old western.

Author Vickie McDonough is making her way up my top list of authors with every book she writes. Her latest, The Anonymous Bride, was an extremely fun read, I was sad to see it end.

Set in Texas in the late nineteenth century. Look out, Lookout! There is a new Sherif in town! (That was me being funny, because the town is called Lookout). Luke Davis has returned to his hometown to take the role as town marshall. It wasn't easy for him to return after eleven years because he had his heart ripped out of his chest by the woman he loved. It's one thing if a woman stops loving you, but it's an entirely different thing if she chooses someone else.

Rachel Hamilton owns the boarding house. Eleven years ago she decided to let the man she loved go because she wanted what she thought would be a better life for herself, a richer life. Her husband is dead now, and she is left to wonder what might have been. What if she didn't let Luke go? Now that he is back in town, she has to see him every day and realize what she lost.

Will Luke and Rachel get a second chance at love? Here is the twist, three women have arrived in Lookout in hopes to marry Luke Davis. His cousins want him to move on and surprised him with three mail order brides to pick from. Take a wild guess to where these brides are staying? In the boarding house with Rachel, of course!

The other characters that McDonough has designed, capture her readers and put them inside the authentic western world she has created. It's a nice relaxing read, perfect for vacation. Enjoy :)

christian fiction.

Bette Nordberg's latest fiction novel, Genoa Bay tells the story of Brandy, a young widow returning to her roots to start over. After the death of her military husband, Brandy travels to the opposite side of the continent to carve out a new life for herself and her daughter on British Columbia's Vancouver Island. Brandy moves into the large house that was left to her by the woman who raised her, and makes plans to turn it into a bed and breakfast.

Genoa Bay is a story of tragedy and hope, loss and gain. It's believable fiction, that you cannot help but enjoy reading.

Bette Nordberg has the rare ability of being able to paint the scenery like a masterpiece and the good times and the hardships of the characters soon become your own. She gives life to these characters. This is by far her best novel to date. It will capture you immediately.

change your life.

DO SOMETHING! Just the title is strong. DO Something!: Make Your Life Count by Miles McPherson will make you see that life is a gift, a great gift, and we shouldn't waste it. This book is filled with real-life stories that will motivate you to get off the couch and get out there in the world to do something great. Motivate you to reach out to others AND to God. It's the powerful and life changing sort of book.

Read it, DO it.

limelight.

I have never met a Melody Carlson book that I didn't like, and "Limelight" is no exception. This is a novel about a lovely old woman named Claudette, who lived an adult life of wealth and privilege until her director husband Gavin, died (of old age, nothing crazy). Claudette is used to lavish parties, fine dining and a full time staff for her beautiful Beverly Hills mansion. She was not prepared for the news that Gavin's accountant was robbing them blind, paying himself instead of their taxes. The IRS took her house and she had to sell most of her cherished things to survive. Claudette did the only thing she could think of, being in her eighties, and feeling ugly about her appearance and her life, she downed a bunch of pills and tried to end it. She wasn't that lucky. (Kidding, kind of)

After being hospitalized and then released, the only option Claudette had left was to move to her hometown in her childhood home that her mother left to her. She cut all ties with this former life, even with her younger sister who lived in an assisted living home in town. After getting settled in to her new, but old, home, everything went wrong. I got a bit tired for her contemplating suicide, (which she often did). Claudette was lost, she had no idea how to live like a normal person. She had no idea how to do housework, how to properly grocery shop, how to do anything. She was too proud to ask for help, but is lucky when help knocks on her door, and keeps helping regardless.

While living this new life, she finds out secrets of her mothers past, and begins to realize that she not only needs help from others, but from God as well. God is involved in this story, but not shoved down your throat, or Claudette's. It is heartwarming, and extremely funny, with a little of Carlson's notorious darkness mixed in. It's the whole package. I recommend this book for any age.

pure pleasure, seriously.

Guilt and fear for experiencing pleasure? That sounds a bit off eh? How can someone be afraid of feeling good? As Gary Thomas explains in his newest book "Pure Pleasure," it happens to the best of us.

Why do Christians feel so bad about feeling good? In this well researched book, Thomas describes the path of faith as an open door to life's richest pleasures: beauty, art, noble achievement, fine meals, rich relationships, and soul-cleansing laughter. Thomas shows us how to find a healthy balance in our lives. This is such a great message.

I highly recommend this book. It will make you take a step back and possibly re-think how you view God's intentions for your life.

live confidently in every aspect of life!

Fear is a part of life. Growing up I have noticed that I have become more fearful as the years pass. Fear tends to grow with the more people you are responsible for, and the more you have to lose. In "Fear Fighters" author and pastor Jentezen Franklin shows us how to live with confidence in a world full of fear.

Through scripture Franklin teaches us how to live without fear. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 Whether it's your financial situation or your family, you cannot succeed in life if you give into fear.

It can feel impossible to be brave. Fear is a paralyzing thing. Read this book and you will become leaps and bounds closer to a life WITHOUT fear. Can you imagine?

stories that will change your life.

Chris R. Armstrong offers us ten incredible stories from church history in his new book "Patron Saints for Postmoderns: Ten from the Past Who Speak to Our Future." If history is something that you are passionate about, you should definitely grab a copy of this.

You are not only learning about the Saints of the past, but the final chapter also tells us how these Saints can help us as Christians today. "Patron Saints..." is inspirational and gives us a fresh view of Christian life. I recommend it for high school aged youth groups and adult education classes for your ABF's as well.