The Silent Order by Melanie Dobson

Hello Readers,

This book opens with a bang, and that for real and quite soon in the front of it! Opening with the mob is quite a way to start a book off, much less one named The Silent Order. With in minutes of reading, I was turning pages with out a break. The book write up is a good short summery, but it shows nothing of the gripping characters or the vivid descriptions of people and places. Enter into a drastic contrast, the moffia mob vs. a quite sheltered Amish community. An Amish community where Katie is hiding, and where Detective Rollin Wells has landed. It has saved his life, but he can't live in hiding there forever, can he? And what about Katie? She has answers to Wells's past questions.

Carol

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Silent Order Summerside Press (November 1, 2010)by Melanie Dobson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of The Black Cloister; Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana; and Together for Good.

Prior to launching Dobson Media Group in 1999, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family where she was responsible for the publicity of events, products, films, and TV specials. Melanie received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Liberty University and her master's degree in communication from Regent University. She has worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for fifteen years including two years as a publicist for The Family Channel.

Melanie and her husband, Jon, met in Colorado Springs in 1997 at Vanguard Church. Jon works in the field of computer animation. Since they've been married, the Dobsons have relocated numerous times including stints in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Colorado, Berlin, and Southern California. These days they are enjoying their new home in the Pacific Northwest.

Jon and Melanie have adopted their two daughters —Karly (6) and Kinzel (5). When Melanie isn't writing or entertaining their girls, she enjoys exploring ghost towns and dusty back roads, traveling, hiking, line dancing, and reading inspirational fiction.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rural America - 1928. After the murder of his partner, Detective Rollin Wells hides away in an Amish home near Sugarcreek, Ohio, to find out who in the police force is
collaborating with Cleveland’s notorious mob. While Rollin searches for answers to his partner’s death, he befriends an elusive young Amish woman named Katie and her young son. As Rollin learns about Katie’s past, he’s shocked at the secret Katie is hiding - a secret that has haunted Rollin for eight years.

If you would like to read the first chapter of  The Silent Order, go HERE.



The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1609360192 

Grace by Shlley Shepard Gray

Hello, it is going to be Christmas time again soon!

Well, we have Thanksgiving first which tends to get overlooked now days, but you still have plenty of time to read this book for Christmas. In Grace you will meet a rather large family with many things going on, who run their own Bed and Breakfast. Normally they don't have any guest during Christmas. However, due to the mail running the way mail does, this year they are going to have a guest for Christmas. Before long they wind up with TWO guests at the Bed and Breakfast for Christmas!

This is throwing all sorts of kinks into everyone's plans. Some are happy, some are upset, and where do you put two strangers for a few weeks in the middle of all your family and their idea of what all is happening for Christmas?

Grace is a very nice story of, well.. grace! God's grace moves in ways we don't expect, in times we don't plan for, and His grace has plans that are beyond our imagination at times. Grace speaks of healing for broken and wounded hearts, which is what God's grace does. Simple, but yet sweet, this Amish based book is a  good book to read for Christmas.

Carol

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Grace Avon Inspire; Original edition (October 26, 2010) by Shelley Shepard Gray
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.





ABOUT THE BOOK

It's Christmastime at the Brenneman Bed &  Breakfast, and everyone is excited about closing down for the holiday.

Anna and Henry will be celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple, and for Katie and Jonathan Lundy, it's their first Christmas with baby Stefan. Winnie and Samuel Miller plan to stop by as well for a wonderful two weeks of family and rest.

But when two unexpected visitors show up, hoping to stay for Christmas, the family must test their commitment to hospitality. Levi is a widower who lost his wife four years ago and can't bear the thought of another Christmas alone. And Melody is a young pregnant woman who won't open up about how she ended up on her own at Christmas at almost nine months pregnant.

Anna, who knows a thing or two about keeping secrets, doesn't trust her, and strives to find out the truth about these two strangers who have disrupted their holiday. But as the Christmas spirit descends on them all, as well as snow that traps them in the inn, a healing and hopefulness takes over, allowing new relationships to be built, and the boundaries of family to be extended.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Grace, go HERE.

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0061990965 

The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead

Attention Readers!

It is time for another wonderful book by Stephen Lawhead. I am a fan of Mr. Lawhead's work.
I am never disappointed by any of his books, though I do have favorites. I think I am missing a few, and I will have to remedy that!

The Skin Map is another shining example of Mr. Lawhead's great creativity and ability to immerse himself and his readers in a very intriguing story, which has enough plausibility to make it be a very real possibility!

(I have to run an errend, when I return I will tell you much more about this book, unless I vanish on a ley line while I am gone!)

O.k, No ley lines got me while I was gone. I have to say I am really thrilled with this book and I can't wait for the next installments of this series. I love the old England and German towns and settings that Mr. Lawhead so skillfully wove into the very fabric of The Skin Map. The idea alone of a map made of skin that has this kind of power was intriguing as well. I am throughly enjoying the transformation that Willamina is going through, as well as the massive adventure that is training Kit.

I can not wait to read the next four books!
Carol

Stephen R. Lawhead

Stephen Lawhead is an internationally acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction.
He has written twenty-four novels; his most recent one is The Skin Map; a BRIGHT EMPIRES novel. "Once again, Lawhead has penned an epic tale, putting a new spin on an old legend. Full of rich imagery, this page-turner will appeal to fans of suspense and fantasy." – Library Journal


The Skin Map

A BRIGHT EMPIRES NOVEL

Stephen Lawhead has embarked on his most ambitious writing project to date: the five-book BRIGHT EMPIRES series. The first volume, The Skin Map, has a publication date of 1 September 2010.

The series is underpinned by the cutting-edge work of quantum physicists, natural philosophers, and cosmologists who describe a universe not only much greater, but also far stranger than we imagine.

The Skin Map - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1595548041
Author’s web site - http://www.stephenlawhead.com/



In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

http://www.stephenlawhead.com/bright-empires-novels/the-skin-map.html

Participants’ links
Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Jeff Chapman
Christian Fiction Book Reviews
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
George Duncan
April Erwin
Tori Greene
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Timothy Hicks
Christopher Hopper
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Shannon McDermott
Allen McGraw
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Gavin Patchett
Sarah Sawyer
Chawna Schroeder
Kathleen Smith
Rachel Starr Thomson
Donna Swanson
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Elizabeth Williams

Dave Wilson

Lydia's Charm by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Hi Readers,

This book just must have been suppose to come to me. I didn't recall putting it on my list, but I am glad it came, as I think I needed it.  Lydia King, who is widowed, and her young son move back to Charm. (Neat name that one!) Restarting your life for any reason isn't easy. It is hard, and it hurts. Lydia is restarting because her husband has passed, and the jobs dried up where she was.

Back home with her kin isn't easy either. Nothing feels just right in many ways, and now here she is in a new job, coping with her Mama who is coping with her ailing Grandfather! Before long gifts start showing up for Lydia! There are a few single men who could be doing it, but is Lydia ready for a new husband and second father for her young son? Worse yet, Lydia's Mother has a preference if she should choose a new man.
Lydia has to find out what God wants for her, sort through her life, and to remember that God is still in control no matter what we are facing.

As all of Ms. Brunstetter's books that I have read, they are very picturesque, with very real characters, and neatly immersed in the Amish culture. Lydia's Charm has a charm all its own.

Carol

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingLydia's CharmBarbour Books (September 1, 2010)byWanda E. Brunstetter
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Note From Wanda:

Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a writer. When I was in the second grade, I wrote my first poem about a moth. Luckily, I received encouragement from my teacher. During my teen years, I wrote skits that my church teen group performed during special holidays.
It wasn’t until 1980, that I took a course on writing for children and teenagers. I became serious about a career as an author. Soon after that, I began to write stories, articles, poems, and devotionals, which appeared in a variety of Christian publications. Later, I had 5 books of puppet/ventriloquist scripts published. *These books are currently available by contacting me. (wanda@wandabrunstetter.com)

My first novel was released by Barbour Publishing’s book club, Heartsong Presents, in Dec. 1997. I have now written nearly fifty books, with over 4 million books in print. Many of the novels I've written are Amish-themed.
ABOUT THE BOOK

Widowed and jobless, Lydia King moves her son and herself to Charm, Ohio, to be close to her mother and help with her grandfather. Menno Troyer, a furniture store owner, is also recently widowed and the father of four energetic boys.

Levi Stutzman, another newcomer to the area, is the only one in his family not handicapped by dwarfism and has dedicated his life to caring for them. As fall colors the countryside, will anonymous gifts left for Lydia bring her hope for a new life and romance, or will another tragedy flood her with infinite despair?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Lydia's Charm, go HERE.

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1602600635
Watch the book trailer:

A Very Private Grave by Donna Fletcher Crow (The Monastery Murders Series)

Hi Dear Readers,

Make no bones about it, this book is just perfect for this month, or really any time you like to read. I like books like this with hot coffee, and warm blankets, soft lamp light, and I will be transported into a wonderful mystery!

I have several other books by Donna Fletcher Crow, including all of The Lord Danvers Mysteries. I am thrilled to read this first book in this new series! Mysteries, when they are well written like this one, will always  draw me in. I have to say that you can see even more depth in this series than the last ones I read! WOW! A Very Private Grave is a very good read.

Having toured and studied some Monastery, I find this a fantastic setting, and even more so a wonderful way to weave God into things. I can't wait till I can read the next book! Go read the first chapter quick, and see if you can't wait to "turn the page" and read the whole thing. Oh, and I had to list off the rest of Ms. Crow's works, so check out this other link if you have time.  http://donnafletchercrow.com/otherBooks.php


Carol :)

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Very Private Grave Monarch Books (August 1, 2010) by Donna Fletcher Crow
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Donna Fletcher Crow is author of more than thirty-five novels. She has twice won first place in the Historical Fiction category from the National Association of Press Women, and has also been a finalist for "Best Inspirational Novel" from the Romance Writers of America. She is a member of The Arts Centre Group and Sisters in Crime. Find out more at www.donnafletchercrow.com.

Endorsements:
"History and mystery and murders most foul keep the pages turning ... A fascinating read." –Liz Curtis Higgs, bestelling author of Thorn in My Heart

“A Knickerbocker Glory of a thriller, a sweeping, page-turning quest served up with dollops of Church history and lashings of romance. Donna Fletcher Crow has created her own niche within the genre of clerical mysteries.” – Kate Charles, author of Deep Waters

“As in Glastonbury, Donna Fletcher Crow’s descriptions of the English and Scottish settings in her new mystery are drawn with real artistry. Lovers of British history and church history will be impressed by her grasp of both.”—Sally Wright, Edgar Award finalist and author of the Ben Reese Mysteries

ABOUT THE BOOK

Felicity Howard, a young American studying for the Anglican priesthood at the College of the Transfiguration in Yorkshire, is devastated when she finds her beloved Fr. Dominic bludgeoned to death and Fr. Antony, her church history lecturer, soaked in his blood.

Following the cryptic clues contained in a poem the dead man had pressed upon her minutes before his death, she and Fr. Antony—who is wanted for questioning by the police—flee the monastery to seek more information about Fr. Dominic and end up in the holy island of Lindisfarne, former home of Saint Cuthbert.


Their quest leads them into a dark puzzle...and considerable danger.

If you would like to read the Prologue and first Chapter of A Very Private Grave, go HERE.

Watch the book video:



The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1854249681 

Don’t Look Back by Lynette Eason

Hey Readers,

Welcome to the second book in the Women of Justice series!!  Don't Look Back takes off, and never let up! This is a can't put it down reading kind of book. While I really liked the first book, Too Close To Home, this one just takes off! You can read this book with out reading the first one, but it is even better, at least to me, as the second in the series. I know the second book of a trilogy is sometimes a little bit weaker, but not so for Don't Look Back. 


I was instantly "sucked" in by Jamie's brutal rape, and cried with her pain. While not all rapes are from a killer, many of us know the kind of pain that this act causes. I was well pleased with how Lynette Eason wove Christ into this book so beautifully. I was touched, entertained, and very pleased with this book. I also love how real this book is, that it doesn't spare, gloss over, or sugar coat the issues, even when they are hard ones, or painful ones. 


Well done, and a highly recommended read! 
Carol 

  About The Book:

Twelve years ago, forensic anthropologist Jamie Cash survived a brutal kidnapping, torture, and rape. After years of therapy, she has made a life for herself--though one that is haunted by memories of her terrifying past. She finally lets herself get close to a man, FBI agent Dakota Richards, when signs start appearing that point to one frightening fact--her attacker is back and ready to finish the job he started all those year ago. Can she escape his grasp a second time? And will she ever be able to let down her guard enough to find true love? Filled with heart-stopping suspense, gritty realism, and a touch of romance, Don't Look Back is the second book in the WOMEN OF JUSTICE series. Readers will be hooked from the beginning, finding that once you are in Lynette Eason's world, you're trapped until you turn the very last page.

  From the Back Cover:

One man lives to see her dead--the other is fighting to keep her alive.Twelve years ago, forensic anthropologist Jamie Cash survived a brutal kidnapping. After years of therapy, she has made a life for herself--though one that is haunted by memories of her terrifying past. She finally lets herself believe that she can have a close relationship with a man, when signs start appearing that point to one frightening fact--her attacker is back and ready to finish the job he started all those years ago.Can she escape his grasp a second time? And will she ever be able to let down her guard enough to find true love?

Filled with heart-stopping suspense, gritty realism, and a touch of romance, Don't Look Back pulls you into its twists and turns to hold you there until the very last page.

“Available October 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Embers Of Love by Tracie Peterson

Hello!

Another good book by Tracie Peterson!

Carol :)

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Embers of Love Bethany House (October 1, 2010)


by Tracie Peterson


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 85 novels.
She received her first book contract in November, 1992 and saw A Place To Belong published in February 1993 with Barbour Publishings' Heartsong Presents. She wrote exclusively with Heartsong for the next two years, receiving their readership's vote for Favorite Author of the Year for three years in a row.

In December, 1995 she signed a contract with Bethany House Publishers to co-write a series with author Judith Pella. Tracie now writes exclusively for Bethany House Publishers.

She teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research.

Tracie was awarded the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for 2007 Inspirational Fiction and her books have won numerous awards for favorite books in a variety of contests.

Making her home in Montana, this Kansas native enjoys spending time with family--especially her three grandchildren--Rainy, Fox and Max. She's active in her church as the Director of Women's Ministries, coordinates a yearly writer's retreat for published authors, and travels, as time permits, to research her books


ABOUT THE BOOK

The logging industry in eastern Texas is booming, and Deborah Vandermark plans to assist her family's business now that she's completed college. Unexpectedly, her best friend, Lizzie Decker, accompanies her back home--fleeing a wedding and groom she has no interest in.

Deborah, the determined matchmaker, puts her sights on uniting her brother and dear friend in a true love match. Deborah soon meets Dr. Christopher Clayton, a much-needed addition to the town. As their lives intersect, Deborah realizes that she has a much greater interest in medicine and science than the bookkeeping she was trained in.

But when typhoid begins to spread and Lizzie's jilted fiance returns, Deborah wonders if true love can overcome such obstacles...for those dearest to her, and for herself.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Embers of Love, go HERE.

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764208209