Thursday, October 28, 2010

Don't Kiss Him Good-bye (London Confidential series)

Reviewing books targeted to the young adult market encourages me. Especially when they are filled with themes that revolve around making good decisions.

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Savvy Smith has been transplanted from the U.S. to London. In addition to trying to find her place in a new peer group, she is also overcoming cultural differences. The May Day Ball is a tradition at this British school. Everyone who is anyone goes to the dance and it seems to Savvy that everyone else has a date. Her list of prospective dates begins to dwindle. When she finally believes she has met someone, she is warned about his propensity to be trouble. Will she bypass her uneasy feelings and compromise? Is this the end of the world? Where does personal identity and self-worth come from? Can we find joy in life when it seems like nothing is working for us?

The written word has such a great opportunity to convey messages and this book is no different. I love Sandra Byrd and her sweet and refreshing humor as well as the details regarding fashion and pop culture. I didn't enjoy this third installment quite as much as the first two because I felt it was lighter on revealing the character's thought process and Savvy's thinking is so encompassed by "boy-craziness", although it is probably more accurate to real-life for many of today's teens.

If you have been reading the blog for any length of time, I introducted you to the London Confidential Series a few months ago. If you want to read the reviews of Books 1 & 2 in the series, you can do that here.


Best-selling author Sandra Byrd has published nearly three dozen books in the Christian market, including her latest series, French Twist, which includes the Christy finalist Let Them Eat Cake (2007) and its sequel, Bon Appétit (2008). Many of her acclaimed fiction and nonfiction books target the tween and young adult market. She has also published a book for new moms entitled Heartbeats. Several of Sandra's shorter works appear in periodical markets such as Relevant, Clubhouse, Pockets, Decision, and Guideposts. For the past seven years, she has shared her secrets with the many students she mentors through the Christian Writers Guild. Before turning to full-time writing, Sandra was an acquisitions editor in the ABA market. She lives in the Seattle, Washington, area with her husband and two children.


This book was provided by Tyndale for review.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

The Waiting

Sometimes the simple life isn't all that simple. All women are self-conscious and want to believe we are wanted and beautiful.
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It isn't any different for main character Jorie King in Suzanne Woods Fisher's new novel, The Waiting. She is waiting for Ben Zook to "find" himself, settle down and finally join the Faith. News that Ben Zook has been killed reaches home and the community has to find a way to move on with life. Jorie finds comfort in friendship with Caleb, Ben's brother whose wife has recently died. Until an unlikely thing happens.....

OR not so unlikely. I could see this "twist" coming from early on in the book. Even though I wasn't surprised, I did enjoy the book. It was a sweet tale of a timid girl that doesn't think she is beautiful or that anyone else could ever choose her either. Doesn't that girl reside in all of us? AND, you know my affinity for Amish fiction, especially when it doesn't involve a buggy accident as the plot climax.

This book was provided for review by Litfuse Publicity with no compensation.


About Suzanne Woods Fisher : Suzanne Woods Fisher is the CBA bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, Amish Peace, and Amish Proverbs. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Benedict eventually became publisher of Christianity Today magazine. Suzanne is the host of a radio show called Amish Wisdom and her work has appeared in many magazines. She lives in California . Find out more about Suzanne at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com


Suzanne Woods Fisher is thrilled to announce the release of The Waiting, book two in The Lancaster Secrets Collection. In The Waiting Jorie finds herself caught be two loves and two lives in this compelling page turner about complex people living the simple life.

The Waiting is the next stand alone story in The Lancaster Secrets Collection and follows in the footsteps of the best-selling, The Choice. The Waiting is in stores now and to celebrate Suzanne is hosting The Waiting KINDLE Giveaway.



One Grand Prize winner will receive a Kindle preloaded with Suzanne Woods Fisher titles and a Amazon.com gift certificate! The Prize Pack (valued at over $185.00) includes:

* A brand new KINDLE, Free 3G, 6", Latest Generation

* The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher

* The Waiting by Suzanne Woods Fisher

* A $15 dollar Amazon.com Gift Certificate

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest. Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on October 28th at Suzanne's Lancaster Secrets Book Club Party.

Join Suzanne for the Lancaster Secrets Book Club Party on October 28th! She’ll be announcing the winner of the The Waiting KINDLE Giveaway, hosting a book club discussion of The Waiting and The Choice, and giving away copies of both books and HEAPs of readerly prizes! Be sure to join us on Thursday, October 28th at 5:00 PM PST (6:00 MST, 7:00 CST & 8 EST) at Suzanne’s Author Page. 

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Healer's Apprentice - YA

Having a 12-year-old that is a voracious reader presents challenges. I want to know what she is reading, but I cannot read everything she reads, at least if I want to get anything else done. So I have to rely on authors that are reliable and recommendations of others. I was pleased to be "introduced" to to Melanie Dickerson and her first novel The Healer's Apprentice by a close friend.

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I was told this book was a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale and so I started reading it with some preconceived notions. I wasn't sure that a tweak here and there to a fairy tale I knew well would keep my interest. Good thing this book was SO much more than just a tweak. I could not put it down! I read it all in one sitting! In the author interview she mentions what started her idea for this book. I loved the idea that she considered the prince and his sense of duty and responsibility, an idea that the author incorporates masterfully into her retelling. Worth a look for YA market AND older (like mid-30ish, like me!)

I can't wait to read more from this author in the future!

This book was provided for review by the author and Zondervan.