world she's very unfamiliar with. this is an era of steamboats, arranged marriages and priceless violins. will wren ever find her way home again? you'll have to find out!

methusalah project, the by rick barry is a fascinating look at the life of a young pilot from world war II who is taken captive by a german organization under the financial direction of adolf hitler. roger greene undergoes experimental treatments that change the course of his body forever. there are high stakes involved, adventure and a daring escape where multiple things can go wrong. at any moment. read at your own risk.

moment in time, a by tracie peterson is the second book in the series, lone star brides. alice chesterfield is being followed and texas seems to be the opportunity she needs to break away from her past. when alice discovers that her mother and brother who she was told were dead are very much alive, everything alice knows to be true about her world, unravels. this is a story of trust, forgiveness and sanctuary.

perfect ambition, a by dr. kevin leman & jeff nesbit is book one in the worthington destiny series where you'll get to follow the life of a rich and powerful family. This is a political thriller that combines birth order (thank you, dr. leman!!!), high powered stakes, political intrigue and secrets. and the cliff hanger at the end just kills me!!! i can't wait to review book 2 and share it with you!!!

place in his heart, a by rebecca demarino is a beautiful story of love. mary langton is trying to avoid marriage to the man her father insists on matching her with. her deepest desire is to marry for love. when she meets barnabas horton, a young widower with two sons, mary is smitten. can you see where this is going?!? this is a story that will pull at your heart strings as you watch mary literally grow up before your eyes as she learns about motherhood, domestic tasks and being a help meet! plus, a voyage across the ocean to the colonies stretches mary... to a breaking point. love comes when you least expect it.

raw edges by sandra d. bricker is a stand alone book in a series, quilts of love: every quilt has a story. grayson mcdonough is struggling with his grief over losing his beautiful wife, jenna to ovarian cancer. when his 9-year-old daughter, sadie discovers an invitation to a support group and coerces her father to go with her, grayson never expects to find hope and healing through a memory quilt project. one that he is reluctant to be a part of but because of sadie, he relents. i love the journal jenna wrote for her daughter!!! read this one with a box of kleenexes near by because you will need them!

sky zone by creston mapes is the final book in the crittendon files series where you will find heart-pounding suspense and action around every corner! it's been a tough season for jack crittendon financially. after losing his job as a star reporter, he's been working part-time on security detail at the columbus festival arena. when word arrives regarding a possible terrorist attack while controversial presidential candidate martin sterling is set to appear, jack and his team have no idea what will unfold as the evening goes on. this is a story of sacrifice, conspiracy and faith AND a surprise ending you will not expect!!!

tempest's course by lynette sowell is a part of the series, quilts of love: every quilt has a story. when kelly frost, a textiles conservator, accepts a job to restore a centuries-old mariner's compass quilt, she never expects to stumble across the story of the quilt. nor does she expect to find love or discover the secrets of her past!

non-fiction

too blessed to be stressed cookbook: a busy woman's guide to stress-free cooking by debora m. coty is a collection of yummy recipes that have a prep time of 20 minutes or less! This is one-pan cooking at its best! I love the personal tidbits coty shares throughout the book and the clever quotes you can find on the bottom of the page. You are also going to love the bright colored pages, pictures, artwork and the "menu suggestions and grocery lists" that are included in the back of the book.  cheers for stress-free cooking, friends!!!