CFBA: Dating Dining and Desperation

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Dating, Dining, and Desperation B&H Books (March 1, 2014) by Melody Carlson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Over the years, Melody Carlson has worn many hats, from pre-school teacher to youth counselor to political activist to senior editor. But most of all, she loves to write! Currently she freelances from her home. In the past eight years, she has published over ninety books for children, teens, and adults--with sales totaling more than two million and many titles appearing on the ECPA Bestsellers List. Several of her books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards.

She has two grown sons and lives in Central Oregon with her husband and chocolate lab retriever. They enjoy skiing, hiking, gardening, camping and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Daphne Ballinger has learned to accept her deceased, eccentric aunt’s strange request that she marry in order to inherit her estate, along with taking over her aunt’s hometown paper’s advice column. But knowing and accepting that God’s will be done becomes harder when a new neighbor, a divorced socialite, learns of Daphne’s predicament and takes on the task of finding her the perfect man, even if it includes speed dating. When God does open Daphne’s heart, it is instead to take in a young girl left parentless and in the care of her dying grandmother. It may be a temporary arrangement until the girl’s uncle returns from the Marines, but God uses Daphne to speak His heavenly love and protection into the life of the child -- whom Daphne soon discovers has a very handsome and single uncle.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Dating, Dining, and Desperation, go HERE.

MY THOUGHTS
This is the 2nd book in the Dear Daphne series, and this book continues where the first left off.  While it's best to read both books, I'm sure you'd do fine just diving into Dating, Dining, and Desperation!

Melody Carlson writes another charming winner that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next.  Daphne is on edge, having to find someone to marry within a year in order to keep the house her aunt has willed to her.....and finding someone isn't all that easy.

This is a fun read, but beware, once you begin you may not want to put it down...and the end will leave you hanging, waiting for the next book in the series....which for the time being will be an Ebook.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for review from CFBA

Have to knit this...TODAY!

So...now that I've decided I need to get back to knitting, I wanted to find a new dishcloth pattern, after searching for a while, I remembered one of my all time favorite dish cloth designers, Smariek Knits....she has awesome, incredible patterns!

You can find her on Ravelry HERE

I have some beautiful cotton yarn that I bought at Hobby Lobby, and I'm going to knit up a butterfly cloth with it....can't wait to get my needles clicking!



You can find Smariek Knits blog at:  http://smariek.blogspot.com/  ....I'll post a photo when I finish my cloth!  First though, I have a couple of dresses on order that I need to finish up....looks like I have a lot to do today!

 

Miracle of Hope Book Review

Book One in the Amish Wonders series.
How far can God’s mercy reach?


Lindie Wyse is pregnant out of wedlock and thinks an arranged marriage is the only way to preserve her future. Josiah Plank is certain he’ll never love again, but he needs someone to care for his eight-year-old daughter, Hannah. The two take on their arrangement tentatively at first but soon realize they are each in for more than they imagined.

Lindie experiences a breakthrough with Hannah when she recognizes Hannah’s special gifts, but a risky pregnancy and serious health issues threaten to demolish the foundation Josiah and Lindie are building. Will their growing love survive despite their struggles, or will their hearts become as cold as the northern winter?

Purchase a copy here.
Find out more at Ruth’s website.

*I am posting this on behalf of Litfuse Pulicity, I have not received the book, I will add my thoughts once I receive and read the book.

Book Review: My Amish Boyfriend

Shannon McNamara has exciting plans for the summer - getting her driver's license, a job, and more - and she can't wait to dive in. But her ill mother has plans of her own: to relocate them both to the heart of Amish country in Ohio where she has relatives who can help her.

Turns out a "simple" life is actually a lot of hard work. But when a hot young Amish guy named Ezra enters the picture, Shannon's ready to get an Amish makeover and even consider making it a permanent change. Will these plans come crashing down around her too? Or can she really make the jump into a whole new way of life?

Teen favorite Melody Carlson brings fans another surprising story of worlds - and families - colliding.




Melody Carlson is the award winning author of more than two hundred books, including the Life at Kingston High Series, the Dating Games series, Double Take, and A Simple Song.  She has received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and Finding Alice.  Melody and her husband live in Oregon.  Find out more at www.melodycarlson.com





MY THOUGHTS
A quick and entertaining read!  Perfect read for a teen, and an adult will enjoy it as well.  Shannon is quite the girl, not too many teens would be as willing and as kind hearted as she is.  She helps her mom without complaint, gives up her summer plans and learns about a family she never knew she had...all without complaint.

I enjoyed Shannon and her struggles, she had a lot of grace and strength.  This was the first Amish book that I've read with this type of a story line and it was really quite refreshing.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

 

Knitting......

 

It's seems like I've put my love for knitting on the back burner these past few months, but I've been itching to pick up my needles again, I found some inspiration on Pinterest, which led me Etsy,

 Isn't this scarf divine?

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/61887890/drifted-pearls-scarf-knitting-pattern

Over the winter, well, I guess it is STILL winter, but I've been in Arizona, so it doesn't feel very winter-like to my Minnesota blood!  Anyway, this winter I knitted up some headbands and sold quite a few to some friends who are currently being beaten up by Old Man Winter.

There are so many amazing things out there to knit....I'm almost overwhelmed, I'd love to dive into some of them, but for now, I need to replenish my washcloth stash....mine are getting a wee bit grungy.....but to make things exciting, I think I'll look for a new pattern.  What are you knitting?  What's your favorite thing to knit?  

 

CFBA: A Sky Withough Stars

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Sky Without Stars Abingdon Press (February 18, 2014) by Linda S. Clare ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Linda S. Clare is an award-winning author and coauthor of several books and has also published many essays, stories, and poems in publications, including The Christian Reader, The Denver Post, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Her most recent book is A Sky without Stars, the newest release in Abingdon’s Quilts of Love line. Born in Arizona, Linda and her husband now make their home in Eugene, Oregon, where Linda has taught college-level creative writing classes, and writes, edits, and mentors other writers. She also is a frequent writing conference presenter, a church retreat leader, and mom to four grown children and five wayward cats.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Frankie Chasing Bear is caught between cultures. She wants to raise her son Harold to revere his Lakota heritage, but she also thinks he will need to learn the white man’s ways to succeed. After the untimely death of her husband, Frankie joins the U.S. Government’s Relocation Program and moves to Arizona. There she begins sewing a Lakota Star pattern quilt for Harold with tribal wisdom sung, sewn, and prayed into it. A bed without a quilt is like a sky without stars, but neither the quilt—nor her new life—comes easily to Frankie. Nick Vandergriff, for instance, is the last man Frankie wants to trust. He’s half-Lakota but Christian, and Frankie can see no good coming from that faith after her own parents were forced to convert at an Indian school. Can Nick convince Frankie that white men and Christians aren’t all bad? And will Frankie learn that love is the most important ingredient—for her son’s quilt and life itself?


If you would like to read the first chapter of A Sky Without Stars, go HERE.

MY THOUGHTS
This book is set in AZ, and there is one boy who is having quite a struggle being without a dad.  Frankie, his mom, is just trying to make their life better......and yet, she has some serious issues to work through.  As in the other Quilts of Love books, the quilt has deep ties to the story line and it helps to heal.

A very good read, a read about reaching out, helping, not giving up and love!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for review from CFBA

Book Review: Hopeful

Return to Sugarcreek, Book One

In the Amish town of Sugarcreek, love comes in many forms. But will it come at all for Miriam?

Miriam Zehr has worked at the Sugarcreek Inn longer than she cares to admit. The restaurant is a favorite of town residents as well as the many tourists who come to taste the famous Amish fare. Though she always tries to have a smile for every customer, deep down Miriam knows something’s missing: a family of her own.
Miriam has never felt particularly beautiful, especially because she’s always been a bit heavier than other girls her age. When Junior, the man she’s pined for all her life, suddenly seeks her out, she’s thrilled to be noticed . . . until she realizes he’s only asking her to help get the attention of Mary Kathryn Hershberger, her pretty friend.

If Miriam helps Junior court Mary Kathryn, she’ll get to spend a lot of time with him, but she might lose him in the process. Are these few stolen moments worth a lifetime of sacrifice? Is Miriam right to even hope for the life she dreams of?

Purchase a copy and learn more at Shelley’s website .

MY THOUGHTS
Miriam knows who she wants in her life, the problem is....he doesn't know it, which causes Miriam quite a bit of pain and even some embarrassment.

Junior just doesn't see Miriam's devotion to him, he only has eyes for Mary Kathryn, but she is running, hiding from her past...the mix makes for a bit of trouble in Sugarcreek, especially when Mary Kathryn's past comes knocking at her door.

This was a great start to a new series and I cannot wait to see what's in store for the characters in book 2!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for review from Litfuse Publicity